Tanimbar Islands Regency () is a regency of Maluku province, Indonesia, consisting primarily of the Tanimbar Islands. The Regency covers a land area of 10,166.82 km2, and it had a population of 105,341 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 123,572 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as at mid 2024 was 132,337 (comprising 66,317 males and 66,020 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, Kabupaten Kepulauan Tanimbar Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.8101) The principal town and administrative centre lies at Saumlaki in Tanimbar Selatan District.
History The regency was originally created from the western districts of Southeast Maluku Regency on 4 October 1999 as the "West Southeast Maluku Regency" (Kabupaten Maluku Tenggara Barat). On 24 June 2008 the western districts of this Regency were split off to create the Southwest Maluku Regency (Kabupaten Maluku Barat Daya), leaving only the archipelago of the Tanimbar Islands in the West Southeast Maluku Regency, which was later renamed as Tanimbar Islands Regency (Kabupaten Kepulauan Tanimbar) on ; the legislation for this was passed on 28 January 2019.
Administration As at 2010 the regency was divided into nine districts (kecamatan). Subsequently, a tenth district - Molu Maru (consisting of the two northernmost islands in the Tanimbars - Molu and Maru - with a combined land area of 63.8 km2) - was by 2017 created from part of the existing Wuorlabobar District. The districts are tabulated below with their areas in km2 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 2024.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, Kabupaten Kepulauan Tanimbar Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.8101) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 80 rural desa and 2 urban kelurahan), and its postal code. Altogether the archipelago contains 99 islands, of which the principal island is Yamdena.
Kode Wilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Areainkm2 Pop'onCensus2010 Pop'nCensus2020 Pop'nEstimate mid 2024Admin centre No. of villagesPostcode 81.03.01 Tanimbar Selatan (South Tanimbar)825.6931,57139,08539,574Saumlaki 12 (a) 97471 81.03.03 Wertambrian 1,298.459,70811,62912,348Lorulun 997473 81.03.04 Wermaktian 2,941.1610,90512,93714,348Kamatubun 997472 81.03.02 Selaru (Selaru Island)826.2612,24914,26315,662Adaut 797481 81.03.05 Tanimbar Utara (North Tanimbar)1,075.7413,22613,86015,047Ritabel 897464 81.03.06 Fordata (b) (Fordata Island) 79.424,8104,7705,199Romean 697466 81.03.07 Wuar Labobar 654.749,9078,3489,327Wunlah 1197465 81.03.18 Molu Maru 63.10(c)3,6924,132Adoda Molo 597462 81.03.09 Nirunmas 1,468.307,0447,9917,953Tutukembong 5097463 81.03.08 Kormomolin 933.165,9216,9978,747Alusi Kelaan 1097461 Totals 10,166.82105,341123,572132,337Saumlaki 82
Notes: (a) including 2 kelurahan - the towns of Saumlaki (with 7,795 inhabitants as at mid 2023) and Saumlaki Utara (North Saumlaki, with 5,121 inhabitants as at 2023), while the most populated desa are Olilit (with 6,969 inhabitants in 2023) and Sifnana (4,168) with which Saumlaki and North Saumlaki share a peninsula in the southeast of Yamdena Island.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kaecamatann Tanimbar Selatan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.8101040) (b) Yaru District changed its name to Fordata District in 2019. (c) the 2010 population of Molu Maru District is included in the figure for Wuar Labobar District, from which it was split off.
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