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)
Regency
Seal
Motto(s):  Furai ("Preserve")
Country	Indonesia
Province	Sumatera Utara
Regency seat	Teluk Dalam
Government
• Regent	Hilarius Duha
• Vice Regent	Firman Giawa
• Chairman of Council of Representatives	Elisati Halawa (PDI-P)
• Vice Chairmen of Council of Representatives	Fa'atulö Sarumaha (Nasdem) and Agustana Ndruru (Golkar)
Area
• Total	2,487.99 km2 (960.62 sq mi)
Population  (mid 2023 estimate)[1]
• Total	382,539
• Density	150/km2 (400/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+7 (WIB)
Website	niasselatankab.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
12.14.04	Hibala (a)	225.75	9,620	7,716	8,242	Eho	17	22881
12.14.31	Tanah Masa	451.43	(b)	4,807	5,134	Baluta	12	22887
12.14.05	Pulau Pulau Batu (c) (Batu Islands)	105.09	16,365	9,731	9,866	Pasar Pulau Tello (d)	22	22882
12.14.16	Pulau Pulau Batu Timur (East Batu Islands)	372.05	2,483	3,091	3,258	Labuhan Hiu	10	22884
12.14.28	Simuk (island)	20.42	(e)	1,934	1,961	Gobo	6	22886
12.14.29	Pulau Pulau Batu Barat (West Batu Islands)	21.06	(e)	2,320	2,352	Bawositora	9	22883
12.14.30	Pulau Pulau Batu Utara (North Batu Islands)	6.30	(e)	3,894	3,948	Silima Banua Marit	12	22885
	Totals for Kepulauan Batu (Batu Islands)	1,201.10	28,468	33,493	34,761		88
12.14.06	Teluk Dalam (Dalam Bay)	41.30	27,801	25,480	26,708	Pasar Teluk Dalam (d)	16	22865
12.14.18	Fanayama	82.49	19,844	18,207	20,028	Bawo Mataluo	17	22865
12.14.12	Toma	41.26	8,013	13,316	15,295	Hilisataro	14	22865
12.14.10	Maniamolo	75.32	13,434	13,855	13,809	Hilisimaetano	14	22865
12.14.13	Mazino	39.49	8,274	8,735	8,767	Hilizalo'otano	11	22865
12.14.32	Luahagundre Maniamolo	50.39	(f)	10,307	11,337	Botohili Silambo	10	22868
12.14.33	Onolalau	25.37	(f)	8,474	8,880	Siholi	10	22869
12.14.07	Amandraya	76.76	17,099	14,059	15,494	Tuindrao	21	22866
12.14.15	Aramo	63.49	7,762	9,977	10,617	Hiliorudua	18	22866
12.14.24	Ulususua	57.18	(f)	10,667	11,756	Fondrakoraya	12	22866
	Totals for Nias Selatan Pusat (Central South Nias)	553.05	102,227	133,077	142,691		143
12.14.03	Lahusa	80.36	34,915	20,858	22,404	Bawo Otalua	23	22874
12.14.25	Sidua'ori	62.40	(f)	11,354	12,196	Hilidohona	11	22874
12.14.26	Somambawa	40.63	(f)	14,102	15,148	Sihareo	14	22874
12.14.02	Gomo	37.56	25,078	10,544	11,529	Orahili Gomo	11	22873
12.14.09	Susua	28.23	14,966	16,811	17,186	Sifalago Susua	18	22873
12.14.17	Mazo	29.03	15,129	12,674	12,516	Tetegawaai	10	22873
12.14.14	Umbunasi	32.81	7,840	7,583	7,489	Lawindra	11	22873
12.14.35	Idanotae	28.31	(f)	10,102	11,046	Hilimbowo Idanotae	12	22878
12.14.34	Ulu Idanotae	14.33	(f)	7,185	7,856	Fanedanu	11	22877
12.14.27	Boronadu	29.33	(f)	7,483	8,182	Sifalago Gomo	10	22873
	Totals for Nias Tenggara (Southeast Nias)	382.99	97,928	118,696	125,552		131
12.14.01	Lolomatua	21.59	25,198	11,072	12,282	Hiliotalua	13	22867
12.14.19	Ulunoyo	48.99	(f)	13,035	14,460	Orahili Ulunoyo	13	22867
12.14.20	Huruna	49.29	(f)	13,135	14,570	Hilizoliga	17	22867
12.14.08	Lolowau	48.03	30,088	9,645	9,619	Lolowau	14	22864
12.14.11	Hilimegai	40.15	5,799	6,926	7,211	Togizita	10	22864
12.14.21	O'o'u	73.16	(f)	8,825	8,801	Simandraolo	11	22864
12.14.22	Onahazumba	28.45	(f)	6,883	6,864	Orahili Huruna	10	22864
12.14.23	Hilisalawa Ahe	40.19	(f)	5,744	5,728	Maluo	11	22864
	Totals for Nias Barat Daya (Southwest Nias)	349.84	61,085	75,265	79,535		99
	Totals for South Nias	2,487.99	289,708	360,531	382,539	Teluk Dalam	461

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

1. Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2024, Kabupaten Nias Selatan Dalam Angka 2024 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1214)
2. Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011.
3. Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.
4. "Pantai Sorake, Idaman Peselancar Dunia". December 7, 2011.
5. Irwan Arfa (September 18, 2016). "South Nias, Paradise for Surfers".

0.7700°N 97.7500°E / 0.7700; 97.7500