BPS data for 2022 maps Aceh’s administrative geography: 6,516 villages (gampong) and 290 sub-districts (kecamatan) spread across 23 regencies and cities. The figures reveal a stark gap between compact urban municipalities and sprawling rural regencies.
Key findings
- Total provincial units: Aceh comprises 6,516 gampong and 290 kecamatan according to the 2022 master file.
- Highest gampong count: Aceh Utara leads with 852 gampong, followed by Pidie (731) and Bireuen (609).
- Lowest kecamatan count: Sabang recorded only 3 kecamatan, the smallest among all areas in the province.
- Urban bottom three: Lhokseumawe (4 kecamatan) and Subulussalam (5) join Sabang at the low end of sub-district totals.
- Average per district: Across 23 regencies/cities, the typical count is around 283 gampong and 13 kecamatan.
What the spread suggests
The enormous range—from Sabang’s 3 kecamatan and 18 gampong to Aceh Utara’s 852 gampong—closely tracks differences in land area and population. Sabang, an island municipality, covers only a fraction of the territory that Aceh Utara does, and its compact urban form naturally limits the number of administrative subdivisions.
Similarly, Lhokseumawe and Subulussalam, both autonomous cities, maintain lean administrative structures with just four and five kecamatan respectively. In contrast, large regencies like Pidie and Bireuen, with hundreds of rural gampong, reflect a more dispersed settlement pattern tied to agriculture and plantation economies.
For local planners, the 2022 snapshot remains a vital reference for budget allocation, electoral mapping, and public service delivery. Even four years on, these baseline counts continue to shape how resources flow to Aceh’s communities.
Source: Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS) — Web API · Tuesday, 30 June 2026, 09:05
