Sambas Regency

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. The residual regency now covers 5,938.48 km², and had a population of 496,120 at the 2010 census and 629,905 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at mid 2024 was 654,912. The administrative centre is at the town of Sambas.

WWW Official Site

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.
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.
Following the establishment of Bengkayang Regency on 27 April 1999, the administrative centre of Sambas Regency was formally moved from Singkawang to Sambas (town) on 15 July.

Population

At the 2010 census, Sambas Regency had a population of 496,120. According to the 2020 census had grown to 629,905 people. By mid 2024, the population was estimated at 654,912, with an average density of 110.3 people per km².

Watershed

Sambas has three watersheds : the Sambas watershed, the Paloh watershed, and the Sebangkau watershed.

Administrative districts

When Sambas Regency was originally created, it consists into the 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 and Tebas. In 1963, another two districts were established. On 12 December 1981, when Singkawang became 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 and Jagoi Babang. After Bengkayang Regency was established in 1999, the southern districts, became part of the newly-created regency.
In 2001, two new districts were established. In 2003, another two districts were established. In 2004, three new districts were established. In 2006, new district named Tangaran was carved out from the western part of Teluk Keramat district. A year later, two more districts were established.
Sambas Regency thus now consists of nineteen districts, tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 census and the 2020 census, and the official estimates as at mid 2024. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district, and its post code.

Kode Wilayah	Name of District	Year formed	Area in km²	Pop'n census 2010	Pop'n census 2020	Pop'n estimate mid 2024	Admin centre	No. of villages	Post code
61.01.07	Selakau	1956	96.05	30,072	37,811	39,512	Sungai Nyirih	11	79452
61.01.19	Selakau Timur	2007	186.10	10,200	12,515	12,837	Selakau Tua	4	79451
61.01.05	Pemangkat	1958	97.05	44,589	53,248	54,048	Pemangkat Kota	8	79455
61.01.13	Semparuk	2003	71.97	23,765	30,176	31,365	Semparuk	5	79457
61.01.18	Salatiga	2007	66.82	14,671	18,315	18,912	Salatiga	5	79456
61.01.04	Tebas	1958	636.85	63,613	80,268	83,227	Tebas Kuala	23	79461
61.01.12	Tekarang	2003	68.71	13,293	17,541	18,506	Tekarang	7	79468
61.01.01	Sambas	1952	220.03	44,979	57,295	59,627	Sambas (town)	18	79460
61.01.10	Subah	2001	752.74	17,527	23,762	25,333	Balai Gemuruh	11	79417
61.01.15	Sebawi	2004	100.89	15,598	20,248	21,227	Sebawi	7	79464
61.01.14	Sajad	2004	116.58	9,936	13,641	14,614	Tengguli	4	79462
61.01.03	Jawai	1957	231.25	35,042	47,307	50,352	Sentebang	13	79454
61.01.16	Jawai Selatan	2004	107.70	17,660	22,167	22,938	Matang Terap	9	79154
61.01.02	Teluk Keramat	1952	403.96	58,675	74,182	76,977	Sekura	25	79469
61.01.11	Galing	2001	420.99	19,653	24,864	25,808	Galing	10	79453
61.01.17	Tangaran	2006	138.19	20,789	25,838	26,635	Simpang Empat	8	79465
61.01.06	Sejangkung	1963	528.23	22,318	27,538	28,308	Parit Raja	12	79463
61.01.09	Sajingan Besar	1996	1,037.06	9,848	13,286	14,137	Kaliau	5	79467
61.01.08	Paloh	1963	657.31	23,892	29,903	30,909	Liku	8	79466
	Totals		5,938.48	496,120	629,905	654,912	Sambas	193