Central Aceh Regency

Central Aceh Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Aceh Tengah) is a regency in Aceh province of Indonesia. It is located on Sumatra island. Formerly this regency covered a much larger area; on 4 June 1974, the Southeast Aceh Regency was separated from the Central Aceh Regency, and on 18 December 2003 the Bener Meriah Regency was separated from the remaining Central Aceh Regency. The remaining regency covers an area of 4,527.53 square kilometres and had a population of 175,527 according to the 2010 census, which rose to 215,576 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 236,866 (comprising 119,551 males and 117,315 females). Most of its inhabitants are Gayo. Central Aceh is famous for its Lake Laut Tawar. Its capital is Takengon, in Lut Tawar District. The residual regency is the main centre of coffee production within Aceh province and is home to the Gayo people who are mostly concentrated in this regency and in the neighbouring Bener Meriah Regency and Gayo Lues Regency.