Where Indonesia’s 287 Million People Live: A Guide by Province, Regency and City

A province-by-province breakdown. How uneven that spread is. More than half of Indonesians live on Java and a single regency in West Java has more people than some provinces.

INDONESIA	287,198,383
Province, Regency/ City	Total
ACEH	5695929
Simeulue	101604
Aceh Singkil	140432
Aceh Selatan	246901
Aceh Tenggara	241328
Aceh Timur	454431
Aceh Tengah	232425
Aceh Barat	210738
Aceh Besar	439753
Pidie	461254
Bireuen	470358
Aceh Utara	645802
Aceh Barat Daya	163464
Gayo Lues	110542
Aceh Tamiang	316534
Nagan Raya	180440
Aceh Jaya	102242
Bener Meriah	177600
Pidie Jaya	170580
Kota Banda Aceh	270795
Kota Sabang	44610
Kota Langsa	204203
Kota Lhokseumawe	206394
Kota Subulussalam	103499
SUMATERA UTARA	15978639
Nias	159325
Mandailing Natal	521528
Tapanuli Selatan	324079
Tapanuli Tengah	410849
Tapanuli Utara	334715
Toba Samosir / Toba	222422
Labuhan Batu	533334
Asahan	835180
Simalungun	1082872
Dairi	342229
Karo	437547
Deli Serdang	2106860
Langkat	1100570
Nias Selatan	404325
Humbang Hasundutan	211870
Pakpak Bharat	58261
Samosir	146539
Serdang Bedagai	708267
Batu Bara	450421
Padang Lawas Utara	290671
Padang Lawas	290481
Labuhan Batu Selatan	347767
Labuhan Batu Utara	422072
Nias Utara	164166
Nias Barat	100960
Kota Sibolga	92774
Kota Tanjung Balai	190449
Kota Pematang Siantar	281250
Kota Tebing Tinggi	184883
Kota Medan	2510147
Kota Binjai	314552
Kota Padangsidimpuan	247535
Kota Gunungsitoli	149739
SUMATERA BARAT	5991591
Kepulauan Mentawai	95323
Pesisir Selatan	547763
Solok	420412
Sijunjung	252768
Tanah Datar	397235
Padang Pariaman	474990
Agam	574226
Lima Puluh Kota	410327
Pasaman	327768
Solok Selatan	201979
Dharmasraya	252149
Pasaman Barat	468987
Kota Padang	975548
Kota Solok	82654
Kota Sawah Lunto	70664
Kota Padang Panjang	61072
Kota Bukittinggi	126764
Kota Payakumbuh	150446
Kota Pariaman	100516
RIAU	6892386
Kuantan Singingi	356220
Indragiri Hulu	480336
Indragiri Hilir	699324
Pelalawan	427434
Siak	496891
Kampar	921673
Rokan Hulu	609692
Bengkalis	604531
Rokan Hilir	691826
Kepulauan Meranti	217407
Kota Pekanbaru	1046046
Kota Dumai	341006
JAMBI	3811661
Kerinci	259640
Merangin	383224
Sarolangun	314735
Batang Hari	323914
Muaro Jambi	435795
Tanjung Jabung Timur	243255
Tanjung Jabung Barat	344131
Tebo	363894
Bungo	390852
Kota Jambi	649260
Kota Sungai Penuh	102961
SUMATERA SELATAN	9017142
Ogan Komering Ulu	390470
Ogan Komering Ilir	825692
Muara Enim	654720
Lahat	460814
Musi Rawas	419572
Musi Banyuasin	666458
Banyu Asin	908792
Ogan Komering Ulu Selatan	439948
Ogan Komering Ulu Timur	685776
Ogan Ilir	446141
Empat Lawang	352187
Penukal Abab Lematang Ilir	210633
Musi Rawas Utara	203119
Kota Palembang	1740559
Kota Prabumulih	208461
Kota Pagar Alam	151820
Kota Lubuklinggau	251980
BENGKULU	2163341
Bengkulu Selatan	176907
Rejang Lebong	294879
Bengkulu Utara	316824
Kaur	135779
Seluma	222168
Mukomuko	207380
Lebong	114499
Kepahiang	159639
Bengkulu Tengah	125675
Kota Bengkulu	409591
LAMPUNG	9623792
Lampung Barat	322589
Tanggamus	685539
Lampung Selatan	1147198
Lampung Timur	1175365
Lampung Tengah	1557290
Lampung Utara	671492
Way Kanan	509245
Tulangbawang	460341
Pesawaran	512164
Pringsewu	434739
Mesuji	248750
Tulang Bawang Barat	304759
Pesisir Barat	177385
Kota Bandar Lampung	1237627
Kota Metro	179309
KEP. BANGKA BELITUNG	1569749
Bangka	350006
Belitung	195675
Bangka Barat	221628
Bangka Tengah	216454
Bangka Selatan	213683
Belitung Timur	135877
Kota Pangkal Pinang	236426
KEPULAUAN RIAU	2243105
Karimun	268590
Bintan	172663
Natuna	87825
Lingga	103880
Kepulauan Anambas	50983
Kota Batam	1316743
Kota Tanjung Pinang	242421
DKI JAKARTA	10669702
Kep. Seribu	29355
Kota Jakarta Selatan	2207857
Kota Jakarta Timur	3083988
Kota Jakarta Pusat	1032236
Kota Jakarta Barat	2494110
Kota Jakarta Utara	1822156
JAWA BARAT	51163888
Bogor	5760944
Sukabumi	2875411
Cianjur	2634844
Bandung	3812412
Garut	2779698
Tasikmalaya	1946197
Ciamis	1273158
Kuningan	1236761
Cirebon	2438657
Majalengka	1374601
Sumedang	1203722
Indramayu	1950316
Subang	1687343
Purwakarta	1075243
Karawang	2607281
Bekasi	3331400
Bandung Barat	1931072
Pangandaran	438741
Kota Bogor	1089179
Kota Sukabumi	375584
Kota Bandung	2569102
Kota Cirebon	350130
Kota Bekasi	2652952
Kota Depok	2173248
Kota Cimahi	613954
Kota Tasikmalaya	767854
Kota Banjar	214084
JAWA TENGAH	38564968
Cilacap	2064810
Banyumas	1883070
Purbalingga	1057643
Banjarnegara	1077335
Kebumen	1448563
Purworejo	808153
Wonosobo	941526
Magelang	1362099
Boyolali	1118557
Klaten	1308775
Sukoharjo	959018
Wonogiri	1059766
Karanganyar	974825
Sragen	1018657
Grobogan	1531863
Blora	920104
Rembang	674717
Pati	1392603
Kudus	899832
Jepara	1255376
Demak	1276683
Semarang	1107054
Temanggung	827132
Kendal	1087809
Batang	855842
Pekalongan	1041335
Pemalang	1576420
Tegal	1713090
Brebes	2108502
Kota Magelang	122903
Kota Surakarta	529966
Kota Salatiga	205821
Kota Semarang	1735503
Kota Pekalongan	327929
Kota Tegal	291687
D I YOGYAKARTA	3802716
Kulon Progo	449501
Bantul	1033465
Gunung Kidul	754056
Sleman	1190034
Kota Yogyakarta	375660
JAWA TIMUR	42352024
Pacitan	589357
Ponorogo	968994
Trenggalek	750476
Tulungagung	1125005
Blitar	1282970
Kediri	1714171
Malang	2774002
Lumajang	1158367
Jember	2635737
Banyuwangi	1774328
Bondowoso	800132
Situbondo	707572
Probolinggo	1200981
Pasuruan	1681022
Sidoarjo	2215288
Mojokerto	1170760
Jombang	1384556
Nganjuk	1145155
Madiun	763828
Magetan	692785
Ngawi	889988
Bojonegoro	1335288
Tuban	1237088
Lamongan	1394222
Gresik	1390172
Bangkalan	1123061
Sampang	1038386
Pamekasan	901666
Sumenep	1165227
Kota Kediri	304129
Kota Blitar	157785
Kota Malang	886820
Kota Probolinggo	254569
Kota Pasuruan	225257
Kota Mojokerto	139817
Kota Madiun	205316
Kota Surabaya	2940265
Kota Batu	227482
BANTEN	12641299
Pandeglang	1350503
Lebak	1478091
Tangerang	3468939
Serang	1738298
Kota Tangerang	1979289
Kota Cilegon	464999
Kota Serang	756145
Kota Tangerang Selatan	1405035
BALI	4488243
Jembrana	329703
Tabanan	470510
Badung	578791
Gianyar	533046
Klungkung	210360
Bangli	263972
Karangasem	506755
Buleleng	825944
Kota Denpasar	769162
NUSA TENGGARA BARAT	5815328
Lombok Barat	787339
Lombok Tengah	1149627
Lombok Timur	1460017
Sumbawa	550684
Dompu	258349
Bima	559349
Sumbawa Barat	160732
Lombok Utara	268761
Kota Mataram	452410
Kota Bima	168060
NUSA TENGGARA TIMUR	5828569
Sumba Barat	160172
Sumba Timur	266655
Kupang	386353
Timor Tengah Selatan	494692
Timor Tengah Utara	283855
Belu	245054
Alor	231970
Lembata	147202
Flores Timur	300997
Sikka	350343
Ende	286911
Ngada	178843
Manggarai	345826
Rote Ndao	157788
Manggarai Barat	287142
Sumba Tengah	96036
Sumba Barat Daya	342287
Nagekeo	172974
Manggarai Timur	306838
Sabu Raijua	97742
Malaka	198496
Kota Kupang	490393
KALIMANTAN BARAT	5834955
Sambas	667834
Bengkayang	312147
Landak	429744
Mempawah	324456
Sanggau	522799
Ketapang	613999
Sintang	454581
Kapuas Hulu	272260
Sekadau	227866
Melawi	250492
Kayong Utara	139479
Kubu Raya	670755
Kota Pontianak	690969
Kota Singkawang	257574
KALIMANTAN TENGAH	2879544
Kotawaringin Barat	288560
Kotawaringin Timur	457424
Kapuas	439795
Barito Selatan	138163
Barito Utara	166579
Sukamara	70142
Lamandau	106700
Seruyan	180308
Katingan	176764
Pulang Pisau	142028
Gunung Mas	150923
Barito Timur	121622
Murung Raya	121996
Kota Palangka Raya	318540
KALIMANTAN SELATAN	4372109
Tanah Laut	372716
Kotabaru	352736
Banjar	618481
Barito Kuala	340257
Tapin	203482
Hulu Sungai Selatan	244223
Hulu Sungai Tengah	273672
Hulu Sungai Utara	242092
Tabalong	273602
Tanah Bumbu	352072
Balangan	142029
Kota Banjarmasin	672668
Kota Banjar Baru	284079
KALIMANTAN TIMUR	4478356
Paser	292393
Kutai Barat	181813
Kutai Kartanegara	897918
Kutai Timur	477695
Berau	268689
Penajam Paser Utara	523288
Mahakam Ulu	35245
Kota Balikpapan	735912
Kota Samarinda	872306
Kota Bontang	193097
KALIMANTAN UTARA	758773
Malinau	88445
Bulungan	164536
Tana Tidung	29486
Nunukan	216970
Kota Tarakan	259336
SULAWESI UTARA	2740465
Bolaang Mongondow	261398
Minahasa	356624
Kepulauan Sangihe	144408
Kepulauan Talaud	100244
Minahasa Selatan	243684
Minahasa Utara	237708
Bolaang Mongondow Utara	89348
Siau Tagulandang Biaro	74938
Minahasa Tenggara	122605
Bolaang Mongondow Selatan	74490
Bolaang Mongondow Timur	94242
Kota Manado	463564
Kota Bitung	239840
Kota Tomohon	105651
Kota Kotamobagu	131721
SULAWESI TENGAH	3189768
Banggai Kepulauan	126865
Banggai	385116
Morowali	178654
Poso	258768
Donggala	316206
Toli-Toli	238049
Buol	155929
Parigi Moutong	469668
Tojo Una-Una	174355
Sigi	276556
Banggai Laut	75832
Morowali Utara	131353
Kota Palu	402417
SULAWESI SELATAN	9661296
Kepulauan Selayar	145776
Bulukumba	463164
Bantaeng	209844
Jeneponto	427667
Takalar	325192
Gowa	839803
Sinjai	276173
Maros	424592
Pangkajene dan Kepulauan	366192
Barru	191690
Bone	844021
Soppeng	241460
Wajo	393747
Sidenreng Rappang	336245
Pinrang	435066
Enrekang	245256
Luwu	394206
Tana Toraja	298208
Luwu Utara	345321
Luwu Timur	321021
Toraja Utara	286668
Kota Makasar	1482753
Kota Parepare	165845
Kota Palopo	201386
SULAWESI TENGGARA	2879988
Buton	125654
Muna	234539
Konawe	282999
Kolaka	254270
Konawe Selatan	340022
Bombana	165590
Wakatobi	121788
Kolaka Utara	154176
Buton Utara	71406
Konawe Utara	76966
Kolaka Timur	131041
Konawe Kepulauan	41021
Muna Barat	94305
Buton Tengah	124926
Buton Selatan	104395
Kota Kendari	383708
Kota Baubau	173182
GORONTALO	1256448
Boalemo	157072
Gorontalo	417661
Pohuwato	157527
Bone Bolango	174793
Gorontalo Utara	136881
Kota Gorontalo	212514
SULAWESI BARAT	1547354
Majene	188857
Polewali Mandar	513066
Mamasa	178098
Mamuju	306597
Mamuju Utara / Pasangkayu	210278
Mamuju Tengah	150458
MALUKU	1995208
Maluku Tenggara Barat / Kepulauan Tanimbar	134167
Maluku Tenggara	128774
Maluku Tengah	450384
Buru	145909
Kepulauan Aru	112697
Seram Bagian Barat	233187
Seram Bagian Timur	151788
Maluku Barat Daya	89926
Buru Selatan	83587
Kota Ambon	369797
Kota Tual	94992
MALUKU UTARA	1391708
Halmahera Barat	140416
Halmahera Tengah	64429
Kepulauan Sula	111795
Halmahera Selatan	273020
Halmahera Utara	212742
Halmahera Timur	101451
Pulau Morotai	82247
Pulau Taliabu	63085
Kota Ternate	219069
Kota Tidore Kepulauan	123454
PAPUA BARAT	1242005
Fakfak	92700
Kaimana	68923
Teluk Wondama	47619
Teluk Bintuni	92923
Manokwari	211063
Sorong Selatan	58288
Sorong	125222
Raja Ampat	73137
Tambrauw	32755
Maybrat	50059
Manokwari Selatan	40319
Pegunungan Arfak	42914
Kota Sorong	306083
PAPUA BARAT DAYA	645544
Raja Ampat	73137
Sorong	125222
Sorong Selatan	58288
Maybrat	50059
Tambrauw	32755
Kota Sorong	306083
PAPUA	4656334
Merauke	243628
Jayawijaya	286601
Jayapura	176375
Nabire	178421
Kepulauan Yapen	121653
Biak Numfor	144454
Paniai	243966
Puncak Jaya	239596
Mimika	335373
Boven Digoel	71509
Mappi	118820
Asmat	123246
Yahukimo	382349
Pegunungan Bintang	86070
Tolikara	250038
Sarmi	43846
Keerom	65450
Waropen	36783
Supiori	25524
Mamberamo Raya	40887
Nduga	116376
Lanny Jaya	213985
Mamberamo Tengah	55074
Yalimo	111371
Puncak	126152
Dogiyai	129273
Intan Jaya	147845
Deiyai	110187
Kota Jayapura	431482
PAPUA SELATAN	557203
Merauke	243628
Boven Digoel	71509
Mappi	118820
Asmat	123246
PAPUA TENGAH	1510813
Mimika	335373
Dogiyai	129273
Deiyai	110187
Nabire	178421
Paniai	243966
Intan Jaya	147845
Puncak	126152
Puncak Jaya	239596
PAPUA PEGUNUNGAN	1501864
Nduga	116376
Jayawijaya	286601
Lanny Jaya	213985
Tolikara	250038
Mamberamo Tengah	55074
Yalimo	111371
Yahukimo	382349
Pegunungan Bintang	86070

Number of Population by Region, 2026. Source: BPS-Statistics Indonesia. bps.go.id/en/statistics- table/2/Mjc5MCMy/ number-of-population- by-region-and -age-group.html

Indonesia’s 287 Million People

Indonesia is the world’s fourth most populous country, and its people are spread very unevenly across an archipelago of thousands of inhabited islands.

Indonesia’s administrative structure has several tiers. Provinces (provinsi) are the top tier. Below them are regencies (kabupaten), which are mostly rural or semi-urban, and cities (kota), which are urban. In the data, cities carry the prefix “Kota”. Regencies appear under their plain names, such as Bogor or Bandung, so Bogor the regency and Kota Bogor the city are listed separately. The same goes for Bandung, Bekasi and Tangerang.

Java dominates

Java is the heart of the country. Its six provinces (DKI Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java and Banten) hold about 159.2 million people, or roughly 55% of Indonesia, on an island that makes up a small fraction of its land area.

West Java is the largest province at 51,163,888, close to 18% of the nation on its own. East Java follows at 42,352,024 and Central Java at 38,564,968. Together these three hold about 46% of all Indonesians. Banten, the province west of Jakarta, has 12.6 million, and the capital region of DKI Jakarta has 10.7 million. Yogyakarta has 3.8 million.

The rest of the archipelago

Beyond Java, the population thins quickly. Sumatra is a clear second at about 63 million (roughly 22%). North Sumatra is its biggest province with 15,978,639, followed by Lampung (9.6 million), South Sumatra (9.0 million), Riau (6.9 million) and West Sumatra (6.0 million). Aceh has 5.7 million.

Region	Approx. population	Share of total
Java (incl. Jakarta, Banten, Yogyakarta)	159.2 million	55.4%
Sumatra	63.0 million	21.9%
Sulawesi	21.3 million	7.4%
Kalimantan	18.3 million	6.4%
Bali and Nusa Tenggara	16.1 million	5.6%
Papua (West Papua and Papua, older boundaries)	5.9 million	2.1%
Maluku and North Maluku	3.4 million	1.2%

Sulawesi’s weight comes largely from South Sulawesi, with 9,661,296 people. Kalimantan, though it covers a huge land area, is sparsely settled. East Kalimantan has about 4.5 million and North Kalimantan, the newest province there, has only 758,773. The Papuan region is the clearest example of low density, with under 6 million people spread across the country’s largest stretch of land.

Regencies larger than provinces

At the regency level, the Java concentration becomes striking. Bogor Regency in West Java has 5,760,944 residents, more than the entire province of Aceh (5,695,929) and well above Bali (4,488,243). Other very large regencies include Bandung (3.8 million), Tangerang (3.5 million) and Bekasi (3.3 million), most of them part of Greater Jakarta’s sprawl. Sukabumi, Garut, Cianjur and Karawang, also in West Java, each have more than 2.6 million. Outside West Java, Malang and Jember in East Java each exceed 2.6 million.

Among cities, Surabaya leads with 2,940,265. Bekasi (2.65 million), Bandung (2.57 million) and Medan (2.51 million) come next, then Depok (2.17 million) and Tangerang (1.98 million). Jakarta is counted as five administrative cities plus the Thousand Islands regency. East Jakarta is the biggest at 3,083,988, ahead of West Jakarta (2.49 million) and South Jakarta (2.21 million), while the Thousand Islands has only 29,355 residents.

Very small places

The smallest unit is Supiori, a Papuan regency, with 25,524 residents. Tana Tidung in North Kalimantan (29,486), Tambrauw in West Papua (32,755) and Mahakam Ulu in East Kalimantan (35,245) are similarly small. Kota Sabang, an island city off the tip of Aceh, has 44,610. Many of these places are remote, mountainous or island regions where population density is low and infrastructure is hard to build.

Indonesia is demographically top-heavy. Jobs, universities and services pull people toward Java, and the island’s farmland, ports and industrial belts have supported dense settlement for generations. Indonesia’s long-running plan to move its capital to Nusantara in East Kalimantan is partly an attempt to ease this pressure. The creation of new provinces in Papua reflects a different goal, which is to bring government closer to sparsely populated areas.