# Tanimbar Islands Regency

Tanimbar Islands Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Kepulauan Tanimbar) is a regency of Maluku province, Indonesia, consisting primarily of the Tanimbar Islands. The Regency covers a land area of 10,102 km$^2$, and it had a population of 105,341 at the 2010 Census and 123,572 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 124,787. The principal town and administrative centre lies at Saumlaki in Tanimbar Selatan District.

## History

The regency was originally created from the western districts of Southeast Maluku Regency on 4 October 1999 as the "West Southeast Maluku Regency" (Kabupaten Maluku Tenggara Barat). On 24 June 2008 the western districts of this Regency were split off to create the Southwest Maluku Regency (Kabupaten Maluku Barat Daya), leaving only the archipelago of the Tanimbar Islands in the West Southeast Maluku Regency, which was later renamed as Tanimbar Islands Regency (Kabupaten Kepulauan Tanimbar) on 23 January 2019 (2019-01-23); the legislation for this was passed on 28 January 2019.

## Administration

As at 2010 the regency was divided into nine districts (kecamatan). Subsequently, a tenth district - Molu Maru (consisting of the two northernmost islands in the Tanimbars - Molu and Maru - with a combined land area of 63.8 km$^2$) - was by 2017 created from part of the existing Wuorlabobar District. The districts are tabulated below with their areas in km$^2$ and their populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as at mid 2022. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 80 rural desa and 2 urban kelurahan), and its postal code. Altogether the archipelago contains 99 islands, of which the principal island is Yamdena.
| Kode Wilayah | Name of District (kecamatan) | Area in km$^2$ | Pop'on Census 2010 | Pop'n Census 2020 | Pop'n Estimate mid 2022 | Admin centre | No. of villages | Post code |
| 81.03.01 | Tanimbar Selatan (South Tanimbar) | 825.69 | 31,571 | 39,085 | 39,861 | Saumlaki | 12 $^{(a)}$ | 97471 |
| 81.03.03 | Wertambrian | 1,298.45 | 9,708 | 11,629 | 11,785 | Lorulun | 9 | 97473 |
| 81.03.04 | Wermaktian | 2,941.16 | 10,905 | 12,937 | 13,086 | Kamatubun | 9 | 97472 |
| 81.03.02 | Selaru (Selaru Island) | 826.26 | 12,249 | 14,263 | 14,375 | Adaut | 7 | 97481 |
| 81.03.05 | Tanimbar Utara (North Tanimbar) | 1,075.74 | 13,226 | 13,860 | 13,687 | Ritabel | 8 | 97464 |
| 81.03.06 | Fordata $^{(b)}$ (Fordata Island) | 79.42 | 4,810 | 4,770 | 4,668 | Romean | 6 | 97466 |
| 81.03.07 | Wuar Labobar | 654.74 | 9,907 | 8,348 | 8,422 | Wunlah | 11 | 97465 |
| 81.03.18 | Molu Maru | $^{(c)}$ | $^{(c)}$ | 3,692 | 3,818 | Adoda Molo | 5 | 97462 |
| 81.03.09 | Nirunmas | 1,468.30 | 7,044 | 7,991 | 8,013 | Tutukembong | 50 | 97463 |
| 81.03.08 | Kormomolin | 933.16 | 5,921 | 6,997 | 7,072 | Alusi Kelaan | 10 | 97461 |
| | Totals | 10,102.92 | 105,341 | 123,572 | 124,787 | Saumlaki | 82 | |
Notes: (a) including 2 kelurahan - the towns of Saumlaki and Saumlaki Utara. (b) Yaru District changed its name to Fordata District in 2019. (c) the area and 2010 population of Molu Maru District are included in the figures for Wuar Labobar District, from which it was split off.