Padang Lawas is a

regency A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...

North Sumatra North Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Utara) is a province of Indonesia located on the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan. North Sumatra is Indonesia's fourth most populous province after West Java, East Java and ...

province of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...

. It covers an area of 3,912.18 km², and had a population of 226,807 at the 2010 Census and 261,011 at the 2020 Census. Its administrative seat is the town of Sibuhuan. Padang Lawas Regency formerly included the area and population of present-day North Padang Lawas Regency, which has subsequently been separated.

Administrative districts

At the 2010 Census, the regency was divided into nine

district A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivision ...

s (''kecamatan''). Subsequently, three additional districts were created by the division of existing districts (Barumun Selatan created from part of Barumun District; Aek Nabara Barumun and Sihapas Barumun from parts of Barumun Tengah). In 2019 a further five districts were created, although the populations of these areas at the 2010 Census are still included in the districts from which they were cut. The districts are tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and the 2020 Census. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages (''desa'' and ''kelurahan'') in each district and its post code. Notes: (a) the 2010 Census populations of the new Barumun Baru District is included in the figure for the Barumun District, from which it was cut out in 2019.
(b) the 2010 Census populations of the new Sosa Julu and Ulu Sosa Districts are included in the figure for the Sosa District, from which they were cut out in 2019.
(c) the 2010 Census populations of the new Sosa Timur District is included in the figures for the Batang Lubu Sutam and Hutaraja Tinggi Districts, from which it was cut out in 2019.
(d) the 2010 Census populations of the new Barumun Barut District is included in the figure for the Barumun Tengah District, from which it was cut out in 2019.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021.

Archaeology

COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Bronzen boeddhabeeld TMnr 2960-140

The Padang Lawas archaeological site is partly located in the regency. Covering approximately 1,500 km² it spreads over the

districts A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...

of Barumun and Barumun Tengah, and into

South Tapanuli South Tapanuli (Tapanuli Selatan in Indonesian Language, abbreviated Tapsel) is a regency in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Its seat is the town of Sipirok. This regency was originally very large and contained thousands of towns and villages, including ...

and North Padang Lawas regencies.

References

Regencies of North Sumatra {{NSumatra-geo-stub