Pidie Regency (also known as: Pidie, Pědir; "king of"; ) 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 ...

Aceh Aceh ( , ; , Jawi script, Jawoë: ; Van Ophuijsen Spelling System, Old Spelling: ''Atjeh'') is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia. It is located on the northern end of Sumatra island, with Banda Aceh being its capit ...

Special region, in

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, ...

. It is located in the north of the island of

Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...

, in Western Indonesia, bordered by the

Malacca Strait The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water, long and from wide, between the Malay Peninsula to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest, connecting the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pa ...

and

Pidie Jaya Regency Pidie Jaya Regency () is a regency in the Aceh Special region of Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra. The regency was created out of the former northeast districts of Pidie Regency on 2 January 2007. The seat of the regency governm ...

(which was formerly a part of Pidie Regency until it was separated out in 2007) in the north,

Aceh Besar Great Aceh Regency () is a regency of the Indonesian province of Aceh. The regency covers an area of 2,903.49 square kilometres and had a population of 351,418 at the 2010 Census,Biro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. 391,870 at the 2015 census an ...

Regency in the west, Bireuen Regency in the northeast, and

Aceh Jaya Regency Aceh Jaya Regency () is a regency of Aceh Province of Indonesia. It is located on the west side of the island of Sumatra, and was formed on 10 April 2002 from districts which had formerly been the northern part of West Aceh Regency. The regency ...

in the south. The regency covers an area of 3,184.46 square kilometres and had a population of 379,108 people at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 435,275 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 448,085 - comprising 223,208 males and 224,877 females.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2024, ''Kabupaten Pidie Dalam Angka 2024'' (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1107) Pidie was the largest rice-producing area of Aceh province, producing some 20% of its total output.

History

Pidie Regency has a long and storied history, with archaeological evidence suggesting human habitation in the area dating back thousands of years. Pidie Regency also has a rich historical background, with its history intertwined with the broader history of the Aceh region. The area has been influenced by various kingdoms and colonial powers over the centuries. It was once part of the

Sultanate of Aceh The Sultanate of Aceh, officially the Kingdom of Aceh Darussalam (; Jawoë: ), was a sultanate centered in the modern-day Indonesian province of Aceh. It was a major regional power in the 16th and 17th centuries, before experiencing a long per ...

, which was an important Islamic kingdom in the region. During the Dutch colonial period, Pidie was integrated into the broader colonial administration of Aceh. Historical sites and landmarks can be found in most of the regency, reflecting its diverse past.

Culture

The population of Pidie Regency is predominantly of Acehnese descent, with a strong Islamic heritage. Traditional customs and ceremonies are an integral part of daily life, and the regency is known for its rich artistic traditions and spiritual practices. Festivals and cultural events are celebrated throughout the year, showcasing the region's unique heritage.

Economy

The economy of Pidie Regency is largely based on agriculture, with rice, corn, coffee, and other crops being significant contributors to the local economy. Fishing and livestock farming are also important economic activities. In recent years, efforts have been made to improve infrastructure and boost local industries to support economic development.

Administrative divisions

The regency is divided administratively into twenty-three

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''), listed below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and the 2020 Census,Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. together with the official estimates as at mid 2023.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 28 February 2024, ''Kabupaten Pidie Dalam Angka 2024'' (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1107) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages (''gampong'') in each district, and its post code.

Notable people

Zaini Abdullah Zaini Abdullah (born 24 April 1940) is an Indonesian politician and former separatist activist of the Free Aceh Movement (or GAM, ''Gerakan Aceh Merdeka'') in Indonesia who was elected as the governor of the province of Aceh in the 2012 electi ...

, governor of Aceh 2013–2018 *

Teungku Chik di Tiro Muhammad Saman (1836 – 21 January 1891), better known as Teungku Chik di Tiro (usually spelt Cik di Tiro in Indonesia), was an Acehnese guerrilla fighter against the Dutch. On 6 November 1973 he was declared a National Hero of Indonesia. Biog ...

, Indonesian national hero *

Daud Beureueh Teungku Mohammad Daud Beureueh (17 September 1899 – 10 June 1987) was an Indonesian military Governor of Aceh (1945–1953) and leader of the Free Aceh Movement rebellion in the province (1953–1963). Born in the Keumangan chiefdom of Pidi ...

, military governor of Aceh *

Teuku Mohammad Hasan Teuku Mohammad Hasan ( EVO: Teoekoe Moehammad Hasan; 4 April 1906 – 21 September 1997) was an Indonesian politician and national hero from Aceh, who served as the first and only governor of Sumatra from 1945 until 1948. He also served as a cab ...

, first governor of Sumatra *

Ibrahim Hasan Ibrahim Hassan Hussein Ahmed (; born 10 August 1966) is an Egyptian football director and former professional football player who played as a right back. He is currently the director of the Egyptian national team. Ibrahim Hassan has 131 caps fo ...

, former governor of Aceh and former minister for food *

Hasan Tiro Hasan Muhammad di Tiro (born Hasan Bin Leube Muhammad; 25 September 1925 – 3 June 2010), was the founder of the Free Aceh Movement, Free Aceh Movement (GAM), an organisation which attempted to separate Aceh from Indonesia from the 1970s. It su ...

, founder and command center of GAM *

Teuku Iskandar Teuku Iskandar was an Indonesian scholar, literary critic, lexicographer, historian, and nobleman. He was one of the native Indonesians of Acehnese who were eager to revivify the historical records of the indigenous civilizations of the Indonesi ...

, scholar, one of the founders of Syiah Kuala University Aceh

References

{{coord, 4.66667, N, 96, E, source:kolossus-eswiki, display=title Regencies of Aceh Teunom basin