South Tapanuli Regency

South Tapanuli (, abbreviated as Tapsel) is a regency located in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Its seat is the town of Sipirok. The regency was originally very large, containing thousands of towns and villages, including the city of Padang Sidempuan. The areas that separated from South Tapanuli Regency are the new regencies of Mandailing Natal (created on 23 November 1998), Padang Lawas Utara, and Padang Lawas (both created on 17 July 2007), plus the city (kota) of Padang Sidempuan (created on 21 June 2001). After the division, the regency seat moved from Padang Sidempuan to Sipirok.

The regency covers an area of 4,355.35 square kilometers and had a population of 264,108 at the 2010 Census and 300,911 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as of mid-2023 was 312,540 (comprising 157,340 males and 155,200 females). These figures exclude the city of Padang Sidempuan, which is virtually surrounded by South Tapanuli territory but is independently administered.

 Administration 
At the 2010 Census, the regency was divided into twelve districts (kecamatan). Subsequently, three additional districts (Tano Tombangan Angkola, Angkola Muara Tais, and Angkola Sangkunur) 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-2023. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centers, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 211 rural desa and 37 urban kelurahan), and its postcode.
CodeDistrict (kecamatan)Area (km²)Population Census 2010Population Census 2020Population Estimate mid 2023Admin centerNo. of desaNo. of kelurahanPostcode12.03.07Batang Angkola211.3632,12921,32321,829Pintu Padang1742277312.03.21Sayur Matinggi295.1137,65526,01426,844Sayur Matinggi1812277412.03.30Tano Tombangan Angkola210.30(a)15,54815,883Situmba1612277512.03.32Angkola Muara Tais149.70(b)13,76614,131Muara Tais1322273312.03.03Angkola Timur (East Angkola)235.1618,55321,29422,139Pargarutan1322273312.03.06Angkola Selatan (South Angkola)496.5727,50032,75734,733Simarpinggan1342273212.03.01Angkola Barat (West Angkola)104.5241,25425,20625,519Sitinjak1222273512.03.31Angkola Sangkunur254.77(c)21,74022,937Simataniari822273412.03.02Batang Toru380.0428,59533,76035,390Batang Toru1942273812.03.20Marancar89.119,35110,35910,660Pasar Sempurna1112273712.03.29Muara Batang Toru308.0111,40115,80617,360Huta Raja632273612.03.04Sipirok409.3730,43533,32634,179Sipirok3462273912.03.14Arse265.907,8728,6778,916Arse Nauli822274812.03.05Saipar Dolok Hole540.5712,67413,94014,315Sipagimbar1222275912.03.22Aek Bilah404.856,3967,3957,705Biru12 -22758Notes:(a) 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.(b) 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.(c) 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 
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 Tapanuli Regency is Padang Sidempuan, which is surrounded by this regency but is separately administered.

 Attractions 
South Tapanuli is known for its natural attractions, including the Sipirok Hot Springs, Marsabut Waterfall, and Aek Sijorni Waterfall. The regency also has cultural sites like the ancient traditional houses of Angkola and Mandailing ethnic groups.

 Economy 
The economy of South Tapanuli Regency is primarily based on agriculture, with palm oil, rubber, and coffee being the major commodities. Mining activities, particularly gold mining in the Batang Toru region, also play a significant role in the regency's economy.

 References 

 Other websites

 Official Website of South Tapanuli Regency

Category:Regencies of Indonesia