Banggai Regency

The Banggai Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Banggai) is a regency located at the eastern end of Central Sulawesi Province of Indonesia. It makes up a re-established regency (kabupaten), created on 4 October 1999 by splitting the existing Banggai Regency into this smaller Banggai Regency situated entirely on the mainland of Sulawesi (capital, Luwuk) and a new Banggai Islands Regency comprising the offshore islands to the southeast (capital, Banggai town) which are separated from mainland Sulawesi by the Peleng Straits (Selat Peleng). The residual Banggai Regency covers an area of 9,672.70 km2 and had a population of 323,626 at the 2010 census and 362,275 at the 2020 census; the official estimate as at mid 2025 was 382,009 (comprising 193,782 males and 188,227 females). Culturally and linguistically the regency comprises two geographical sectors (which have no administrative significance). The eastern sector covers the Balantak Peninsula, largely populated by the Balantak people speaking their language, centred on the administrative capital of Luwuk. The western (Toili/Batui) sector, which covers the central part of the northeastern arm of Sulawesi, mainly comprise the Saluan people sharing the Saluan language; of its nine districts, the first six are on the south side of the peninsula and drain towards Tolo Bay, while the last three are on the north side of the peninsula and drain towards Tomini Bay.