Taliabu Island Regency
Taliabu Island Regency is a regency in the North Maluku province of Indonesia, consisting primarily of the island of Taliabu, the most western, geographically, of the Sula Archipelago. It is located to the west of Mangole Island and Sanana Island, the two islands which remain part of the former Sula Islands Regency; until 14 December 2012, when it was administratively-separated into its own regency, Taliabu had been a part of the Sula Islands Regency. Presently, Taliabu Island Regency covers roughly 2,775.30 km2. Taliabu had a population of 47,309 at the 2010 Census and 58,047 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2024 was 66,361.
History
The establishment of the Taliabu Island Regency was intended to encourage the improvement of services in the fields of government, development and society, as well as the ability to utilize regional potentials for the implementation of regional autonomy, thus it was necessary to enact a law upon the establishment of Taliabu Island Regency within the province of North Maluku.The legal basis of this law is Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945 Article 18, Article 18A, Article 18B, Article 20 and Article 21; Law Number 46 of 1999; Law Number 1 Year 2003; Law Number 32 of 2004; Law Number 33 of 2004; Law Number 27 Year 2009; Law Number 12 of 2011; Law Number 15 of 2011; and Law Number 8 of 2012.
This law regulates the establishment of the Taliabu Island Regency, consisting of 7 administrative districts formerly part of the Sula Islands Regency—with one district being divided to create an eighth district—and includes 71 villages.
Demographics
Ethnic groups
The indigenous population living on Taliabu Island consisting of the Mange, Kadai, Siboyo, and Panto peoples who are classified as Taliabu people based on the language used, residential areas, livelihood, etc. In addition, migrants from outside the island also live there, namely the Ambonese, Buru, Tobelo, Galela, Makian, Ternate, Banggai, Butonese, Bajau, Menui, Buginese, Makassarese, and Javanese peoples. On the other hand, the Sula people living on the neighboring islands of Sulabesi and Mangole have inhabited the southern coast of Taliabu for hundreds of years, where the population is estimated to be half the population of the southern coast of Taliabu. However, it was found that the Butonese people are the most numerous on Taliabu Island.Although the Taliabu residents consists of various tribes with different cultural backgrounds, however, the social life of the community has never experienced social inequality, especially social conflict. This is largely thanks to the wisdom of the elders and the indigenous people of Taliabu Island themselves, maintained through a policy known as Mangkalomu, which, in-turn, is based on another principle, Dadi Sia Kito Mangkoyong. This philosophy of peaceful communal living has been used as a motto by the Taliabu Island Regency government with the term Hamungsia Sia Tofu.
Religion
Based on 2019 data from the Central Statistics Agency, it was noted that the religion adopted by the majority of Taliabu Island district was Islam. Smaller, but notable, percentages of the islanders are Christianity, Protestantism or Catholicism. Additionally, a smaller number of people embrace Hinduism, or local belief systems native to Taliabu.Administration
On 14 December 2012 the seven districts on Taliabu Island were split off from the Sula Islands Regency to create a separate Taliabu Island Regency ; an eighth district was created at the same time. The districts are tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with their official estimates as at mid 2024. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, and the number of administrative villages in each district. The post code is 97794 for the entire Regency.| Kode Wilayah | Name of District | English name | Area in km2 | Pop'n Census 2010 | Pop'n Census 2020 | Pop'n Estimate mid 2024 | Admin centre | No. of villages |
| 82.08.01 | Taliabu Barat | Taliabu | 520.77 | 9,027 | 14,196 | 16,880 | Bobong | 13 |
| 82.08.02 | Taliabu Barat Laut | Northwest Taliabu | 188.69 | 4,079 | 4,813 | 5,525 | Nggele | 5 |
| 82.08.03 | Lede | Northwest Taliabu | 162.43 | 5,977 | 7,709 | 8,453 | Lede | 5 |
| 82.08.04 | Taliabu Utara | North Taliabu | 807.85 | 10,880 | 13,194 | 15,074 | Gela | 19 |
| 82.08.05 | Taliabu Timur | East Taliabu | 372.38 | 3,542 | 3,192 | 3,592 | Samuya | 4 |
| 82.08.06 | Taliabu Timur Selatan | Southeast Taliabu | 153.04 | 5,066 | 4,440 | 4,988 | Losseng | 9 |
| 82.08.07 | Taliabu Selatan | South Taliabu | 313.62 | 8,738 | 7,258 | 8,321 | Pencadu | 9 |
| 82.08.08 | Tabona | 155.52 | 3,245 | 3,528 | Tabona | 7 | ||
| Taliabu Island Regency | 2,775.30 | 47,309 | 58,047 | 66,361 | Bobong | 71 |
Note: includes small islands to the southwest of Taliabu, notable Pulau Seho and Pulau Kano.
includes small islands to the west of Taliabu. the 2010 population of the new Tabona District is included in the figure for Taliabu Timur Selatan District, from which it was cut out in 2012.