Murung Raya Regency is the most northerly and geographically the largest of the thirteen regencies (kabupaten) which (together with the independent city of Palangkaraya) comprise the province of Central Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, Indonesia. It was created on 10 April 2002 from the former northwestern two-thirds of the North Barito Regency. The capital of the regency is the town of Puruk Cahu. The regency covers an area of 23,700 km2 and had a population of 96,857 inhabitants at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. (an increase from 74,050 within the current area at the previous census in 2000) and 111,527 at the 2020 census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as at mid 2025 was 120,222 (comprising 62,166 males and 58,056 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Murung Raya Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.6213)
Administrative districts Murung Raya Regency consists of ten districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and population totals from the 2010 census and the 2020 census, together with the official estimates as at mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Murung Raya Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.6213) The 2020 figures for the districts are rounded to the nearest 100 people. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (a total of 116 rural desa and 9 urban kelurahan), and its postal codes.
Kode Wilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Area in km2 Pop'ncensus2010 Pop'ncensus2020 Pop'nestimatemid 2025AdmincentreNo. ofvillagesPostcodes 62.12.04 Permata Intan 804 10,867 12,000 12,499Tumbang Lahung 12 (a) 73971 62.12.08 Sungai Babuat 423 2,219 2,500 2,678Tumbang Bantian 673970 62.12.01 Murung 730 29,894 39,600 45,156Beriwit 15 (b) 73911 62.12.03 Laung Tuhup 1,611 18,555 20,900 21,940Muara Laung I 26 (c) 73992 62.12.06 Barito Tuhup Raya 1,500 4,222 4,900 5,297Makunjung 1173991 62.12.02 Tanah Siang 1,239 12,447 13,800 14,383Saripoi 27 (d) 73961 62.12.07 Tanah Siang Selatan(South Tanah Siang) 310 4,810 5,600 6,041Dirung Lingkin 773960 62.12.05 Sumber Barito 2,797 7,746 7,000 6,981Tumbang Kunyi 9 (e) 73982 62.12.09 Seribu Riam 7,023 3,559 3,200 3,261Muara Joloi I 773981 62.12.10 Uut Murung 7,263 2,538 2,000 1,986Tumbang Olong I 573983 Totals 23,700 96,857 111,527 120,222 Puruk Cahu 125
Notes: (a) includes the kelurahan of Muara Bakanon and Tumbang Lahung. (b) includes the kelurahan of Beriwit and Puruk Cahu. (c) includes the kelurahan of Batu Bua I, Muara Laung I and Muara Tuhup. (d) includes the kelurahan of Saripoi. (e) includes the kelurahan of Tumbang Kunyi.
Geography The regency has an area of 23,700 km2 and lies between 114°27'00 to 115°49'00 East longitude and 0°58'30 North latitude to 1°26'00 South latitude. It occupies the valleys and foothills of the southern and eastern slopes of the Müller Mountains, and rises to 1730 m at Mount Lesung on its northern border. Most of the riverine area lies at an altitude of 100 to 200 m above sea level while the foothills are mostly at an altitude of 400–500 m.
The Betikap and Sepathawung valleys, in the northwest part of the regency have been declared protected areas for orangutans.Staff (15 April 2007) "1000 Orangutans to be released into the wild" Wildlife Extra News The Tumbang Topus caves have been the source of discovery of a number of new species.Staff (16 September 2010) "LIPI discovers four new species of whip-spiders" Antara News
Economy Most of the population lives along rivers and relies on them for transportation, food, and agriculture. Aside from the predominant subsistence fishing and farming, the biggest contributors to the economy are forestry and mining. Timber, including high value trees such as Ulin (Eusideroxylon zwageri) and Meranti (genus Shorea), has been commercially extracted since the 1920s, while the mining sector, such as gold and tin mining, has developed since World War II. In the 1990s coal exploration began, and in the 2000s the Haju coal mine started to be developed.Staff (13 September 2007) "PT Lahai Coal Investing US$68 mln in Haju Block, C Kalimantan" AsiaPulse News
Climate Puruk Cahu, the seat of the regency has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with heavy to very heavy rainfall year-round.
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