The Talaud Islands Regency () is a regency of North Sulawesi province, Indonesia. The Talaud Islands form an archipelago situated to the northeast of the Minahasa Peninsula, with a land area of 1,251.02 km2. It had a population of 83,434 at the 2010 Census,Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. increasing to 94,521 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 99,280 (comprising 50,990 males and 48,290 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Kepulauan Talaud Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.7104)

The largest island is Karakelong, on which lies the regency seat in the town of Melonguane. To its south lie the islands of Salibabu and Kabaruan, while the Nanusa group of 7 small islands lies to the northeast of Karakelong, and Miangas island is situated midway between Karakelong and the Philippines. It is one of the three regencies to the north of North Sulawesi that are located between Sulawesi and the Philippines, along with the Sitaro Islands Regency and Sangihe Islands Regency; originally these formed a single regency, but on 10 April 2002 this was split into separate regencies for the Sangihe Islands and for the Talaud Islands.

The island of Miangas is the most northerly in the regency and is widely regarded as the northernmost point of Indonesia. As a result, it is often referenced to describe the territorial integrity of Indonesia in various patriotic statements and songs together with Sabang, Merauke, and Rote Island (respectively the most western, most eastern and most southern points in Indonesia).

History The islands were known as Maleon, Sinduane, Tamarongge, Batunampato, and Tinonda. Human settlements in the region have been present since prehistoric times, as shown by several artifacts of hand axe and chopper from 6,000 BC. There were also remains of chinaware, suggesting there had been continuous trading activity between the natives of the islands and the outside world.

It was thought that inhabitants of the island originated from Southern Philippines especially Mindanao and also traders from Ternate.

Geography

Grouping Talaud with the Sangihe Islands and Sitaro regencies, there are 77 islands in the Talaud-Sangihe archipelagos, of which 56 are inhabited. Compared with the Sangihe archipelago, the islands are low-lying and forested, with hills rising to 2,231 feet (680 metres). The coast of Karakelong Island is steep except on the southern shore, which is fringed by a wide reef.

The region is regularly rocked by large earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, as the Molucca Sea Plate is being consumed in both directions. A notable earthquake was the 2009 Talaud Islands earthquake, which was felt in the Philippines as well.

Governance

The Regency is divided into nineteen districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census and 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as of mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Kepulauan Talaud Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.7104) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 142 rural desa and 11 urban kelurahan), and its postcode.

+List of districts of Talaud Islands Regency Kode Wilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Areain km2 Pop'nCensus2010 Pop'nCensus2020 Pop'nestimatemid 2025AdminCentreNo. ofvillagesPostcode 71.04.06 Kabaruan 66.035,4725,8606,000Mangaran 12 95873 71.04.09 Damau (formerly East Kabaruan) 49.584,1274,5304,700Damau 8 95872 Total Kabaruan Island 115.619,59910,39010,700 20 71.04.01 Lirung Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Lirung Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.7104020)31.116,1376,3306,300Lirung 7 (a) 95875 71.04.11 Salibabu 21.805,5666,3306,700Salibabu 6 95871 71.04.12 Kalongan Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Kalongan Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.7104022)24.813,0603,4603,600Kalongan 5 95874 71.04.17 Moronge 20.353,5053,8804,000Moronge 6 95870 Total Salibabu Island 98.0718,26820,00020,600 24 71.04.07 Melonguane Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Melonguane Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.7104030)77.3910,46311,92012,500Melonguane 13 (b) 95885 71.04.16 East Melonguane 48.352,9643,7504,200Bowombaru 6 95886 71.04.02 Beo 70.935,5215,9806,200Beo 6 (c) 95876 71.04.14 North Beo 144.853,6094,3504,700Lobbo 8 (d) 95881 71.04.18 South Beo 63.873,4753,9604,200Tarohan 7 95877 71.04.03 Rainis 80.685,9597,1807,800Rainis 11 95880 71.04.10 Tampan' Amma 124.185,4976,4506,900Dapalan 11 95882 71.04.15 Pulutan 58.811,9532,3502,500Pulutan 5 95878 71.04.04 Essang 94.763,3973,8704,100Essang 8 95883 71.04.19 South Essang 75.023,1983,6803,900Sambuara 9 95887 71.04.08 Gemeh 137.715,4706,4306,900Gemeh 15 95888 Total Karakelong Island 976.5551,50659,92063,800 99 71.04.05 Nanusa (e) 58.403,3333,4003,400Karatung 9 95884 71.04.13 Miangas 2.39728810800Miangas 1 95889 Total Regency 1,251.0283,43494,52099,280 153

Notes: (a) including 3 kelurahan - Lirung, Lirung I and Lirung Matane. (b) including 3 kelurahan - Melonguane, Melonguane Barat and Melonguane Timur. (c) including 3 kelurahan - Beo, Beo Barat and Beo Timur. (d) including 2 kelurahan - Makatara and Makatara Timur. (e) comprising the 7 Nanusa Islands.

Economy Talaud Islands Regency is one of the outermost regions in Indonesia located in North Sulawesi Province, directly bordering the Philippines. Its strategic location provides great potential for economic growth, especially in the marine and fisheries sector. This potential is supported by abundant marine natural resources, ranging from capture fisheries, fish farming, to marine tourism.

Fishing The fisheries sector is the main pillar of the Talaud economy, with the majority of the population working as fishermen. The Talaud Sea is rich in various types of fish such as tuna, skipjack, and reef fish.

Tourism The Talaud Islands also have quite large tourism potential, especially marine tourism such as diving, snorkeling, and beach tourism. The beauty of the underwater world and the richness of marine life are the main attractions for domestic and international tourists. However, the lack of transportation facilities and tourism promotion are challenges that need to be overcome to encourage this sector as a source of regional income.

Agriculture

In addition to the maritime sector, the agricultural and plantation sectors also play an important role in the Talaud economy. Food crops such as coconut, corn, and bananas are the main commodities. Coconuts in particular are exported in the form of copra and coconut oil. However, challenges in this sector include climate change, access to modern agricultural technology, and inadequate infrastructure.

Demography

The population of the Talaud Islands was 99,280 according to the mid 2025 official estimates.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Kepulauan Talaud Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.7104) The total population of the Talaud, Sangihe and Sitaro Islands combined was 308,662 in mid 2025.

Ethnicities The population of the Talaud Islands Regency is mostly from the Talaud ethnic group, which is the indigenous ethnic group in this region. The Talaud ethnic group has a distinctive language and culture, with the Talaud language as a regional language that is still used in everyday life, especially in rural areas and in traditional activities. They have strong cultural ties, with various traditions and traditional ceremonies still practiced, such as harvest celebrations and sea rituals.

In addition to the Talaud ethnic group, there is also the presence of the Sangir ethnic group, who come from the Sangihe Islands, a neighboring region in North Sulawesi. The Sangir ethnic group has cultural and linguistic similarities with the Talaud, so that these two ethnic groups can live side by side in harmony. They are also involved in the same economic activities, such as agriculture and fisheries.

In addition to local ethnic groups, there are a number of immigrant tribes such as Minahasa, Bugis, Makassar, Javanese, as well as migrants from Ternate and Tidore. The presence of these immigrants is related to trade, transmigration, or work in the government and education sectors. Although their numbers are relatively small, their presence has enriched the ethnic diversity in the Talaud Islands Regency.Minahasa Cultural Customs | International Journal of Multicultural and Multireligious Understanding

The regency also has historical ties with the Southern Philippines, especially the Mindanao region. During the colonial period, the Maluku Islands was known as the "Spice Islands," where various valuable spices such as cloves, nutmeg, and pepper were produced. Ships from the Philippines often stopped in Talaud to conduct trade these goods, as well as local seafood and agricultural products. Talaud served as an important stopping point for sailors to refuel and obtain supplies. Geographical proximity has led to long-standing interactions between the two regions, and although the number of migrants from the Philippines is insignificant, there are a number of Filipinos who have assimilated into the local Talaud population.

Religion Protestant Christianity is the majority religion of the islands. There is a significant Muslim minority community also.

Biodiversity The Talaud Islands are a hotspot of endemism and zoological diversity, and are situated in the Sulawesi lowland rain forests ecoregion.

Endemic mammals include the endangered Talaud flying fox (Acerodon humilis), the critically endangered Talaud bear cuscus (Ailurops melanotis), the endangered Short-tailed Talaud mosaic-tailed rat (Melomys caurinus), and the endangered Long-tailed Talaud mosaic-tailed rat (Melomys talaudium). Birds endemic to the Talaud Islands include the vulnerable Talaud bush-hen (Amaurornis magnirostris), the endangered Talaud rail (Gymnocrex talaudensis), the near-threatened Talaud kingfisher (Todiramphus enigma), and the vulnerable Red-and-blue lory (Eos histrio), which formerly lived across the Talaud and Sangihe islands, now restricted only to Karakelang. The Talaud black birdwing (Troides dohertyi) is a butterfly endemic to the Sangihe and Talaud Islands.

Sangihe and Talaud were largely deforested by 1920, and there is minimal natural forest remaining on these islands. A survey has been proposed to determine appropriate locations for additional protected areas around the remaining forest (Stattersfield et al. 1998). There is a Wildlife Reserve on Karakelong [246.69 km2 (95.25 miles2)].

Infrastructure

Education There are 74 kindergartens, 117 elementary schools, 43 junior high schools, and 24 senior high schools, in addition of 13 vocational high schools. Of the 24 senior high schools, five of them are Christian senior high schools (SMAK) which are administered by the Ministry of Religious Affairs instead of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology.

There's only one college in the regency, Rajawali Computer Science College which is private. It was established after the MoU between the regency government and IPB University in 2006. The main campus was previously located in a temporary location in Melonguane town, but later relocated to town of Beo in 2011 where the newly built campus complex was located.

Healthcare