South Tapanuli Regency

South Tapanuli is a regency in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Its seat is the town of Sipirok. This regency was originally very large and contained hundreds of towns and villages, including the city of Padang Sidempuan. The areas that have separated from South Tapanuli Regency are the new regencies of Mandailing Natal, Padang Lawas Utara, and Padang Lawas, all lying to the south-east of the residual South Tapanuli Regency, plus the city of Padang Sidempuan. After the division, the regency seat moved from Padang Sidempuan to Sipirok.
The regency covers an area of 4,355.35 square kilometres and had a population of 264,108 at the 2010 census and 300,911 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid-2024 was 316,486. These figures exclude the city of Padang Sidempuan, which is virtually surrounded by South Tananuli territory but is independently administered.
There are several attractions in the regency, including Lake Marsabut and Lake Siais. The language used by the people is the Angkola Batak language. The majority religion of the population is Islam. An airport is located at Aek Godang in Hulu Sihapas District, North Padang Lawas Regency.

WWW tapselkab.go.id

Administration

At the 2010 Census, the regency was divided into twelve districts. Subsequently, three additional districts have been created by the division of existing districts. The districts are tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census and 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as of mid-2024. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district, and its postcode.

Kode Wilayah	Name of District	Area in km²	Pop'n Census 2010	Pop'n Census 2020	Pop'n Estimate mid 2024	Admin centre	No. of desa	No. of kelurahan	Post code
12.03.07	Batang Angkola	211.36	32,129	21,323	21,996	Pintu Padang	17	4	22773
12.03.21	Sayur Matinggi	295.11	37,655	26,014	27,122	Sayur Matinggi	18	1	22774
12.03.30	Tano Tombangan Angkola	210.30		15,993	15,883	Situmba	16	1	22775
12.03.32	Angkola Muara Tais	149.70		13,766	14,252	Muara Tais	13	2	22733
12.03.03	Angkola Timur	235.16	18,553	21,294	22,425	Pargarutan	13	2	22733
12.03.06	Angkola Selatan	496.57	27,500	32,757	35,411	Simarpinggan	13	4	22732
12.03.01	Angkola Barat	104.52	41,254	25,206	25,619	Sitinjak	12	2	22735
12.03.31	Angkola Sangkunur	254.77		21,740	23,346	Simataniari	8	2	22734
12.03.02	Batang Toru	380.04	28,595	33,760	35,945	Batang Toru	19	4	22738
12.03.20	Marancar	89.11	9,351	10,359	10,761	Pasar Sempurna	11	1	22737
12.03.29	Muara Batang Toru	308.01	11,401	15,806	17,908	Huta Raja	6	3	22736
12.03.04	Sipirok	409.37	30,435	33,326	34,462	Sipirok	34	6	22739
12.03.14	Arse	265.90	7,872	8,677	8,996	Arse Nauli	8	2	22748
12.03.05	Saipar Dolok Hole	540.57	12,674	13,940	14,440	Sipagimbar	12	2	22759
12.03.22	Aek Bilah	404.85	6,396	7,395	7,810	Biru	12	-	22758
	Totals	4,355.35	263,815	300,911	316,486	Sipirok	211	37

Notes:
the 2010 population of the new Tano Tombangan Angkola District is included in the figure for Sayur Matinggi District, from which it was split off.
the 2010 population of the new Angkola Muara Tais District is included in the figure for Batang Angkola District, from which it was split off.
the 2010 population of the new Angkola Sangkunur District is included in the figure for the Angkola Barat District, from which it was split off.

Geography

Location

To the north, the district is bordered by the Central Tapanuli Regency and North Tapanuli Regency. The regency borders the Padang Lawas Regency in the east, and to the north, the west, and the south it borders the Mandailing Natal Regency. In the middle of the South Tananuli Regency is Padang Sidempuan City, which is surrounded by this Regency but separately administered.

Sights

Sights include a waterfall in Damparan Hauntas, in Saipar Dolok Hole District.

Archaeology

The Padang Lawas archaeological site is partly located in the regency. The site covers approximately 1,500 km² in this regency and in the Padang Lawas and North Padang Lawas regencies.

Wildlife

The critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan lives in the region. It was described as a distinct species in 2017 and represents the first extant species of great ape to be described since the bonobo in 1929. Scientists have identified a new species of great ape, Pongo tapanuliensis or Tapanuli orangutan, but fear its survival is already in doubt as its habitat is under threat.