Loa Kulu () is a district of the Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. It covers a land area of 1,614.96 km2, and had a population of 39,938 at the 2010 Census and 51,639 at the 2020 Census' the official estimate as at mid 2025 was 62,894 inhabitants. Its district seat is Loh Sumber. Much of the southern part of the district's area is included within the development of the new national capital of Nusantara.
History During the Dutch East Indies colonial rule, Loa Kulu was a fairly important coal producing area with the operation of a coal mining company called (OBM) in the late 19th century. Coal exploitation in Loa Kulu district ended in 1970, exactly 2 years after took over from OBM in 1968. Since then, Loa Kulu, which was once busy, has gradually become deserted, abandoned by thousands of mine workers.
Governance
Villages Loa Kulu District is divided into the following fifteen villages ():Badan Pusat Statistik, Kecamatan Loa Kulu, 26 September 2025, (Katalog-BPS 1102001.6403). Regional code() Name Area (km2) Population (2024) RT() 64.02.02.2001 Jonggon Desa 278.00 3,478 18 64.02.02.2002 Sungai Payang 416.90 3,145 20 64.02.02.2003 Jembayan 170.78 10,902 24 64.02.02.2004 Loa Kulu Kota 146.00 2,881 23 64.02.02.2005 Loh Sumber 109.50 4,492 11 64.02.02.2006 Ponoragan 91.20 8,351 8 64.02.02.2007 Rempanga 56.00 3,723 9 64.02.02.2008 Margahayu 62.50 3,124 25 64.02.02.2009 Jonggon Jaya 62.50 4,131 17 64.02.02.2010 Lung Anai 1.10 475 4 64.02.02.2011 Central Jembayan() 4.72 2,150 11 64.02.02.2012 Jembayan Dalam 6.50 1,936 10 64.02.02.2013 Sepakat 3,745 6 64.02.02.2014 Sumber Sari 2,682 11 64.02.02.2015 Jongkang 1,833 7 Totals 1,614.96 57,048 204
The administrative villages of Sepakat, Sumber Sari, and Jongkang were all inaugurated on 28 December 2011, by respectively splitting them from Loa Kulu Kota, Loh Sumber, and Rempanga. Their exact areas are still uncalculated.
Demographics Ethnic groups Loa Kulu is a multi-ethnic district. It is inhabited by various ethnic groups, including the indigenous Dayak, Kutai, and Paser peoples. There are also Javanese, Bugis, and Banjarese immigrants.
There were two separate southward migration waves of Dayak peoples into Loa Kulu, none of them are truly indigenous to the area. Its western part which includes Jonggon Desa (or Jonggon), particularly, has been inhabited by the Basap people since 18th to 19th centuries, following their migration from Manubar (Sandaran, East Kutai). Meanwhile, inhabitants of Lung Anai are mostly Kenyah people who migrated from Apo Kayan during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation (similar to the history of Budaya Pampang).
The following are the majority ethnic groups per village in Loa Kulu district.
Village Majority Ref. Jonggon Desa Dayak Sungai Payang Dayak or Kutai Jembayan Kutai Loa Kulu Kota Kutai Loh Sumber Javanese Ponoragan Javanese Rempanga Javanese Margahayu Javanese or Bugis Jonggon Jaya Javanese Lung Anai Dayak Central Jembayan() Banjarese Jembayan Dalam Kutai Sepakat Javanese Sumber Sari Javanese Jongkang Javanese or Kutai
Religion Based on their religion, the majority of Loa Kulu residents are Muslims, practiced mainly by the Kutai, Paser, Javanese, Banjarese, and Bugis peoples, besides that there is also Christianity which is mainly practiced by the Dayak people. Referring to data as of December 2024, the number of Muslims was 54,722, Protestants 2,565, Catholics 559, Buddhists 12, and Hindus 6.
References