Bengkayang Regency (Chinese: 孟嘉影) is a regency ("kabupaten") in West Kalimantan Province of Indonesia, (on the island of Borneo). The area was originally a part of Sambas Regency, but following the expansion of the population in that area, Sambas Regency was divided into a smaller Sambas Regency and a new Bengkayang Regency on 20 April 1999, and then Singkawang City was subsequently cut out of Bengkayang Regency on 21 June 2001. The regency now covers an area of 5,382.74 km2, and had a population of 215,277 at the 2010 Census[2] and 286,366 at the 2020 Census;[3] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 298,979 (comprising 155,140 males and 143,860 females).[1] The administrative centre is in the town of Bengkayang.
Bengkayang is in northern West Kalimantan, sharing a border with Sarawak in Malaysia. With arable land and favourable relief, the agricultural sector is the main economic source.[4] Bengkayang is also rich in natural resources.
Bengkayang is still lagging in term of economic development, but there is a hope that providing local autonomy will catalyze development. A water processing plant has been developed, so the population can enjoy access to clean water.
Administrative districts
When Bengkayang Regency was established, it originally composed into 10 districts (including three districts from administrative city of Singkawang), with the most recent at that time was Jagoi Babang, which was split off from the northern part of Seluas district in 1996 when the regency is still part of Sambas Regency. On 21 June 2001, Singkawang officially established as an autonomous city by splitting off from Bengkayang Regency, reducing the districts of that regency into seven. In 2002, three new districts were established (Monterado district was split off from the western part of Samalantan district, Teriak district was split off from the eastern part of Bengkayang district, and Suti Semarang district was split off from the western part of Ledo district), increasing the districts into 10. In 2004, another four new districts were established (Capkala district was cut out from the eastern part of Sungai Raya district, Sungai Betung district was cut out from the western part of Bengkayang district, Lumar district was cut out from the southern part of Ledo district, and Siding district was split off from the western part of Jagoi Babang district), increasing the number into 14 districts. In 2006, three more districts were established (Sungai Raya Kepulauan district was split off from the northern part of Sungai Raya district, Lembah Bawang district was split off from the northern part of Samalantan district, and Tujuh Belas district was re-established by splitting off from the eastern part of Sanggau Ledo district), increasing it into 17 districts.
The regency is divided into seventeen 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 as at mid 2023.[1] The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (a total of 122 rural desa and 2 urban kelurahan - the latter both in Bengkayang District), and its post code.
