Central Tapanuli Regency (Tapanuli Tengah in Indonesia) is a regency in North Sumatra province, Sumatra, Indonesia. The seat of the regency government is at Pandan. The regency covers an area of 2,194.98 km2 and consists of a long extent of land along the western coast of North Sumatra, together with offshore islands of which the largest is Mursala Island; it had a population of 311,232 at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 365,177 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 402,904 (comprising 203,302 males and 199,602 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Tapanuli Tengah Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1204) The regency surrounds the landward side of the city of Sibolga, which is administratively separate from the regency.
Administrative districts The regency is divided into twenty districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as of mid 2024.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, Kabupaten Tapanuli Tengah Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1204) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 160 rural desa (villages) and 55 urban kelurahan (urban village), and its postcode.
Kode Wilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Areain km2 Pop'nCensus2010 Pop'nCensus2020 Pop'nEstimatemid 2024 Admin centre No.ofdesaNo.ofkelurahanPostcode 12.01.04 Pinangsori 78.3222,55025,55227,198Pinangsori5522653 12.01.15 Badiri 129.4921,97327,23729,318Lopian7222654 12.01.08 Sibabangun 284.6416,39518,41219,530Sibabangun6122655 12.01.19 Lumut 105.9811,16012,74913,613Aek Gambir5122652 12.01.18 Sukabangun 49.372,8663,8494,267Pulo Pakkat I6-22656 12.01.03 Pandan (district) 34.3147,10659,05665,371Pasar Baru22022611-22616 12.01.14 Tukka 150.9311,37614,34315,745Tukka5422617-22618 12.01.20 Sarudik 25.9220,97622,25824,530Pondok Batu1422611-22616 12.01.07 Tapian Nauli (a) 83.0118,45920,50721,662Tapian Nauli II8122618 12.01.13 Sitahuis 50.525,0405,8976,355Nauli5122611 Southeast sector 992.49177,901209,860227,589 503922562 12.01.06 Kolang 436.2915,95720,82722,506Kolang Nauli12222562 12.01.02 Sorkam 80.6115,99316,51117,772Sorkam17422560 12.01.10 Sorkam Barat (West Sorkam)44.5814,73417,59819,117Sorkam Kanan10222561 12.01.16 Pasaribu Tobing 103.366,4677,5178,081Pasaribu Tobing9-22563 12.01.01 Barus 21.8115,64517,48018,505Padang Masiang11222564 12.01.09 Sosor Gadong 143.1312,46114,59815,740Sosor Gadong8122568 12.01.12 Andam Dewi 122.4214,05716,19117,344Rina Bolak13122651 12.01.17 Barus Utara (North Barus)63.024,1554,8445,213Hutaginjang6-22567 12.01.05 Manduamas 99.5519,44922,95124,817Pasar Onan Manduamas17322565 12.01.11 Sirandorung 87.7213,41316,80018,226Bajamas7122566 Northwest sector 1,202.49132,331155,317167,321 1101622562 Totals 2,194.98311,232365,177394,910Pandan16055
Note: (a) includes Mursala Island and 18 smaller islands off the coast.
Tourist sites Central Tapanuli's beaches are ideal for surfing, although they are not as well known as those of Nias Island. The regency has 30 offshore islands; one of the biggest is Mursala Island with 8,000 hectares (1 hour by motorboat from Sibolga), which has a waterfall that directly drops to the sea; around 100 metres from the waterfall the water still tastes plain and the corals are unique and beautiful. In 1933, the first King Kong film has taken pictures here.
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