North Aceh Regency


North Aceh Regency is a regency in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, in Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra. The regency covers an area of 3,236.86 square kilometres and according to the 2010 census had a population of 529,751; the latest official estimate is 602.554. This follows the separation in 2001 of the former capital of Lhokseumawe, which was cut out of the regency to form an independent city.

Economy

This regency is included in one of the largest industrial region outside Java, especially with opening of liquid gas' processing industry plants based on PT Arun LNG in Lhokseumawe, 1974. There were several large factories nearby at the time: PT.Kertas Kraft Aceh, pabrik Pupuk AAF and pabrik Pupuk Iskandar Muda.
In the agricultural sector, the regency has a good reputation as an important rice producer. The whole North Aceh Regency has the greatest potential of any region in Aceh and its income per capita is above Rp 1.4 million or Rp 6 million.
Gas and petroleum fields were found in Lhokseumawe, North Aceh's former capital city around the 1970s. Then, many investors interested in its natural resources came to Aceh. Since then, liquefied natural gas processed in refinery of PT. Arun Natural Gas Liquefaction Co, coming from the installation of PT. ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia in Lhokseumawe industrial zone, had changed this regency to modern petrochemistry industrial region.
There are 2 sectors dominating economical activity in North Aceh, i.e. mining and excavating, and processing industrial sector. In mining sector, the gas wells processed by PT. EMOI surely become one of this sector's pioneering factor. With Rp 8.6 quintillion contribution on 2000 GRDP, it occupies the first rank followed by industrial sector.

Religion

North Aceh's inhabitants are predominantly Muslim. Minorities still get the freedom to worship according to their respective religions.

Border

The regency is divided administratively into 27 districts :
  1. Baktiya
  2. Banda Baro
  3. Cot Girek
  4. Dewantara
  5. Geureundong Pase
  6. Kuta Makmur
  7. Langkahan
  8. Lhoksukon
  9. Matangkuli
  10. Meurah Mulia
  11. Muara Batu
  12. Nibong
  13. Nisam
  14. Nisam Antara
  15. Paya Bakong
  16. Pirak Timu
  17. Samudera
  18. Sawang
  19. Seunudon
  20. Simpang Keramat
  21. Syamtalira Aron
  22. Syamtalira Bayu
  23. Tanah Luas
  24. Tanah Jambo Aye
  25. Tanah Pasir
  26. West Baktiya

    Politics

The current regent is Muhammad Thaib also known as Cek Mad.