Sambas Regency is the most northerly regency in West Kalimantan Province of Indonesia. The regency is one of the original regencies in West Kalimantan, but on 20 April 1999 the southern districts were removed from Sambas Regency to form a new Bengkayang Regency (then including the town of Singkawang). The residual regency now covers 5,938.48 km2, and had a population of 496,120 at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 629,905 at the 2020 census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as at mid 2025 was 661,452 (comprising 336,918 males and 324,534 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Sambas Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.6101) The administrative centre is at the town of Sambas.
History The famous Sambas Treasure, a collection of 9th century Buddhist sculptures, was found near Sambas Town. It is now part of the British Museum's collection.
Sambas was also part of the Sultanate of Sambas until the Dutch occupied the area in 1819.
In the Sambas riots in 1999, Malays and Dayaks joined to massacre the Madurese during the conflict. Madurese were mutilated, raped, and killed by the Malays and Dayaks; 3,000 of them died in the massacres, with the Indonesian government doing little to stop the violence.bbc.co.uk http://www.culturalsurvival.org/ourpublications/csq/article/violence-indonesian-borneo-spurs-relocation-ethnic-madurese http://indahnesia.com/indonesia/SAMPEO/people.php https://books.google.com/books?id=OrdM8X7CBTAC&dq=dayaks+malay+madurese&pg=PA299 https://books.google.com/books?id=EUDii8kvQYAC&pg=PA73
Following the establishment of Bengkayang Regency on 27 April 1999, the administrative centre of Sambas Regency was formally moved from Singkawang (now in the new regency) to Sambas (town) on 15 July.
Adjoining regencies and city North Lundu, Kuching Division, Sarawak, Malaysia South Singkawang, Indonesia West Natuna Sea, Indonesia East Bengkayang Regency, Indonesia
Population At the 2010 census, Sambas Regency had a population of 496,120. According to the 2020 census this had grown to 629,905 people. By mid 2025, the population was estimated at 661,452 (consisting of 336,918 males and 324,534 females), with an average density of 111.38 people per km2.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Sambas Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.6101)
Watershed Sambas has three watersheds (with a total area of 516,200 ha): the Sambas watershed (258,700 ha), the Paloh watershed (64,375 ha), and the Sebangkau watershed (193,125 ha).
Administrative districts When Sambas Regency was originally created, it consisted of the ten districts of Bengkayang, Ledo, Pemangkat, Sambas, Samalantan, Sanggau Ledo, Singkawang, Sungai Raya, Seluas and Teluk Keramat. In 1956, a new district named Selakau was established by splitting off from the northern part of Singkawang District. In 1958, two new districts were cut out from Pemangkat District, namely Jawai (from the northern part) and Tebas (from the eastern part). In 1963, another two districts were established (Paloh District was split off from the northern part of Teluk Keramat District, and Sejangkung District was split off from the northeastern part of Sambas District). On 12 December 1981, when Singkawang became an administrative city within the regency, it was split into three separate districts, namely Roban, Pasiran and Tujuhbelas. On 17 June 1996, Sajingan Besar District was established by splitting off from the five villages of three different districts (two from Sejangkung, two from Teluk Keramat, and one from Paloh) and Jagoi Babang (from the northern part of Seluas district). After Bengkayang Regency was established in 1999, the southern districts (including the administrative city of Singkawang), became part of that newly-created regency.
In 2001, two new districts were established (Galing District was split off from the eastern part of Teluk Keramat District, and Subah District was split off from the southern part of Sambas District). In 2003, another two districts were established (Semparuk District was split off from the eastern part of Pemangkat District, and Tekarang District was split off from the northern part of Tebas District). In 2004, three new districts were established (Sebawi District and Sajad District were cut out from the western and eastern parts of Sambas District respectively, and South Jawai District was cut out from the southern part of Jawai District). In 2006, a new district named Tangaran was carved out from the western part of Teluk Keramat District. A year later, two more districts were established (Selakau Timur District was split off from the eastern part of Selakau District and Salatiga District was split off from the southern part of Pemangkat District).
Sambas Regency thus now consists of nineteen districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 censusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and the 2020 census,Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. and the official estimates as at mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Sambas Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.6101) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (all classed as rural desa), and its post code.
Kode Wilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Year formed Area inkm2 Pop'ncensus2010 Pop'ncensus2020 Pop'nestimatemid 2025 Admincentre No.ofvillages Postcode 61.01.07 Selakau 1956(from Singkawang)96.0530,07237,81139,502Sungai Nyirih1179452 61.01.19 Selakau Timur (East Selakau) 2007(from Selakau)186.1010,20012,51512,921Selakau Tua479451 61.01.05 Pemangkat 195897.0544,58953,24854,259Pemangkat Kota879455 61.01.13 Semparuk 2003(from Pemangkat)71.9723,76530,17631,676Semparuk579457 61.01.18 Salatiga2007(from Pemangkat)66.8214,67118,31519,068Salatiga579456 61.01.04 Tebas 1958636.8563,61380,26884,000Tebas Kuala2379461 61.01.12 Tekarang 2003(from Tebas)68.7113,29317,54118,759Tekarang779468 61.01.01 Sambas 1952220.0344,97957,29560,235Sambas (town)1879460 61.01.10 Subah 2001(from Sambas)752.7417,52723,76225,746Balai Gemuruh1179417 61.01.15 Sebawi 2004(from Sambas)100.8915,59820,24821,483Sebawi779464 61.01.14 Sajad 2004(from Sambas)116.589,93613,64114,870Tengguli479462 61.01.03 Jawai 1957231.2535,04247,30751,152Sentebang1379454 61.01.16 Jawai Selatan (South Jawai) 2004(from Jawai)107.70 17,66022,16723,139Matang Terap979154 61.01.02 Teluk Keramat (Keramat Bay) 1952403.9658,67574,18277,706Sekura2579469 61.01.11 Galing 2001(from Teluk Keramat)420.9919,65324,86426,054Galing1079453 61.01.17 Tangaran 2006(from Teluk Keramat)138.1920,78925,83826,842Simpang Empat879465 61.01.06 Sejangkung 1963(from Sambas)528.2322,31827,53828,508Parit Raja1279463 61.01.09 Sajingan Besar (Great Sajingan)1996(from three districts)1,037.069,84813,28614,361Kaliau579467 61.01.08 Paloh 1963(from Teluk Keramat)657.3123,89229,90331,171Liku879466 Totals 5,938.48496,120629,905661,452Sambas (town)193
List of Sambas Regents and Vice Regents Regent Vice Regent Took office Last Office Notice R. Djenal Asikin Judadibrata 1950 1951 Sudjana 1951 1952 Raden Prayitno Tjokro Hadi Suryo 1952 1954 Raden Abubakar Arya Diningrat 1954 1955 Loemban Tobing 1955 1958 Muhammad Zaini Noer 1958 1960 Firdaus 1960 1967 Muhammad Nurdin 1967 1973 Soemardji 1973 1978 First Period 1978 1983 Second Period Saksono 1983 1988 Saidi A.S. 1988 1990 Tamar Abdulsalam 1990 1991 Syafei Djamil 1991 1996 Tarya Aryanto 1996 2001 Burhanuddin A. Rasyid Prabasa Ananta Tur 2001 2006 First Period Burhanuddin A. Rasyid Djuliarti Djuhardi Alwi 2006 2011 Second Period Djuliarti Djuhardi Alwi Pabali Musa 2011 2016 Atbah Romin Suhaili Hairiah 2016 2021 Satono Fahrur Rofi 2021 present
References
External links General Condition of Sambas Regency - Official Site of Sambas Regency The Regent of Sambas Regency - Official Site of Sambas Regency The Vice Regent of Sambas Regency - Official Site of Sambas Regency