Sidoarjo Regency

Sidoarjo Regency (Javanese: ꦑꦧꦸꦥꦠꦺꦤ꧀ꦱꦶꦢꦲꦂꦗ, romanized: Kabupatèn Sidaharja) is a regency in East Java, Indonesia. The regency has its capital in the Sidoarjo District and covers an area of approximately 719.34 km2, making it the geographically smallest regency in the province. Nevertheless, Sidoarjo Regency is densely populated, with an estimated 2,041,260 residents as of mid 2025 (an average of about 2,837.7 people per km2), comprising 1,022,052 males and 1,019,008 females. Its location south of Surabaya makes it an integral part of the Gerbangkertosusila metropolitan area, sharing borders with Surabaya, Gresik, Pasuruan, Mojokerto, and the Madura Strait. Administratively, Sidoarjo Regency is divided into 18 districts, sub-divided into 28 urban villages (kelurahan) and 318 rural villages (desa). The most densely populated districts are located in the northern part, such as Waru and Taman directly adjoining the city of Surabaya, which serve as gateways to Surabaya and other centers of urbanization. Meanwhile, coastal areas like Sedati and Porong lie at low elevations (0–3 meters) and are characterized by shrimp and milkfish ponds — which is why Sidoarjo is nicknamed the "Delta City" and the "Shrimp City." Sidoarjo Regency traces its roots deep into the layers of ancient Javanese history — the region was originally part of the Kahuripan kingdom founded by Airlangga around 1019, with the capital at the mouth of the Brantas River, before it was divided into two kingdoms, Janggala and Kediri, in 1045. As part of Janggala, its ancient capital was located in Hujung Galuh (now partly within Sidoarjo and Surabaya), which developed into a major port for the Majapahit Empire in the 14th century. Traces of this era are still visible in structures like Pari Temple (established around 1371 during the reign of Hayam Wuruk) and Dermo Temple (believed to date from the mid-14th century), which showcase the distinctive red-brick...