Konawe Regency is one of the regencies in the province of Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. The capital of the regency is Unaaha. The regency was once known as the district of Kendari. The regency had a population of 241,428 at the 2010 Census,Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. but was subsequently reduced by the separation of the offshore island districts (comprising Wawonii Island) as the new Konawe Islands Regency in 2013. It now covers 6,118,72 km2 and had a population of 257,011 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as at mid 2025 was 270,829 (comprising 139,830 males and 130,999 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Konawe Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.7402) Prior to its division in 2003, 2007 and 2013 (see below), Konawe was known as the rice granary of the province of Southeast Sulawesi because half of the province's rice production comes from the Konawe regencies.
History Konawe Regency was established pursuant to Law No 29 of 1959 (dated 4 July 1959) on the formation of second-level regions in Southeast Sulawesi with the name of Kendari Regency, with the capital being the city of Kendari.
When the Municipality of Kendari was first established under Law No 6 of 1995 (which separated Kendari City from Kendari Regency on 3 August 1995), the residual Kendari Regency consisted of 19 districts (kecamatan) with 334 villages. Over time, administrative changes led to the changes in the numbers of districts and villages. In 2002 Kendari Regency consisted of 23 districts with 631 villages. Based on Government Regulation No. 26 of 2004, on 28 September 2004, the residual regency changed its name to Konawe Regency.
On 25 February 2003, the south part of the regency was split off to create a separate South Konawe Regency (Konawe Selatan) covering eleven districts, and subsequently on 2 January 2007 seven of the northern districts were likewise split off to form a new North Konawe Regency (Konawe Utara). Finally, on 15 May 2013, the seven districts comprising Wawonii Island were split off to form a new Konawe Islands Regency (Konawe Kapulauan).
Administrative districts Konawe Regency, since the removal of the seven districts on Wawonii Island to form a new Konawe Islands Regency and the creation of six new districts within the remaining area, is now divided into twenty-eight districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and the 2020 Census,Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. together with the official estimates as at mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Konawe Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.7402) The table includes the location of the district administrative centre, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 297 rural desa and 57 urban kelurahan), and its post code.
Kode Wilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Area in km2 Pop'nCensus2010Pop'nCensus2020Pop'nEstimatemid 2025Admincentre No. ofdesa No. ofkelurahanPostCode 74.02.11 Soropia (a) 55.557,7539,1629,532Toronipa14 193451 74.02.36 Lalonggasumeeto 34.184,6125,4745,998Nii Tanasa11193450 74.02.05 Sampara 46.6211,7199,1329,881Sampara13293458 74.02.21 Bondoala 32.868,1995,2256,193Laosu8193457 74.02.20 Besulutu 108.186,7598,7979,027Besulutu15193459 74.02.33 Kapoiala 35.784,0636,5107,343Kapoiala13193454 74.02.40 Anggalomoare 19.32 (b)4,9795,490Tabanggele10-93455 74.02.39 Morosi 135.91(c)6,7248,064Besu10-93456 Sub-totals East Konawe 468.4043,10556,00361,528 947 74.02.01 Lambuya 95.226,6057,6388,020Lambuya9193464 74.02.18 Uepai 160.7311,81914,43314,992Uepai17-93466 74.02.17 Puriala 157.407,4059,3069,920Watundehoa15193464 (d) 74.02.37 Onembute 135.335,9417,2587,698Onembute11193465 74.02.04 Pondidaha 66.0710,43712,98413,798Pondidaha17193467 74.02.19 Wonggeduku 73.6919,81713,91014,403Puuduria15193468 74.02.28 Amonggedo 177.809,28210,89111,569Amonggedo Baru14193463 74.02.41 Wonggeduku Barat (West Wonggeduku) 37.83(e)9,0319,517Puday14-93469 74.02.03 Wawotobi 134.0620,17716,62223,075Wawotobi712 (f)93462 74.02.25 Meluhu 110.474,9885,5075,974Meluhu8193472 74.02.32 Konawe 18.378,0359,38810,237Tawanga8493462 74.02.02 Unaaha 29.8722,69426,17925,113Puunaha_12 (g)93411- 93416 (h) 74.02.24 Anggaberi 123.126,1507,1847,286Andabia2693417- 93419 74.02.10 Abuki 185.6114,4078,4078,850Abuki11193452 74.02.16 Latoma 1,316.252,3632,8433,162Waworaha12193471 74.02.15 Tongauna 47.7215,45111,01711,495Tongauna5593460 74.02.31 Asinua 322.242,4802,9453,199Ambondia7193441 74.02.38 Padangguni 210.15(i)8,9238,904Padangguni11-93442 74.02. Tongauna Utara (North Tongauna) 157.35(j)6,8727,355Puundombi10-93460 74.02.23 Routa 2,090.041,8923,5234,197Routa7193453 Regency Totals 6,118,72213,038257,011270,829Unaaha29757
Notes: The districts grouped as "East Konawe" are those surrounding Kendari City. The 2010 totals exclude the districts subsequently split off in 2013 to form the Kepulauan Konawe Regency. (a) includes 4 offshore islands. (b) included in 2010 figure for Sampara District, from which it was cut out. (c) included in 2010 figure for Bondoala District, from which it was cut out. (d) except for Puanaha village, which has a post code of 93411. (e) included in 2010 figure for Wonggeduku District, from which it was cut out. (f) the 12 kelurahan are Bose-Bose, Hopa-Hopa, Inalahi, Inolobu, Kasupute, Kulahi, Lalosabila, Nohu-Nohu, Palarahi, Puusinauwi, Ranoeya and Wawotobi. (g) comprising the 12 kelurahan of Ambekairi, Arombu, Asambu, Asinua, Inolobunggadue, Latoma, Puunaaha, Tobeu, Tumpas, Tuoy, Unaaha and Wawonggole. (h) except for the kelurahan of Unaaha, which has a post code of 93418. (i) included in 2010 figure for Abuki District, from which it was cut out. (j) included in 2010 figure for Tongauna District, from which it was cut out.
Climate Konawe Regency has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with moderate rainfall from August to November and heavy rainfall from December to July. The following climate data is for Unaaha, the seat of the regency.
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