Belu Regency is a

regency In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...

East Nusa Tenggara East Nusa Tenggara (; ) is the southernmost province of Indonesia. It comprises the eastern portion of the Lesser Sunda Islands, facing the Indian Ocean in the south and the Flores Sea in the north, with a total land area of 47,238.07 km2. It cons ...

province of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

. Situated on the north side of Timor island, it originally stretched to the south coast, but in December 2012 its southern half was detached to form the new Malaka Regency. It now adjoins the North Central Timor Regency to the west, the new Malaka Regency to the south, and the separate nation of

East Timor Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...

to the east, while to the north lies the Sawu Sea. Established on 20 December 1958, Belu Regency has its seat (capital) in the large town of

Atambua Atambua is the regency seat of Belu Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The town stretches 8.5 km from north to south and 5 km from east to west, and is in the north of the western half of Timor Island. The town is located at an alt ...

, which lies inland from the coastal port of

Atapupu Atapupu is a port town in the Indonesian part of Timor Island (West Timor, in Kakuluk Mesak District of Belu Regency in East Nusa Tenggara Province. It is located on the northernmost part of West Timor, close to the border with East Timor. Histor ...

(in Kakuluk Mesak District).

Etymology

"Belu" means "friend" in the indigenous language of

Tetum Tetum may refer to: * Tetum language, an Austronesian language ** Tetum alphabet, used to write the Tetum language * Tetum people, an ethnic group of East Timor and Indonesia {{disambiguation Language and nationality disambiguation pages ...

Economy

The economy of Belu Regency is primarily based on agriculture, with the cultivation of crops such as maize, rice, and various fruits being central to local livelihoods. Additionally, livestock farming, particularly cattle and goats, plays a significant role in the region's economy. The coastal areas also offer opportunities for fishing and marine-based activities. The regency is known for its traditional weaving, namely Tais Belu, which produces intricate textiles that are culturally significant to the local communities.

Demographics and culture

Belu Regency is home to a diverse population with a mix of ethnic groups, including those speaking the Belunese dialect of the

Tetum language Tetum ( ; ; ) is an Austronesian language spoken on the island of Timor. It is one of the official languages of Timor-Leste and it is also spoken in Belu Regency and Malaka Regency, which form the eastern part of Indonesian West Timor adjoi ...

and other Austronesian-speaking peoples. The local culture is deeply rooted in traditional practices, with numerous festivals and ceremonies reflecting the rich heritage of the area. Traditional music, dance, and weaving are important aspects of Belu's cultural identity. The regency is also known for its unique traditional houses and community-based celebrations.

Tourism

Tourism in Belu Regency is growing, with visitors attracted to its natural beauty, cultural heritage, and historical sites. Key attractions include the scenic landscapes, traditional villages, and cultural festivals. Efforts are being made to develop infrastructure and services to enhance the tourism experience while preserving the regency's cultural and environmental assets.

Transportation

The regency is accessible by land and sea. Major roads connect Belu Regency with other parts of

West Timor West Timor () is an area covering the western part of the island of Timor, except for the district of Oecussi-Ambeno (an East Timorese exclave). Administratively, West Timor is part of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. The capital as well ...

and neighboring Timor-Leste. The main entry point by air or land is the town of Atambua, which is served by a regional airport and has connections to other major towns and cities in the region, while the port of Atapupu is the entry port for sea travel.

Administrative districts

The Belu Regency was until 2013 divided into twenty-four

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 ...

(''kecamatan''), but in December 2012, the twelve southern ''kecamatan'' were removed to form the new Malaka Regency, leaving the twelve northern ''kecamatan'' in Belu Regency. The residual Belu Regency is thus composed of twelve

(''kecamatan''), tabulated below with their areas (in km²) and their populations at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 2020 Census,Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. together with the official estimates as at mid 2024.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2025, ''Kabupaten Belu Dalam Angka 2025'' (Katalog 1102001.5306) The table also includes the locations of the district headquarters, the number of

administrative village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban village ...

s in each district (totaling 69 rural ''desa'' and 12 urban ''kelurahan'' - the latter being the 12 comprising Atambua town), and its postal code. Note: (a) the five westerly rural ''kecamatan'', mainly surrounding or south of Atambua, including the northern coast.
(b) the area projecting into

Media

Belu Regency is served with four radio stations that cover the wider area around this regency (including Malaka Regency, Alor Regency, and Timor Tengah Utara Regency), which are RRI Pro1 Atambua (FM 91.5 MHz) RRI Pro2 Atambua (FM 99.8 MHz) RRI Pro3 (FM 99.0 MHz), and Saluran Citra Budaya Timor (alias Pro4) (FM 93.1 MHz). There's still a lot of radio that can be found in the

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

. The regency is only served with two television stations (

TVRI TVRI (, Television of the Republic of Indonesia) is an Indonesian national public television network and one of Indonesia's two national Public Broadcasting Institutions, the other being the public radio network RRI. First publicly airing in ...

- including TVRI East Nusa Tenggara, Belu TV) and a few other East Timor stations that reach the border pass.

References

{{East Nusa Tenggara Regencies of East Nusa Tenggara