| Official Name: | South Nias Regency |
| Native Name: | (Kabupaten Nias Selatan) |
| Native Name Lang: | id |
| Type: | Regency |
| Motto: | Furai ("Preserve") |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Indonesia |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Sumatera Utara |
| Seat Type: | Regency seat |
| Seat: | Teluk Dalam |
| Leader Title: | Regent |
| Leader Name: | Hilarius Duha |
| Leader Title1: | Vice Regent |
| Leader Name1: | Firman Giawa |
| Leader Title2: | Chairman of Council of Representatives |
| Leader Name2: | Elisati Halawa (PDI-P) |
| Leader Title3: | Vice Chairmen of Council of Representatives |
| Leader Name3: | Fa'atulö Sarumaha (Nasdem) and Agustana Ndruru (Golkar) |
| Area Total Km2: | 2487.99 |
| Population As Of: | mid 2023 estimate |
| Population Total: | 368834 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Timezone1: | WIB |
| Utc Offset1: | +7 |
Nias Selatan (South Nias) Regency is a regency in North Sumatra province, Indonesia, created on 25 February 2003 by the division of the existing Nias Regency. The regency covers a land area of 2,487.99 square kilometres and according to the 2010 census had a population of 289,708;[2] the 2020 Census showed a population of 360,531,[3] while the official estimate for mid 2023 was 368,834.[4] Its administrative centre is the port of Teluk Dalam. Apart from the southern portion of Nias Island, the regency also includes the smaller Batu Islands (Pulau Pulau Batu) to the south, lying between Nias and Siberut; these islands occupy nearly half of the land area of the Regency, but have just 9% of its population.
The regency was divided into eighteen districts (kecamatan) at the time of the 2010 Census, However, since 2010 seventeen additional districts have been created from parts of existing districts, notably in the Batu Islands where there are now seven districts compared with the three in 2010, but also on Nias Island itself where there are now twenty-eight districts within the Regency compared with fifteen in 2010. These are all tabulated below with their areas (in km2) and their populations at the 2010 Census,[5] and the 2020 Census,[6] together with the official estimates as at mid 2023.[7] They are grouped geographically (these groupings have no administrative significance). The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (a total of 459 classed as rural desa and 2 classed as urban kelurahan), and its postal code.
| 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 | Post code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.14.04 | Hibala (a) [8] | 225.75 | 9,620 | 7,716 | 8,237 | Eho | 17 | 22881 | |
| 12.14.31 | Tanah Masa [9] | 451.43 | (b) | 4,807 | 5,078 | Baluta | 12 | 22887 | |
| 12.14.05 | Pulau-Pulau Batu (c) [10] (Batu Islands) | 105.09 | 16,365 | 9,731 | 10,043 | Pasar Pulau Tello (d) | 22 | 22882 | |
| 12.14.16 | Pulau Pulau Batu Timur [11] (East Batu Islands) | 372.05 | 2,483 | 3,091 | 3,312 | Labuhan Hiu | 10 | 22884 | |
| 12.14.28 | Simuk (island) [12] | 20.42 | (e) | 1,934 | 2,079 | Gobo | 6 | 22886 | |
| 12.14.29 | Pulau Pulau Batu Barat [13] (West Batu Islands) | 21.06 | (e) | 2,320 | 2,455 | Bawositora | 9 | 22883 | |
| 12.14.30 | Pulau Pulau Batu Utara [14] (North Batu Islands) | 6.30 | (e) | 3,894 | 4,008 | Silima Banua Marit | 12 | 22885 | |
| Totals for Kepulauan Batu (Batu Islands) | 1,201.10 | 28,468 | 33,493 | 35,212 | 88 | ||||
| 12.14.06 | Teluk Dalam [15] (Deep Bay) | 41.30 | 27,801 | 25,480 | 26,456 | Pasar Teluk Dalam (d) | 16 | 22865 | |
| 12.14.18 | Fanayama [16] | 82.49 | 19,844 | 18,207 | 18,412 | Bawo Mataluo | 17 | 22865 | |
| 12.14.12 | Toma [17] | 41.26 | 8,013 | 13,316 | 14,165 | Hilisataro | 14 | 22865 | |
| 12.14.10 | Maniamolo [18] | 75.32 | 13,434 | 13,855 | 14,028 | Hilisimaetano | 14 | 22865 | |
| 12.14.13 | Mazino [19] | 39.49 | 8,274 | 8,735 | 8,368 | Hilizalo'otano | 11 | 22865 | |
| 12.14.32 | Luahagundre Maniamolo [20] | 50.39 | (f) | 10,307 | 10,795 | Botohili Silambo | 10 | 22868 | |
| 12.14.33 | Onolalu [21] | 25.37 | (f) | 8,474 | 8,548 | Siholi | 10 | 22869 | |
| 12.14.07 | Amandraya [22] | 76.76 | 17,099 | 14,059 | 14,501 | Tuindrao | 21 | 22866 | |
| 12.14.15 | Aramo [23] | 63.49 | 7,762 | 9,977 | 10,690 | Hiliorudua | 18 | 22866 | |
| 12.14.24 | Ulususua [24] | 57.18 | (f) | 10,667 | 11,089 | Fondrakoraya | 12 | 22866 | |
| Totals for Nias Selatan Pusat (Central South Nias) | 553.05 | 102,227 | 133,077 | 137,052 | 143 | ||||
| 12.14.03 | Lahusa [25] | 80.36 | 34,915 | 20,858 | 21,241 | Bawo Otalua | 23 | 22874 | |
| 12.14.25 | Sidua'ori [26] | 62.40 | (f) | 11,354 | 11,561 | Hilidohona | 11 | 22874 | |
| 12.14.26 | Somambawa [27] | 40.63 | (f) | 14,102 | 14,695 | Sihareo | 14 | 22874 | |
| 12.14.02 | Gomo [28] | 37.56 | 25,078 | 10,544 | 10,813 | Orahili Gomo | 11 | 22873 | |
| 12.14.09 | Susua [29] | 28.23 | 14,966 | 16,811 | 16,988 | Sifalago Susua | 18 | 22873 | |
| 12.14.17 | Mazo [30] | 29.03 | 15,129 | 12,674 | 12,865 | Tetegawaai | 10 | 22873 | |
| 12.14.14 | Umbunasi [31] | 32.81 | 7,840 | 7,583 | 7,643 | Lawindra | 11 | 22873 | |
| 12.14.35 | Idanotae [32] | 28.31 | (f) | 10,102 | 10,557 | Hilimbowo Idanotae | 12 | 22878 | |
| 12.14.34 | Ulu Idanotae [33] | 14.33 | (f) | 7,185 | 7,600 | Fanedanu | 11 | 22877 | |
| 12.14.27 | Boronadu [34] | 29.33 | (f) | 7,483 | 7,699 | Sifalago Gomo | 10 | 22873 | |
| Totals for Nias Tenggara (Southeast Nias) | 382.99 | 97,928 | 118,696 | 121,662 | 131 | ||||
| 12.14.01 | Lolomatua [35] | 21.59 | 25,198 | 11,072 | 10,873 | Hiliotalua | 13 | 22867 | |
| 12.14.19 | Ulunoyo [36] | 48.99 | (f) | 13,035 | 12,310 | Orahili Ulunoyo | 13 | 22867 | |
| 12.14.20 | Huruna [37] | 49.29 | (f) | 13,135 | 12,658 | Hilizoliga | 17 | 22867 | |
| 12.14.08 | Lolowa'u [38] | 48.03 | 30,088 | 9,645 | 10,049 | Lolowau | 14 | 22864 | |
| 12.14.11 | Hilimegai [39] | 40.15 | 5,799 | 6,926 | 7,117 | Togizita | 10 | 22864 | |
| 12.14.21 | O'o'u [40] | 73.16 | (f) | 8,825 | 9,083 | Simandraolo | 11 | 22864 | |
| 12.14.22 | Onohazumba [41] | 28.45 | (f) | 6,883 | 7,010 | Orahili Huruna | 10 | 22864 | |
| 12.14.23 | Hilisalawa'ahe [42] | 40.19 | (f) | 5,744 | 5,808 | Maluo | 11 | 22864 | |
| Totals for Nias Barat Daya (Southwest Nias) | 349.84 | 61,085 | 75,265 | 74,908 | 99 | ||||
| Totals for South Nias | 2,487.99 | 289,708 | 360,531 | 368,834 | Teluk Dalam | 461 |
Notes: (a) Hibala District now comprises 42 islands.
(b) The 2010 population of Tanah Masa District (comprising that part of Tanahmasa Island previously part of Hibala District) is included in the 2010 population of Hibala District.
(c) Pulau Pulau Batu District now comprises 35 islands. (d) There are 2 urban villages (kelurahan) - Pasar Teluk Dalam in Teluk Dalam District, and Pasar Pulau Tello in Pulau Pulau Batu District.
(e) The 2010 populations of Simuk District (Simuk Island), Pulau Pulau Batu Barat District and Pulau Pulau Batu Utara District are included in the 2010 population of Pulau Pulau Batu District.
(f) The 2010 populations of the thirteen new districts on Nias Island are included in the 2010 populations of the districts from which they were split off.
The four new districts in the Batu Islands are Pulau Pulau Batu Barat (West Batu Islands), Pulau Pulau Batu Utara (North Batu Islands), Simuk (Simuk Island) and Tanah Masa (that part of Tanahmasa Island previously part of Hibala District). The thirteen new districts on Nias Island itself are Hilisalawa'ahe, O'o'u, Onohazumba, Ulususua, Ulunoyo, Huruna, Luahagundre Maniomolo, Onolalu, Boronadu, Sidua'ori, Somambawa, Ulu Idanotae, and Idanotae.
South Nias Regency is a paradise for surfers with four surfing beaches: