Pacitan Regency (; ) is a regency located in the southwestern corner of East Java Province, with Central Java Province on its western border. Located between 7.55° - 8.17°S and 110.55° - 111.25°E. The borders of Pacitan Regency are with Wonogiri Regency (Central Java Province) in the west and north, Ponorogo Regency and Trenggalek Regency (both regencies of East Java) in the east, and the Indian Ocean in the south. It covers an area of 1,389.87 km2 and had a population of 540,881 at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 586,110 at the 2020 census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 590,076 (comprising 295,272 males and 294,804 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026. Kabupaten Pacitan Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501) The capital of Pacitan Regency is the town of the same name. The majority of citizens in Pacitan Regency speak Javanese as their first language, while speaking Indonesian as a second language.
Geography
Pacitan Regency covers an area about 1,389.90 km2. Approximately 88 percent of the regency consists of mountainous and rocky terrain, including several rocky canyons, as it lies within the Thousand Mountains region. The highest peaks in Pacitan Regency include Mount Lima in Kebonagung District and Mount Gembes in Bandar District, the latter forming the source of the Grindulu River.
Comparison of land types: Flat (0 - 5% slope) = 53.7 km2 (4%) Bumpy (6 - 10% slope) = 134.24 km2 (10%) Wavy (11 - 30% slope) = 322.18 km2 (24%) Hilly (31 - 50% slope) = 698.06 km2 (52%) Mountainous (more than 51% slope) = 134.24 km2 (10%)
Generally, the land in Pacitan can be divided into two categories, calcium-rich in the south, and fertile land in the north. The land consists of lithosol association, red mediterranean lithosol, tuff and volcanic compound, reddish lithosol complex, and grey alluvial, clay sediments containing many potential minerals. The minerals are feldspar, ball clay, bentonite, pyrophyllite, calcite, gypsum, phosphate rock, quartz, coal, dolomite, gemstone, tin ore, and manganite.
Pacitan Regency includes 130.87 km2 of rice fields and 1,211.55 km2 of dry land. According to irrigation types, the rice fields can be grouped into: technical irrigation rice field (16.06 km2), half technical irrigation rice field (11.88 km2), simple irrigation rice field (40.63 km2), and rain-dependent rice field (62.3 km2).
Administrative districts Pacitan Regency is divided into twelve districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and population totals at the 2010 census and the 2020 census, together with the official estimates as of mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026. Kabupaten Pacitan Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501) The table also includes the locations of the district headquarters, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 166 rural desa and 5 urban kelurahan - the latter all in Pacitan (town) District), and its postal codes.
Kode Wilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Area in km2 Pop'ncensus2010 Pop'ncensus2020 Pop'nestimatemid 2025AdmincentreNo. ofvillagesPostcodes 35.01.01 Donorojo Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Donorojo Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501010 109.09 34,986 37,669 37,395Donorojo 1263554 35.01.03 Punung Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Punung Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501020 108.81 33,919 37,094 36,748Punung 1363553 35.01.02 Pringkuku Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Pringkuku Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501030 132.93 29,694 32,616 32,407Ngadirejan 1363552 35.01.04 Pacitan Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Pacitan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501040 (town) 77.11 73,086 78,161 77,825Sidoharjo 25 (a) 63511- 63518 35.01.05 Kebonagung Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Kebonagung Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501050 124.85 42,667 46,459 46,461Kebonagung 1963561 35.01.06 Arjosari Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Arjosari Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501060 117.06 38,646 41,693 41,391Arjosari 1763581 35.01.07 Nawangan Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Nawangan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501070 124.06 46,084 51,240 52,092Nawangan 963584 35.01.08 Bandar Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Bandar Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501080 117.34 41,789 44,493 44,911Bandar 863583 35.01.09 Tegalombo Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Tegalombo Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501090 149.26 48,049 51,626 52,161Tegalombo 1163582 35.01.10 Tulakan Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Tulakan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501100 161.62 77,266 83,904 86,633Tulakan 1663571 35.01.11 Ngadirojo Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Ngadirojo Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501110 99.91 44,707 47,306 47,650Ngadirojo 1863572 35.01.12 Sudimoro Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2024, Kecamatan Sudimoro Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3501120 71.86 29,988 33,849 34,402Sukorejo 1063573 Totals 1,389.90 540,881 586,110 590,076 Pacitan 171 Note: (a) comprises 5 urban kelurahan (Baleharjo, Pacitan, Ploso, Pucangsewu and Sidoharjo) and 20 desa.
Beaches Pacitan Regency has 17 beaches; to the west of Pacitan town are: Banyu Tibo, Buyutan, Karang Bolong, Srau, Klayar, and Watu Karung; near Pacitan town are: Pantai Teleng Ria, Tamperan Gung, Kali Uluh, and Wawaran; to the east of Pacitan town are: Pidakan, Soge, Tawang, Taman, and Kunir. All beaches are near to the 70 kilometers of South Coast Road from Wonogiri Regency to Trenggalek Regency. Soge Beach can be accessed in 30 minutes drive or by bus public transport from Pacitan town, but all beaches are relatively far from big cities such as Surabaya (7 hours) and Surakarta (4 hours), but it is closer from Yogyakarta.
Pacitan town Pacitan town forms an administrative district (kecamatan) in the centre of the regency, and constitutes an urban area on Pacitan Bay (Teluk Pacitan). It is composed of 5 urban villages (kelurahan) and 20 rural villages (desa), listed below with their populations as at mid 2023:
Sidoharjo (9,421) Ploso (8,240) Kembang (2,758) Sukoharjo (1,674) Kayen (2,774) Sirnoboyo (5,017) Arjowinangun (3,295) Baleharjo (3,675) Bangunsari (5,408) Sedeng (2,979) Sumberharjo (1,777) Pucangsewu (3,624) Pacitan (3,549) Tanjungsari (3,956) Menadi (2,212) Mentoro (2,890) Purworejo (1,760) Nanggungan (2,460) Widoro (2,027) Semanten (1,535) Banjarsari (1,409) Bolosingo (1,354) Sambong (3,154) Ponggok (2,051) Tambakrejo (1,989)
Tourism
Pacitan, often referred to as the "City of Tourism" (Kota Pariwisata) or "City of a Thousand Caves" (Kota Seribu Goa), is noted for its ecological diversity and natural attractions. Tourist attractions in Pacitan include cave explorations, surfing, hiking, visits to historical places, and bathing in natural springs. A multi-purpose sports arena is under construction.
Several limestone caves are notable. Gua Gong (Gong Cave) is frequently cited as a major tourist attraction. Gua Kalak (Kalak Cave) is traditionally believed to have been a meditation site of former president Soeharto, and Gua Tabuhan (Tabuhan Cave) is associated with Alibasyha Sentot Prawirodirjo. Gua Luweng Jaran (Luweng Jaran Cave) contains stalactites and stalagmites said to produce sounds resembling gamelan music.
Pacitan's coastline features a variety of beaches. Watu Karung Beach, Klayar Beach, Srau Beach, and Kasap Beach are known for white sand and coral formations. Teleng Ria Beach is located near the city center. Soge Beach is notable for a prominent bridge. Taman Beach hosts a turtle-conservation program, and Sidomulyo Beach offers Indonesia's longest zip line attraction. Banyu Tibo beach contains a small waterfall that flows directly into the sea. Other beaches are less documented.
Notable people Pacitan is the birthplace of the former army general and the former (and first directly elected) president of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
References
See also Ngile village