South Nias Regency

Nias Selatan (South Nias) Regency is a regency in North Sumatra province, Indonesia, created on 25 February 2003 by the division of the existing Nias Regency. The regency covers a land area of 2,487.99 square kilometres and according to the 2010 census had a population of 289,708;[2] the 2020 Census showed a population of 360,531,[3] while the official estimate for mid 2023 was 382,539 (comprising 192,344 males and 190,195 females).[1] Its administrative centre is the port of Teluk Dalam. Apart from the southern portion of Nias Island, the regency also includes the smaller Batu Islands (Pulau Pulau Batu) to the south, lying between Nias and Siberut; these islands occupy nearly half of the land area of the Regency, but have just 9% of its population.

South Nias Regency
(Kabupaten Nias Selatan)
Official seal of South Nias Regency
Motto: 
Furai
CountryIndonesia
ProvinceSumatera Utara
Regency seatTeluk Dalam
Government
 • RegentHilarius Duha
 • Vice RegentFirman Giawa
 • Chairman of Council of RepresentativesElisati Halawa (PDI-P)
 • Vice Chairmen of Council of RepresentativesFa'atulö Sarumaha (Nasdem) and Agustana Ndruru (Golkar)
Area
 • Total2,487.99 km2 (960.62 sq mi)
Population
 (mid 2023 estimate)[1]
 • Total382,539
 • Density150/km2 (400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+7 (WIB)
Websiteniasselatankab.go.id
Group of warriors in South Nias. Photo by Christiaan Benjamin Nieuwenhuis
Girls at an offering house at the entrance of a kampong in South Nias
Female dancers

Administrative districts

The regency was divided into eighteen districts (kecamatan) at the time of the 2010 Census, However, since 2010 seventeen additional districts have been created from parts of existing districts, notably in the Batu Islands where there are now seven districts compared with the three in 2010, but also on Nias Island itself where there are now twenty-eight districts within the Regency compared with fifteen in 2010. These are all tabulated below with their areas (in km2) and their populations at the 2010 Census,[2] and the 2020 Census,[3] together with the official estimates as at mid 2023.[1] They are grouped geographically (these groupings have no administrative significance). The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (a total of 459 classed as rural desa and 2 classed as urban kelurahan), and its postal code.

Kode
Wilayah
Name of
District
(kecamatan)
Area
in
km2
Pop'n
Census
2010
Pop'n
Census
2020
Pop'n
Estimate
mid 2023
Admin
centre
No.
of
villages
Post
code
12.14.04Hibala (a)225.759,6207,7168,242Eho1722881
12.14.31Tanah Masa451.43(b)4,8075,134Baluta1222887
12.14.05Pulau Pulau Batu (c)
(Batu Islands)
105.0916,3659,7319,866Pasar Pulau Tello (d)2222882
12.14.16Pulau Pulau Batu Timur
(East Batu Islands)
372.052,4833,0913,258Labuhan Hiu1022884
12.14.28Simuk (island)20.42(e)1,9341,961Gobo622886
12.14.29Pulau Pulau Batu Barat
(West Batu Islands)
21.06(e)2,3202,352Bawositora922883
12.14.30Pulau Pulau Batu Utara
(North Batu Islands)
6.30(e)3,8943,948Silima Banua Marit1222885
Totals for Kepulauan Batu
(Batu Islands)
1,201.1028,46833,49334,76188
12.14.06Teluk Dalam (Dalam Bay)41.3027,80125,48026,708Pasar Teluk Dalam (d)1622865
12.14.18Fanayama82.4919,84418,20720,028Bawo Mataluo1722865
12.14.12Toma41.268,01313,31615,295Hilisataro1422865
12.14.10Maniamolo75.3213,43413,85513,809Hilisimaetano1422865
12.14.13Mazino39.498,2748,7358,767Hilizalo'otano1122865
12.14.32Luahagundre Maniamolo50.39(f)10,30711,337Botohili Silambo1022868
12.14.33Onolalau25.37(f)8,4748,880Siholi1022869
12.14.07Amandraya76.7617,09914,05915,494Tuindrao2122866
12.14.15Aramo63.497,7629,97710,617Hiliorudua1822866
12.14.24Ulususua57.18(f)10,66711,756Fondrakoraya1222866
Totals for Nias Selatan Pusat
(Central South Nias)
553.05102,227133,077142,691143
12.14.03Lahusa80.3634,91520,85822,404Bawo Otalua2322874
12.14.25Sidua'ori62.40(f)11,35412,196Hilidohona1122874
12.14.26Somambawa40.63(f)14,10215,148Sihareo1422874
12.14.02Gomo37.5625,07810,54411,529Orahili Gomo1122873
12.14.09Susua28.2314,96616,81117,186Sifalago Susua1822873
12.14.17Mazo29.0315,12912,67412,516Tetegawaai1022873
12.14.14Umbunasi32.817,8407,5837,489Lawindra1122873
12.14.35Idanotae28.31(f)10,10211,046Hilimbowo Idanotae1222878
12.14.34Ulu Idanotae14.33(f)7,1857,856Fanedanu1122877
12.14.27Boronadu29.33(f)7,4838,182Sifalago Gomo1022873
Totals for Nias Tenggara
(Southeast Nias)
382.9997,928118,696125,552131
12.14.01Lolomatua21.5925,19811,07212,282Hiliotalua1322867
12.14.19Ulunoyo48.99(f)13,03514,460Orahili Ulunoyo1322867
12.14.20Huruna49.29(f)13,13514,570Hilizoliga1722867
12.14.08Lolowau48.0330,0889,6459,619Lolowau1422864
12.14.11Hilimegai40.155,7996,9267,211Togizita1022864
12.14.21O'o'u73.16(f)8,8258,801Simandraolo1122864
12.14.22Onahazumba28.45(f)6,8836,864Orahili Huruna1022864
12.14.23Hilisalawa Ahe40.19(f)5,7445,728Maluo1122864
Totals for Nias Barat Daya
(Southwest Nias)
349.8461,08575,26579,53599
Totals for
South Nias
2,487.99289,708360,531382,539Teluk Dalam461

Notes: (a) Hibala District now comprises 42 islands.
(b) The 2010 population of Tanah Masa District (comprising that part of Tanahmasa Island previously part of Hibala District) is included in the 2010 population of Hibala District.
(c) Pulau Pulau Batu District now comprises 35 islands. (d) There are 2 urban villages (kelurahan) - Pasar Teluk Dalam in Teluk Dalam District, and Pasar Pulau Tello in Pulau Pulau Batu District.
(e) The 2010 populations of Simuk District (Simuk Island), Pulau Pulau Batu Barat District and Pulau Pulau Batu Utara District are included in the 2010 population of Pulau Pulau Batu District.
(f) The 2010 populations of the thirteen new districts on Nias Island are included in the 2010 populations of the districts from which they were split off.

The four new districts in the Batu Islands are Pulau Pulau Batu Barat (West Batu Islands), Pulau Pulau Batu Utara (North Batu Islands), Simuk (Simuk Island) and Tanah Masa (that part of Tanahmasa Island previously part of Hibala District). The thirteen new districts on Nias Island itself are Hilisalawa'ahe, O'o'u, Onohazumba, Ulususua, Ulunoyo, Huruna, Luahagundre Maniomolo, Onolalu, Boronadu, Sidua'ori, Somambawa, Ulu Idanotae, and Idanotae.

Tourism

Surfer in South Nias

South Nias Regency is a paradise for surfers with four surfing beaches:

  • Sorake Beach (Lagundri Bay) is the second best in the world after Hawaii Beach for surfing. It has five levels of waves which only occurs here.[4] Located in Luahagundre Maniamolo District with a wave height of a maximum 3-4 metres and it depends on the wind.
  • Beaches in Pulau Pulau Batu, Pulau Pulau Batu Barat, and Pulau Pulau Batu Utara Districts with wave height maximum 8-9 metres, but have only limited infrastructures.[5]

References


0°46′12″N 97°45′00″E / 0.7700°N 97.7500°E / 0.7700; 97.7500