Bojonegoro Regency (, older spelling is Kabupaten Bodjanegara, ) is a regency in East Java Province of Indonesia, about 110 km west of Surabaya and 73 km northeast of Ngawi. It covers a land area of 2,307.06 km2 (890.76 miles2) and is located in the inland part of the northern Java plain, mainly on the south bank of the Solo River, the longest river in Java. It had a population of 1,209,973 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2011. and 1,301,635 at the 2020 Census;Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 2021. the official estimate as of mid 2025 was 1,367,980 (comprising 687,186 males and 680,794 females).Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Bojonegoro Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3522) The administrative centre of the regency is the town of Bojonegoro.

Previously known as a major producer of teak and tobacco, Bojonegoro is a focus of attention in Indonesia as a new oil field has been found in this area. This oil find is the biggest oil discovery in Indonesia in three decades and one of the biggest reserves in Indonesia.

Geography Across the eastern border of Bojonegoro is the Lamongan Regency, to the north is the Tuban Regency, while to the south are the Ngawi Regency, Madiun Regency, Nganjuk Regency, and Jombang Regency. Blora Regency is located to the west, in Central Java Province.

Bojonegoro occupies an area of 2,307.06 km2. Much of it consists of low plains along the Solo River, with hilly areas in the southern part of the Regency. As with most of Java, the Bojonegoro landscape is dominated by rice paddy fields. In the Bojonegoro area, the Solo River changes its course from northward to eastward.

The climate in Bojonegoro is tropical with six months of rainy and dry seasons. Seasonal conditions are often very contrasting. In the rainy season, rain will fall almost daily while in the dry season, rain will not come for months, causing widespread drought and water shortages. These problems have been compounded with the loss of forests and other green areas. The teak forest once covered much of Bojonegoro, but has since considerably reduced due to over-exploitation.

Floods in the rainy season of 2007 were bigger than in previous years. The water level of the Solo River rose due to heavy rain, especially in the upper valley in Central Java, forcing the Gajah Mungkur Dam to be opened. The resulting flood submerged 15 districts, with water as high as 1.5 m, and displaced 2,700 families. A further 2.5 hectares of rice fields were damaged. No casualties were reported.

Climate Bojonegoro has 42-100% of humidity. Maximum humidity is 100% and average humidity is 81%. Bojonegoro has 0–35 km/h of wind velocity. Maximum wind velocity is at 35 km/h (18.9 knots). The average wind velocity is 30 km/h (16.2 knots). It has an average temperature of 27.1 °C - 28.2 °C. Month123456789101112Average Temperature (Celsius)26.626.526.827.227.126.626.426.727.628.228.027.1Min Temperature (Celsius)22.822.722.822.922.621.721.121.121.822.723.122.8Max Temperature (Celsius)30.430.430.831.531.631.631.632.433.433.733.031.4

History The area near the Solo River is fertile and has been settled since early history by the Javanese. However, these settlements never developed into major urban center, except for several coastal cities. Rather, villages are dependent on a weekly market which rotates among them and bakul (traveling peddlers) collect and distribute agricultural and manufactured products among the villages.

The Solo River played a major role in the development of these settlements. It acted as a source of water and fertile soil, and a means of transportation. A set of copper plates of the Ferry Charter (1358 C.E.) lists over twenty ferry crossings on the lower stretch of the Solo River, downstream from Bojonegoro. Inland settlements would trade agricultural products via trading centres in the coastal cities, like neighbouring Tuban, for spices from Spice Islands, ceramics from China, and other commodities.

The authority over these settlements, including the territory of modern-day Bojonegoro, was held by the dominant power in Central Java, and later East Java, the kingdoms of Mataram, Kediri, Singhasari, and Majapahit.

As a territory in northern Java, the area of modern-day Bojonegoro was one of the first to accept Islam. The Solo River area and most of Java would become part of the Sultanate of Demak and its successor the Sultanate of Mataram.

The modern regency (kabupaten) was founded on October 20, 1677, with Mas Toemapel as the first regent (bupati), with its capital in Jipang village (currently around Padangan District in the westernmost part of Bojonegoro). It was founded as a response to the loss of Mataram's coastal area to the Dutch East India Company. Bojonegoro then became an important border town. In 1725 the capital was moved to its current location.

After the Dutch took over Java in the 18th and 19th centuries, Bojonegoro and the neighbouring regencies of Tuban and Lamongan were administered under Bojonegoro Residency, with a Dutch Resident in Bojonegoro town. The resident acted as an advisor and supervisor to the regents, positions which were held by native Javanese nobility (priyayi).

During Dutch rule, tobacco and maize were introduced from the Americas, which would later become major commodities in Bojonegoro.

In 1894, the trans-Java railroad, which linked Batavia and Surabaya and passed through Bojonegoro, was finished, increasing transportation and improving the teak industry. Urbanisation also progressed under Dutch rule.

Since the Indonesian National Revolution, Bojonegoro regency has been administered as part of East Java province, with R.M.T. Suryo, the grandson of the former Bojonegoro regent as its first governor. In 2008, the Bojonegoro people elected its first directly elected regent, following an amendment in the constitution. Suyoto of the National Mandate Party was elected as regent. In the 2018 Election, Dr Hj. Anna Muawannah (PKB-National Awakening Party) won the election by a majority (30.7%) and was elected as regent.

Administrative districts At the 2010 Census, Bojonegoro Regency was divided into twenty-seven districts (kecamatan), but in 2012 an additional district - Gayam District - was created from parts of the existing Ngasem and Kalitidu Districts. These are tabulated below with their areas and population totals from the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as of mid 2025.Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Bojonegoro Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog-BPS 1102001.3522) The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 419 rural desa and 11 urban kelurahan - the latter all in Bojonegoro District), and its postal codes.

Kode Wilayah Name ofDistrict(kecamatan) Area in km2 Pop'nCensus2010 Pop'nCensus2020 Pop'nEstimatemid 2025AdmincentreNo.ofvillagesPostcodes 35.22.22 Margomulyo 139.68 21,971 22,798 23,410Margomulyo 662168 35.22.01 Ngraho 71.48 41,454 45,976 48,420Ngraho 1662165 35.22.02 Tambakrejo 209.52 51,362 54,478 57,000Tambakrejo 1862166 35.22.03 Ngambon 48.65 10,977 11,624 12,020Ngambon 562167 35.22.27 Sekar 130.24 25,749 27,411 28,960Sekar 662169 35.22.05 Bubulan 84.73 13,655 15,005 15,660Bubulan 562172 35.22.26 Gondang 107.01 23,793 24,980 26,780Gondang 762173 35.22.21 Temayang 124.67 33,906 35,932 38,000Temayang 1262184 35.22.07 Sugihwaras 87.15 42,875 46,43947,960Sugihwaras 1762183 35.22.08 Kedungadem 145.15 76,788 82,112 85,440Kedungadem 2362195 35.22.09 Kepohbaru 79.64 59,759 64,912 68,270Kepohbaru 2562194 35.22.10 Baureno 66.37 73,701 80,183 85,450Baureno 2562192 35.22.11 Kanor 59.78 53,806 59,637 62,710Tambahrejo 2562193 35.22.12 Sumberrejo 76.58 66,665 70,017 73,820Sumberrejo 2662191 35.22.13 Balen 60.52 61,724 65,813 68,940Balen 2362182 (a) 35.22.24 Sukosewu 47.48 39,563 42,448 44,730Sukosewu 1462185 35.22.14 Kapas 46.38 49,973 54,975 58,080Kapas 2162181 35.22.15 Bojonegoro 25.71 83,008 84,967 88,350Bojonegoro 18 (b)62111- 62119 35.22.23 Trucuk 36.71 35,638 38,150 40,510Trucuk 1262155 (c) 35.22.06 Dander 118.36 76,107 83,979 88,030Dander 1662171 35.22.04 Ngasem 147.21 71,191 59,605 63,130Ngasem 1762154 35.22.28 Gayam 50.05 (d) 32,555 34,470Gayam 1262152- 62154 35.22.16 Kalitidu 65.95 60,880 50,102 52,380Kalitidu 1862152 35.22.17 Malo 65.41 28,390 30,654 32,680Malo 2062153 35.22.18 Purwosari 62.32 27,051 29,676 31,110Purwosari 1262161 35.22.19 Padangan 42.00 40,220 43,479 45,360Padangan 1662162 35.22.20 Kasiman 51.80 28,226 30,731 32,460Kasiman 1062164 35.22.25 Kadewan 56.51 11,541 12,997 13,890Kadewan 562160 Totals 2,307.06 1,209,973 1,301,635 1,367,980 Bojonegoro 430

Notes: (a) except for the village of Margomulyo, which has a postcode of 62168. (b) comprising 11 kelurahan (Banjarejo, Jetak, Kadipaten, Karang Pacar, Kepatihan, Klangon, Ledok Kulon, Ledok Wetan, Mojokampung, Ngrowo and Sumbang) and 7 desa. (c) except for the village of Sumberejo, which has a postcode of 62191. (d) the population of Gayam District in 2010 is included in the figures for Ngasem and Kalitidu Districts, from parts of which it was created in 2012.

Demographics

Bojonegoro Regency has a population of 1,363,058 people (as of mid-2023). Most of the population work as farmers or foresters. Many still live in poverty, especially in the southern part of the regency, where the soil is less fertile. The major population centre is Bojonegoro town, located on the southern bank of the Bengawan Solo River.

Ethnic groups The racial makeup of this regency is mainly Javanese, with a minority of Chinese, Madurese, Balinese, Batak people, and other Indonesian ethnic groups.

Language Most residents speak Javanese as a daily language and Indonesian on formal and writing activities, though a minority speak Madurese and other languages.

Religion Most Javanese and Madurese are Muslim, with a small number belonging to Christian sects. Chinese follow various religions, often with an aspect of syncretism with traditional Chinese culture.

Economy

Agriculture

Agriculture has been the regency's main industry. The Solo River provides a fertile farming area for rice. The main crops are rice and tobacco, as well as maize. In 1984, the area of maize harvested reached 67,000 hectares with yields ranging from 1 to 1.28 t/ha. A typical farmer grows rice in the rainy season, when water is abundant, and tobacco or maize in the dry season. There is a high risk in agriculture because of seasonal uncertainty. Rice growing will fail if the rainy season ends before its time, and tobacco growing will fail if rain comes early.

Bojonegoro is one of the biggest producers of tobacco in Indonesia, with a total value of Rp1.2 trillion (around US$100 million) and employing 57 percent of the workforce. The majority of tobacco planted is Virginia varieties. However, Bojonegoro tobacco suffers from a high proportion of chlorine, and uncertain rainfall. Most tobacco is used to make clove cigarettes (kretek).

Forestry

Bojonegoro is also known for its hardwood tree (teak) production. There is an annual Bojonegoro Teak Fair in late January to early February where local craftsmen display their products. Teak is mainly used in shipbuilding and furniture making. A teak cutter is called in the local Javanese dialect.

Teak forestry faces a major problem in illegal logging, as with other parts of Indonesia. In 2001 alone, the area looted covered 3,000 ha; looters stole an estimated 27,000 trees. The regional police reported impounding 550 large trucks of stolen timber, approximately 2,000 m3, with an estimated local market value of US$1,000,000. Several riots have happened when tension arose from teak claims and when police tried to enforce the law on local thieves.