Alor Regency occupies 2,928.88 km2 land area and 10,973.62 km2 water area. There are seventeen islands in the archipelago, of which the largest by far are Alor itself and Pantar; there are another six inhabited islands (including Pura, Treweng, Kepa, Buaya, Kangge and Kura); the remaining nine islands (Sika, Nub, Kapas, Batang, Lapang, Ternate, Rusa, Tikus and Kambing) are uninhabited. To the east lies the island of (Atauro), part of the Republic of East Timor. Pantar and Alor Islands are separated by a wide strait with Pulau Buaya and Pulau Kambing at its northern point, Pulau Pura in the middle, and Pulau Treweng at its southern point. The regency had 190,026 inhabitants at the 2010 decennial census;[3] at the 2020 census this had risen to 211,872;[4] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 221,536 - comprising 109,620 males and 111,916 females.[1]
The main transportation access in the regency is by means of sea. The state-owned PELNI sea liners operate in the archipelago for major transport to the main port hub in Kalabahi beside small boats operating between small islands. A small Perintis Mali airstrip (18 km east of Kalabahi) can only be used by small CASA airplanes, operated by Merpati Nusantara Airlines.
As is the case in other parts of NTT province, the provision of education is often a major problem, especially in remote areas. In recent years, the district (regency) government has been trying to make it easier for children to attend school by, amongst other things, increasing the number of one-roof junior high schools. The standard of teaching is often also a major problem because many teachers lack proper qualifications.[5]
Administration
At the 2010 Census the regency was divided into seventeen districts (kecamatan), but an eighteenth district (Abad Selatan) was created in 2020 from part of the Alor Barat Daya District. All eighteen districts are tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 census[3] and the 2020 census,[4] 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 (totaling 158 rural desa and 17 urban kelurahan), and its post code.
Kode Wilayah
Name of District (kecamatan)
English name
Area in km2
Pop'n census 2010
Pop'n census 2020
Pop'n estimate mid 2023
Admin centre
No. of villages
Post codes
53.05.06
Pantar (a)
119.82
8,798
10,069
10,604
Kabir
11 (b)
85881
63.05.09
Pantar Barat (c)
West Pantar
58.71
6,729
6,878
7,010
Baranusa
7
85880
53.05.14
Pantar Timur (d)
East Pantar
141.44
10,740
11,368
11,704
Bakalang
11
85884
53.05.17
Pantar Barat Laut (e)
Northwest Pantar
306.02
4,276
4,946
5,225
Marisa
7
85882
53.05.16
Pantar Tengah
Central Pantar
150.13
9,313
9,750
10,006
Maliang
10
85883
Pantar
Total Pantar Island
776.12
39,856
43,011
44,549
46
53.05.03
Alor Barat Daya
Southwest Alor
265.59
21,530
18,327
19,424
Moru
13 (b)
85861
53.05.12
Mataru
102.78
5,582
6,043
6,262
Kalunan
7
85860
53.05.18
Abad Selatan
South Abad
182.38
(f)
6,283
6,492
Tribur
7
85861
53.05.04
Alor Selatan
South Alor
192.97
8,886
9,929
10,384
Apui
14 (b)
85871
53.05.05
Alor Timur
East Alor
562.76
7,505
8,609
9,073
Maritaing
10 (b)
85870
53.05.08
Alor Timur Laut
Northeast Alor
208.49
8,600
9,117
9,390
Bukapiting
8
85873
53.05.13
Pureman
147.88
3,471
3,561
3,633
Peitoko
4
85874
53.05.01
Teluk Mutiara (g)
Mutiara Bay
80.18
48,410
53,339
55,556
Kalabahi
16 (h)
85811 -85819
53.05.10
Kabola (i)
73.01
7,326
8,385
8,831
Wolibang
5 (b)
85819 (j)
53.05.02
Alor Barat Laut (k)
Northwest Alor
107.96
18,765
22,961
24,655
Kokar
19 (b)
85851
53.05.07
Alor Tengah Utara
North Central Alor
125.14
10,919
12,322
12,924
Alim Mebung
14
85870
53.05.15
Lembur
75.79
4,131
4,501
4,673
Alemba
6
85875
Alor
Total Alor Island
2,124.93
145,125
163,377
171,297
123
53.05.11
Pulau Pura (l)
Pura Island
27.83
5,045
5,484
5,690
Bolamelang
6 (b)
85874
Notes: (a) includes just the northern part of Pantar Island. (b) includes 1 kelurahan. (c) includes offshore islands of Pulau Kura and uninhabited Batang and Lapang. (d) includes offshore Pulau Treweng. (e) includes offshore islands of Pulau Kangge and uninhabited Kambing, Rusa and Tikus. (f) the 2010 population of the new Abad Selatan District is included with the figure for Alor Barat Daya District, from which it was subsequently split off in 2020. (g) containing the town of Kalabahi, plus uninhabited Pulau Kapas. (h) comprises 10 kelurahan and 6 desa. (i) includes the uninhabited offshore islands of Sika and Nub. (j) apart from villages of Alila Timur and Lawahing (which have a postcode of 85851). (k) includes the offshore islands of Pulau Kepa, Pulau Buaya and uninhabited Pulau Ternate. (l) Pura island lies in the middle of the strait which separates Pantar and Alor Islands.