South Central Timor Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Timor Tengah Selatan) is a regency in East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia, established in 1958.
the regency has its seat (capital) in the town of Soe. It covers an area of 3,955.36km2 and had a population of 440,470 at the 2010 Census and 455,410 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2025 was 487,999 (comprising 242,011 males and 245,988 females).
Mount Mutis, the highest mountain in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, is in the northern part of the regency. International visitors have noted that the region is rich in bird life and so is a good site for birdwatching.
Demographics
Of the population in mid 2025, 133,811 (27.42%) were below the age of 15, and 354,188 were aged 15 and above; of the latter, 316,029 (64.76%) were of working age and 38,159 (7.82%) were aged 65 and above.
Economy
The local economy in the area is poor and underdeveloped. Subsistence agriculture is the main economic activity in many villages. In addition, when opportunities are available, some local village communities sometimes undertake unregulated mining or other resource-based activities. For example, in the Kolbano Beach area south of Soe, there is a local industry in the collection of coloured stones. The stones, which come in a range of attractive shapes and sizes, are sold to local companies. The companies in turn export the stones to countries such as Australia, China, Malaysia, Singapore and elsewhere. Sacks of stones sell (mid-2012) for between Rp 10,000 to Rp 25,000 (about US$1.00 to US$2.50). Local villagers are reported to be able to earn around Rp 50,000 (US$5) per day collecting stones although there are complaints that the prices paid to workers who collect the stones are too low.
However, there are concerns amongst some local community groups, such as the Mollo people in the Mount Mutis Sanctuary, about the environmental impacts of mining in the area. There has been social resistance, for example, to the activities of mining firms conducting marble quarrying. Partly as a result of the local resistance, marble mining firms abandoned their work in the area in 2010.
Administration
The regency is divided into thirty-two districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as at mid 2025. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 266 rural desa and 12 urban kelurahan), and its post code. They are grouped below for convenience into three geographical sectors (which have no administrative function) plus the regency capital, Soe. Outside of the urban area of Soe, the highest average population densities are in the eastern sector (with 153 people per km2), while the lowest average population densities lie in the northeast sector (with less than 75 people per km2).
Notes: (a) except the two desa (villages) of Bonleu and Tune (which have a post code of 85561). (b) comprising 11 kelurahan (Cendana, Kampung Baru, Karang Sirih, Kobekamusa, Kuatae, Nonohonis, Nunumeu, Oekefan, Oebesa, Soe and Taubneno) and 2 desa. The kelurahan of Kobekamusa is an exclave to the east of the town, separated from the rest of Kota Soe by part of Amanuban Barat District. (c) except the desa (village) of Mnelalete (which has a post code of 85514). (d) including one kelurahan - Niki-Niki (with 3,189 inhabitants in 2024).
References
1234Badan Pusat Statistik, Jakarta, 27 February 2026, Kabupaten Timor Tengah Selatan Dalam Angka 2026 (Katalog 1102001.5304)
↑Government of Indonesia (9 August 1958), Establishment of the Second-level Administrative Regions under the First-level Administrative Region of Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara (in Indonesian), Indonesia Ministry of Law and Justice, UU No. 69/1958
Indonesia
East Nusa Tenggara
