Southeast Sulawesi

Southeast Sulawesi (Indonesian: Sulawesi Tenggara, often abbreviated to Sultra), is a province on the island of Sulawesi, forming the southeastern peninsula of that island, together with a number of substantial offshore islands such as Buton, Muna, Kabaena and Wawonii (formerly called Wowoni), together with many smaller islands. It is bordered by South Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi to the north, sharing a maritime border with Maluku and North Maluku to the east and East Nusa Tenggara to the south, as well a very narrow maritime border with East Timor to the south. The capital is the city of Kendari, on the east coast of the peninsula.
The province has no highway road connecting to the rest of the island, and the primary transportation link is a ferry across the Bone Gulf between Watampone (Bone) in South Sulawesi and the port of Kolaka in Southeast Sulawesi.
From the seventeenth century until the early twentieth century, the region was the site of the Buton Sultanate [zh] (Butung).
The two major mountain ranges in Southeast Sulawesi are the Tanggeasinua Range and the Mekongga Range. The major rivers are the Lalinda, the Lasolo, and the Sampara.
The population of the province was 2,232,586 at the 2010 decennial census (1,120,225 males, and 1,110,344 females), increasing to 2,624,875 at the 2020 Census. The official estimate as at mid 2024 was 2,793,070. Konawe Selatan, Konawe, Kolaka and Muna are the four most populous regencies.
A third of the population is centered on Buton and Muna islands off the south coast of Sulawesi, and another 15% live in and around Kendari.
Islam is the predominant religion (96.2%). According to the 2021 estimates, 2,560,000 people were Muslims, 50,780 were Hindus, 44,870 were Protestants, 16,180 were Roman Catholics, 1,610 were Buddhists, 113 were Confusians and 63 adhered to Folk religions.
The main ethnic groups in Southeast Sulawesi are "Tolaki", "Buton", "Muna" etc.
Southeast Sulawesi Province is divided into fifteen regencies (including the five new regencies established in 2013 and 2014) and two autonomous cities.
As at 1995, there were just four regencies within the province - Buton, Kolaka, Konawe and Muna. On 3 August, the city of Kendari was created from part of Konawe Regency, and on 21 June 2001 the city of Bau-Bau was created from part of Buton Regency.
On 25 February 2003, South Konawe Regency was created from part of Konawe Regency. On 18 December 2003, three new regencies were created - Bombana Regency and Wakatobi Regency from parts of Buton Regency, and North Kolaka Regency from part of Kolaka Regency. On 2 January 2007, two new regencies were created - North Konawe Regency from part of Konawe Regency, and North Buton Regency from part of Muna Regency.
In 2013 the Indonesian Government enacted the creation of 11 new Regencies and Municipalities, including the following in Southeast Sulawesi:
Subsequently, on 24 June 2014, the Indonesian Parliament agreed to create three more new regencies, based on consideration of technical, administrative, area, strategic and geopolitic factors:
These regencies and cities are tabulated below, with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as at mid 2024 The table also includes the location of the regency/city headquarters and their Human Development Index.
Notes
(a) Bombana Regency is mainly peninsula (the areas around Poleang and Rumbia on Sulawesi Island) but partly insular (including most of Kabaena Island). (b) The Central Buton Regency comprises the southern part of Muna Island and a small southern part of Kabaena Island, but does not include any part of Buton Island. (c) Under discussion by the Indonesian government in 2013 was a proposal to create an additional municipality of Raha, on Muna Island, but any such proposal is in abeyance and this potential extra municipality is not separated in the table above. (d) The Konawe Islands Regency comprises Wawonii Island and small offshore islets around it.
The province now forms one of Indonesia's 84 national electoral districts to elect members to the People's Representative Council. The Southeast Sulawesi Electoral District consists of all of the 15 regencies in the province, together with the cities of Kendari and Bau-Bau, and elects 6 members to the People's Representative Council.