# West Sumba Regency

West Sumba Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Sumba Barat) is a regency in East Nusa Tenggara Province of Indonesia. Established in 1958, the regency was considerably reduced on 2 January 2007 with the creation of new Regencies on Sumba Island under Law UU No.16 of that year. Its area is now 721.96 km$^2$, and its population was 110,993 at the 2010 census and 145,097 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 150,868. It has its seat (capital) in (Kota) Waikabubak.
The region is rather dry. One of the main problems for people living in rural areas in the province is frequent shortages of water. Although there are some local supplies of water from wells and springs, water from these sources often becomes scarce during the long dry seasons. In some villages local non-government organisations, some supported with international assistance, support small projects to improve village water supplies.

## Administrative Districts

The West Sumba Regency (following the re-organisation on 2 January 2007 which created Southwest Sumba Regency and Central Sumba Regency out of parts of West Sumba Regency) is now composed of six districts (kecamatan), whose areas (in km$^2$) and populations at the 2010 Census and 2020 Census, are listed below, together with the official estimates as at mid 2023. The table also includes the locations of the district headquarters, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 63 rural desa and 11 urban kelurahan), and its postal code.
| Kode Wilayah | Name of District (kecamatan) | Area in km$^2$ | Pop'n Census 2010 | Pop'n Census 2020 | Pop'n Estimate mid 2023 | Admin centre | No. of villages | Post code |
| 53.12.12 | Lamboya | 108.59 | 15,856 | 22,059 | 24,768 | Kabukarudi | 11 | 87271 |
| 53.12.11 | Wanokata | 141.22 | 14,163 | 18,811 | 20,635 | Pogo Katoda | 14 | 87272 |
| 53.12.18 | Laboya Barat (West Laboya) | 153.89 | 7,327 | 8,815 | 10,049 | Hodi | 4 | 87270 |
| 53.12.10 | Loli | 122.49 | 27,103 | 38,932 | 35,548 | Dokakaka | 14 $^{(a)}$ | 87284 |
| 53.12.15 | Kota Waikabubak (Waikabubak town) | 63.87 | 28,874 | 33,064 | 31,959 | Waikabubak | 13 $^{(b)}$ | 87211 - 87217 |
| 53.12.04 | Tana Righu | 131.90 | 17,670 | 23,416 | 27,909 | Malata | 18 | 87257 |
| | Totals | 721.96 | 110,993 | 145,097 | 150,868 | Waikabubak | 74 |
Notes: (a) comprising 5 kelurahan (Dira Tana, Loda Pare, Sobawawi, Wee Dabo and Wee Karou) and 9 desa. (b) comprising 6 kelurahan (Kampung Baru, Kampung Sawah, Komerda, Maliti, Pada Eweta and Wailiang) and 7 desa.

## Villages

Villages in the area include:
* Tarung
* Waitabar
* Bodo Ede
* Bodomaroto
* Wainyapu
* Traditional houses in Tarung-Waitabar village
* Map of Sumba Island, showing West Sumba Regency prior to the creation in 2007 of the new Southwest Sumba Regency and Central Sumba Regency from parts of West Sumba Regency.

## Tourism

In 2016 and 2017 Travel + Leisure magazine gave the title of World's Best Hotel (with the highest 98.35 score based on readers' choice) to Nihiwatu Resort (now known as Nihi Sumba). The hotel is one of the leading sectors for ecotourism.

## Climate

Waikabubak has a tropical monsoon climate (Am) with moderate to little rainfall from June to September and heavy to very heavy rainfall from October to May.
Climate data for Waikabubak :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28.9 (84.0) | 28.4 (83.1) | 28.9 (84.0) | 29.3 (84.7) | 28.9 (84.0) | 28.2 (82.8) | 28.1 (82.6) | 28.6 (83.5) | 29.4 (84.9) | 30.0 (86.0) | 29.6 (85.3) | 29.2 (84.6) | 29.0 (84.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 23.7 (74.7) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.8 (74.8) | 23.7 (74.7) | 23.1 (73.6) | 22.2 (72.0) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.9 (71.4) | 22.9 (73.2) | 23.9 (75.0) | 24.4 (75.9) | 24.1 (75.4) | 23.2 (73.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 18.6 (65.5) | 18.6 (65.5) | 18.7 (65.7) | 18.2 (64.8) | 17.4 (63.3) | 16.3 (61.3) | 15.3 (59.5) | 15.3 (59.5) | 16.4 (61.5) | 17.9 (64.2) | 19.2 (66.6) | 19.0 (66.2) | 17.6 (63.6) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 415 (16.3) | 365 (14.4) | 375 (14.8) | 258 (10.2) | 181 (7.1) | 63 (2.5) | 48 (1.9) | 30 (1.2) | 76 (3.0) | 151 (5.9) | 292 (11.5) | 405 (15.9) | 2,659 (104.7) |
| Source: Climate-Data.org ||||||||||||||