Mentawai Islands Regency

The Mentawai Islands Regency is a regency of West Sumatra Province which consists of a chain of about a hundred islands and islets approximately off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. They cover a land area of and had a population of 76,173 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 87,623 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 99,810 (comprising 51,861 males and 47,949 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 Fewbruary 2026, Kabupaten Kepulauan Mentawai Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog 1102001.1301.)

Siberut at is the largest of the islands, occupying 64.27% of the land area of the regency. The other major islands are Sipura (or Sipora), North Pagai (Pagai Utara), and South Pagai (Pagai Selatan). The islands lie off the Sumatran coast, across the Mentawai Strait. The indigenous inhabitants of the islands are known as the Mentawai people. The Mentawai Islands have become a noted destination for surfing, with over 40 boats offering surf charters to international guests.

Administrative districts The Mentawai Islands have been administered as a regency within the West Sumatra (Sumatera Barat) province since 1999. The regency seat is Tua Pejat, on the island of Sipora. Padang, the capital of the province, lies on the Sumatran mainland opposite Siberut. The regency is divided into ten districts (kecamatan), tabulated below from south to north with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as of mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 Fewbruary 2026, Kabupaten Kepulauan Mentawai Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog 1102001.1301.) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of villages (all classed as rural desa) and the number of named offshore islands in each district, and its postcode.

Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) EnglishName Area in km2 Pop'n 2010 Census Pop'n 2020 Census Pop'n mid 2025 EstimateAdmincentreNo. ofvillagesNo. ofislandsPostcode Pagai Selatan Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Pagai Selatan Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1301011)South Pagai 851.28 8,782 9,373 10,736 Bulasat 4 3125391 Sikakap (a)Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Sikakap Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1301012)Central Pagai 312.60 9,531 10,219 11,318 Taikako 3 825399 Pagai Utara Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Pagai Utara Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1301013)North Pagai 371.25 5,212 6,031 6,675 Saumanganya 3 925390 Sipora Selatan Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Sipora Selatan Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1301021)South Sipora 348.33 8,460 9,812 10,932 Sioban 7 325392 Sipora Utara Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Sipora Utara Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1301022)North Sipora 272.40 9,097 11,968 14,441 Sido Makmur 6 1225398 Siberut Barat Daya Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Siberut Barat Daya Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1301031)Southwest Siberut 1,013.83 6,069 7,058 8,266 Pasakiat Taileleu 3 1725393 Siberut Selatan Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Siberut Selatan Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1301030)South Siberut 328.00 8,446 9,933 11,317 Muara Siberut 5 125397 Siberut Tengah Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Siberut Tengah Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1301032)Central Siberut 589.75 6,069 7,089 8,048 Saibi Samukop 3 525396 Siberut Utara Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Siberut Utara Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1301040)North Siberut 782.68 7,774 8,337 9,440 Muara Sikabaluan 6 425395 Siberut Barat Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 26 September 2025, Kecamatan Siberut Barat Dalam Angka 2025 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.1301041)West Siberut 1,163.64 6,733 7,803 8,637 Simalegi 3 125394 Totals 6,033.76 76,173 87,623 99,810 Tuapejat 43 111

Note: (a) Sikakap District covers the northern part of South Pagai Island and the southern part of North Pagai Island, plus some intervening small islands. Of its three desa, Matobek is entirely on North Pagai Island, while Sikakap and Taikato are mainly on North Pagai Island but each includes areas on South Pagai as well as the intervening small islands.

Villages The ten districts comprise forty-three rural villages (desa) listed below with their areas and their populations as officially estimated for mid 2024:Sum of data from district Katalogs as referenced below. KodeWilayah Name of desa Area in km2 Pop'nEstimatemid 2024 Notes on location 13.09.10.2001 Sinaka (Sinakak) 265.87 2,532 13.09.10.2002 Bulasat 224.00 2,759 13.09.10.2003 Malakopa (Malakopak) 127.63 2,837 13.09.10.2004 Makalo 233.78 2,447 13.09.10 Totals Pagai Selatan District 851.2810,575 13.09.09.2001 Sikakap 35.82 5,419 The village itself is on North Pagai Island, but most of its territory is on South Pagai Island. 13.09.09.2002 Taikako 168.20 3,559 The village itself is on North Pagai Island, but some of its territory is on South Pagai Island or on small islands between the two. 13.09.09.2003 Matobe (Matobek) 108.59 2,178 Situated entirely on North Pagai Island, on the island's east coast. 13.09.09 Totals Sikakap District 312.6011,156 13.09.01.2007 Betumonga 76.91 1,333 13.09.01.2008 Silabu 97.63 1,334 13.09.01.2009 Saumanganya 196.72 3,950 13.09.01 Totals Pagai Utara District 371.256,617 13.09.02.2001 Bosua 40.78 1,848 13.09.02.2002 Beriulou 78.93 1,103 13.09.02.2003 Nemnemleleu 46.91 1,493 13.09.02.2004 Mara 62.27 1,224 13.09.02.2006 Sioban 16.75 2,355 13.09.02.2007 Matobe 23.62 1,305 13.09.02.2008 Saureinu 79.47 1,543 13.09.02 Totals Sipora Selatan District 348.3310,781 13.09.08.2001 Betumonga 110.58 1,381 On southwest coast of Sipora. 13.09.08.2002 Goisooinan 56.07 1,274 13.09.08.2003 Tuapejat 86.52 6,642 13.09.08.2004 Sido Makmur 6.07 1,001 13.09.08.2005 Bukit Pamewa 7.72 858 13.09.08.2006 Sipora Jaya 5.44 2,718 13.09.08 Totals Sipora Utara District 272.4013,874 13.09.06.2001 Katurei 128.35 2,498 Actually situated on the southeast of the island, south of Muara Siberut. 13.09.06.2002 Sagulubbeg 469.47 1,836 On south section of the west coast. 13.09.06.2003 Pasakiat Taileleu 416.00 3,717 The southernmost village on Siterup, includes small islands off the south coast 13.09.06 Totals Siberut Barat Daya District 1,013.838,051 13.09.03.2002 Muara Siberut 17.75 3,322 13.09.03.2003 Maileppet 18.77 1,887 A coastal village, north of Muara Siberut. 13.09.03.2004 Muntei 90.94 1,868 An inland village, west from Maileppet. 13.09.03.2005 Matotonan 85.65 1,358 An inland village, further west. 13.09.03.2007 Madobag 114.89 2,607 An inland village, also further west. 13.09.03 Totals Siberut Selatan District 328.0011,042 13.09.07.2001 Saibi Samukop 230.63 3,784 13.09.07.2002 Cimpungan 93.84 1,271 13.09.07.2003 Saliguma 265.28 2,837 13.09.07 Totals Siberut Tengah District 589.757,892 13.09.04.2003 Bojakan 263.04 1,213 13.09.04.2004 Sotboyak 42.83 726 13.09.04.2005 Mongan Poula 30.61 1,111 13.09.04.2006 Muara Sikabaluan 43.41 2,647 13.09.04.2007 Sirilogui 107.24 1,384 13.09.04.2008 Malancan 295.55 2,244 Situated in the north of the district. 13.09.04 Totals Siberut Utara District 782.689,325 13.09.05.2001 Simatalu Sipokak 309.47 3,775 13.09.05.2002 Simalegi 559.19 2,462 13.09.05.2003 Sigapokna 294.98 2,287 Situated on the north coast of the island. 13.09.05 Totals Siberut Barat District 1,163.648,524

Transport Inter-island ferries connect all the main islands, primarily calling at the Pokhai wharf near Muara Sigep in the north of Siberut island, and at the Maileppet wharf in Muara Siberut (in the south of Siberut), at Tua Pejat and Siuban (on Sipora island), Pasar Puat and Sikakap (on North Pagai island), and Simakalo (on South Pagai island). All these ports are also connected by ferry services, including the Mentawai fast (operating every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday to Siberut) and ASDP vessels, which provide weekly services and occasional inter-island transit with the provincial capital of Padang.

Land connectivity on Siberut remain limited to specific routes. In the north of Siberut, a road connects the Pokhai wharf with Sikabaluan. In the south, a concrete road links Muntei, Muara Siberut, and the Maileppet wharf. Access to the interior villages, such as Madobag and Matotonan, is available via unpaved roads, though the west coast of Siberut is relatively poorly served by roads; inter-island services remain a vital transport alternative for most of the archipelago.

Tourism Surfing Macaronis was first discovered in 1980 by pioneer surf discoverers Chris Goodnow, Scott Wakefield, and Tony Fitzpatrick, who originally named the break ‘P-Land’ on their first visit (after Pasangan Bay / Pagai Islands). Amazingly, and considering the remote location, P-Land may have been the first wave surfed in the Mentawai Islands. Lances Right was discovered a full 10 years later, while Chris, Scott, and Tony continued to keep their discovery a secret. They returned in 1981 with friend Tim Annand, and again on a boat trip in the 90's.

The first photos of the surf breaks in the Mentawais area were leaked after a surf trip in 1992 aboard the MV Indies Trader, with professional surfers Ross Clarke-Jones, Tom Carroll, and Martin Potter. Ever since then, the Mentawai Islands have been well on the radar of surf travellers around the world. At the West of Sumatra, the Mentawai Islands have the most consistent surf breaks in Indonesia making it one of the preferred choices for serious surfers. The tropical waters surrounding the islands offer year-round waves up to .

Ecology

The islands have been separated from Sumatra since the mid-Pleistocene period, which has allowed at least twenty endemic species to develop amongst its flora and fauna. This includes six endemic primates: the Kloss's gibbon (Hylobates klossii), Mentawai macaque (Macaca pagensis), Siberut macaque (Macaca siberu), Mentawai langur (Presbytis potenziani), Siberut langur (Presbytis siberu), and pig-tailed langur (Simias concolor). They are highly endangered due to logging, unsustainable hunting, and conversion of rainforest to palm oil plantations.Whittaker, D. 2006. A conservation action plan for the Mentawai primates. Primate Conservation 20: 95–105. Some areas of the Mentawai Islands rainforest ecoregion are protected, such as the Siberut National Park. Red junglefowl, the Asian palm civet, and crab-eating macaque are also native.

Seismic activity

The Mentawai Islands lie above the Sunda megathrust, a seismically active zone responsible for many great earthquakes. This megathrust runs along the southwestern side of Sumatra island, forming the interface between the Eurasian Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate.

Earthquake and tsunami activity has been high since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. In 1833, the region was hit with an earthquake, possibly similar in size to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake; another large earthquake struck in 1797. On October 25, 2010, an earthquake in southern Sumatra led to a deadly tsunami that devastated villages in South and North Pagai. On March 3, 2016, an earthquake of 7.8 magnitudes occurred off the Indian Ocean, a few hundred kilometres from Mentawai islands, as a result of strike-slip faulting within the oceanic lithosphere of the Indo-Australia plate.

Mentawai Islands Regency

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