Bantul is a regency located in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. It is located on the island of Java. The regency's population was 911,503 at the 2010 Census, but has risen to 985,770 at the 2020 Census and to 1,009,434 at the official estimates for mid 2023 - comprising 502,280 males and 507,160 females. Like many regencies on the island of Java, it is densely populated with roughly 1,973 people per square kilometre in 2023, although this is largely because the north of the regency partly surrounds the city of Yogyakarta and contains many suburban communities, notably in the densely-populated districts of Banguntapan, Sewon and Kasihan, which border the city to the east, south and west. The regency is bordered by the city of Yogyakarta and Sleman regency to the north, the regency of Kulon Progo to the west, the Gunung Kidul Regency to the east and the Indian Ocean to the south. The town of Bantul is the administrative centre. The village of Kemusuk in the Sedayu District in the northwest of the regency is the birthplace of former Indonesian President, Suharto.

2006 earthquake

On 27 May 2006 an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale struck near Java's southern coast causing widespread damage. Bantul Regency was the region most affected by the disaster. Around 4,100 residents of Bantul Regency were killed, 12,000 were injured. 72,000 houses were destroyed, and 137,000 were damaged.

Administrative districts

Bantul Regency is divided into seventeen districts (kapanewon), listed below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census and the 2020 Census, together with the official estimates as at mid 2023. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of villages (all classed as kalurahan) within each district, and its post codes.

Turtles nesting

Bantul Regency has two locations of turtles nesting, in Gua Cemara Beach and Pelangi Beach. Both have only more than 10 nests each in a year. Nesting period is in July and August.