The BanggaiArchipelago (Indonesian: Kepulauan Banggai) is a group of islands located at the far eastern end of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. It makes up a regency (kabupaten) of Central Sulawesi Province of Indonesia, created on 4 October 1999 by splitting the existing Banggai Regency into a residual Banggai Regency situated on the mainland of Sulawesi (capital, Luwuk) and a new Banggai Islands Regency (Kabupaten Banggai Kepulauan) then comprising the entire archipelago (with its capital at Banggai town). On 14 December 2012 a splitting of the Banggai Islands archipelago took place with the removal of the more southerly seven districts (including Banggai Island itself, together with smaller islands to its southwest and southeast) from the 13-year-old regency to form a separate Banggai Laut Regency.
The reduced Banggai Islands Regency thus consists of the main island of Peleng, together with various small offshore islands, of which the largest is Bangkalan Island off the north coast of Peleng. It covers an area of 2,488.79 km2 and had a population of 109,384 at the 2010 census[2] and 120,142 at the 2020 census;[3] the official population estimate at mid-2023 was 123,420 (comprising 62,461 males and 60,959 females).[1] The archipelago is surrounded by the Banda Sea's Gulf of Tolo (Teluk Tolo), and the Molucca Sea. The Peleng Straits (Selat Peleng) separate Peleng from the mainland of Sulawesi.
Administrative Districts
The Banggai Islands Regency is divided into twelve districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census[2] and the 2020 Census,[3] together with the official estimates at mid-2023.[1] The table also includes the location of the district headquarters, the numbers of administrative villages (totalling 141 rural desa and 3 urban kelurahan) and of offshore islands in each district, and its postal codes.
Kode Wilayah
Name of District (kecamatan)
Area in km2
Pop'n Census 2010
Pop'n Census 2020
Pop'n Estimate mid 2023
Admin centre
No. of villages
No. of islands
Post codes
72.07.03
Totikum
155.45
9,869
10,473
10,638
Sambiut
11
4
94884
72.07.15
Totikum Selatan (South Totikum)
95.19
8,036
8,499
8,625
Kalumbatan
8
-
94887
72.07.04
Tinangkung
312.60
13,201
17,194
18,534
Salakan
11 (a)
52
94885
72.07.11
Tinangkung Selatan (South Tinangkum)
187.89
7,204
7,989
8,220
Mansamat
9
-
94885 (a)
72.07.19
Tinangkung Utara (North Tinangkung)
136.65
7,670
8,694
9,002
Batulombo
6
-
94886
72.07.05
Liang
176.19
3,076
8,531
9,736
Liang
16
65
94883
72.07.16
Peling Tengah (Central Peling)
140.00
9,244
10,397
10,741
Patukuki
11
-
94888
72.07.06
Bulagi
275.66
9,529
9,493
9,478
Bulagi Satu
16 (b)
2
94882 (b)
72.07.09
Bulagi Selatan (South Bulagi)
319.00
9,716
9,713
9,698
Lolantang
20
8
94882
72.07.17
Bulagi Utara (North Bulagi)
318.00
8,890
9,640
9,854
Sambulangan
12 (c)
-
94889
72.07.07
Buko
184.84
9,376
9,880
10,022
Tabata
13
21
94881
72.07.18
Buko Selatan (South Buko)
187.32
7,881
8,649
8,872
Lumbi-lumbia
11
-
94880
Totals
2,488.79
109,384
120,142
123,420
144
224
Notes: (a) including kelurahan of Salakan. (b) including kelurahan of Bulagi (town). (c) including kelurahan of Sabang.
The Banggai Islands is home to the Banggai cardinalfish.[4] This species has an extremely limited geographic range (5,500 km2) and small total population size (estimated at 2.4 million). The Banggai cardinalfish is composed of isolated populations concentrated around the shallows of 17 large and 10 small islands within the Banggai Archipelago.
It is threatened by extinction due to collection for the aquarium trade.[5]
Climate
Salakan has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with moderate rainfall from August to January and heavy rainfall from February to July.