Buton Regency


Buton Regency is a regency of Indonesia's Southeast Sulawesi Province, lying entirely on Buton Island. Until 2014 it had an area of 2,681.22 km2, and a population estimated at 276,944. However, in 2014 it was divided into three regencies, with two new regencies being cut out of it; the residual area now is 1,647.87 km2, and the districts in that area contained a population of 94,388 at the 2010 Census while the 2020 Census produced a total of 115,207; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 120,873
The capital is nominally at Pasarwajo, but the regency's administration is actually undertaken in the city of Baubau on the south-west of the island, although that city is administratively separate from the Regency.

Administration

The original Buton Regency was formed in 1959 with a much wider area, including most of the island districts in the south of the province, but on 21 June 2001 the town of Bau-Bau was separated out to become an independent city, and on 18 December 2003 two new regencies were formed from parts of Buton Regency - Bombana Regency to the west and Wakatobi Regency to the east. At the time of the 2010 Census, the residual Buton Regency was divided into 21 districts, but in 2012 it was announced that the regency was to be further split, with the southern seven districts split off to form a new Buton Selatan Regency, and seven other districts split off to form a new Buton Tengah Regency. This division was made effective on 24 July 2014.
The remaining seven districts are tabulated below with their areas, their populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as at mid 2023. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of villages in each district, and its post code.
Kode
Wilayah
Name of
District
Area
in
km2
Pop'n
Census
2010
Pop'n
Census
2020
Pop'n
Estimate
mid 2023
Admin
centre
No.
of
villages
Post
code
74.04.23Lasalimu 318.9010,29012,39513,235Kamaru15 93756
74.04.24Lasalimu Selatan
147.0112,81515,20415,939Ambuau Indah1693757
74.04.27Siontapina248.8112,16715,62416,769Kumbewaha1193758
74.04.11Pasarwajo300.1337,06744,72545,959Pasarwajo22 93752
74.04.28Wolowa94.554,9466,1886,793Wolowa793754
74.04.29Wabula66.114,9896,2226,813Wabula793753
74.04.22Kapontori 472.3612,61914,84915,365Watumotobe17 93755
Totals1,647.8794,388115,207120,873Pasarwajo95

Notes: includes 6 small offshore islands. including 1 kelurahan.
comprising 9 kelurahan and 13 desa.
includes 5 small offshore islands. including 2 kelurahan.

Climate

Buton Regency has a tropical monsoon climate with moderate rainfall from July to October and heavy rainfall from November to June. The following climate data is for the town of Pasarwajo, the seat of the regency.