North Aceh Regency

North Aceh Regency () is a regency in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (Aceh Special District), 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 (as at 2017) 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 (Aceh Asean Fertilizer) and pabrik Pupuk Iskandar Muda (PIM).

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 (without oil and natural gas) or Rp 6 million (with oil and natural gas).

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 (LNG) processed in refinery of PT. Arun Natural Gas Liquefaction (NGL) Co, coming from the installation of PT. ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia (EMOI) in Lhokseumawe industrial zone (now : Arun Lhokseumawe Special Economic 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 (Gross Regional Domestic Product), it occupies the first rank followed by industrial sector (Rp 4.7 quintillion).

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

Border 
 North: Malacca Strait
 East: East Aceh Regency
 South: Central Aceh Regency
 West: Bireuen Regency

Administrative divisions 

The regency is divided administratively into 27 districts (kecamatan):

 Baktiya
 Banda Baro
 Cot Girek
 Dewantara
 Geureundong Pase
 Kuta Makmur
 Langkahan
 Lhoksukon
 Matangkuli
 Meurah Mulia
 Muara Batu
 Nibong
 Nisam
 Nisam Antara
 Paya Bakong
 Pirak Timu
 Samudera
 Sawang
 Seunudon
 Simpang Keramat
 Syamtalira Aron
 Syamtalira Bayu
 Tanah Luas
 Tanah Jambo Aye
 Tanah Pasir
 West Baktiya

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

References

External links 
  Official website

Category:Regencies of Aceh