Dairi Regency is an inland regency on the western shore of Lake Toba in North Sumatra Province of Indonesia. The regency was created on 23 September 1964 from what were previously the north-western districts of North Tapanuli Regency; however the southern districts of this new regency were in turn split off on 25 February 2003 to form the new Pakpak Bharat Regency. The reduced regency covers an area of 1927.80 km2 and it had a population of 269,848 people at the 2010 Census and 308,764 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 324,747 - comprising 162,928 males and 161,819 females. Its administrative seat is at the town of Sidikalang.

Geography and climate

Dairi is mostly hills and mountains, averaging 700 to 1250 m above sea level. It has a tropical rainforest climate, with the heaviest rainfall between September and May.

Demographics

A 2008 estimate by the Dairi government put Dairi's population at 271,983, with a sex ratio of 99.43. Of the population, 39.96% is under the age of 14. At the 2010 Census the population was 269,848, at the 2020 Census it was 308,764 and for mid 2023 it was estimated as 324,747.

Bordering territories

The Dairi Regency is bordered to the north by Karo Regency, to the east by Samosir Regency and Lake Toba, to the south by Pakpak Bharat Regency, and to the west by Aceh Province (Southeast Aceh Regency and the City of Subulussalam).

Administrative districts

Dairi Regency is divided into fifteen 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 2023. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (totaling 161 rural desa and 8 urban kelurahan), and its post code. Notes: (a) comprising 5 kelurahan (Batang Beruh, Bintang Hulu, Kuta Gambir, Sidiangkat and Sidikalang Kota) and 6 desa. (b) including the kelurahan of Panji Dabutar. (c) including the kelurahan of Pegagan Julu I. (d) including the kelurahan of Parongil.

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of Dairi has many connotations. Indonesia's date of independence, 17 August 1945, is indicated by the 17-budded cotton plant on the left side, 8 rattan branches in the center, and 45 seeds of rice on a stalk to the right. The shield in the centre is divided into five, four parts indicating different cash crops important to the area (benzoin resin, coffee, tobacco and patchouli), while the fifth shows a traditional Pakpak Batak house; the house signifies protection. The five point star in the top center signifies the Pancasila-respecting habits of the Dairi people, while the mountains represent tranquility and the chains represent gotong royong, or cooperating and collaborating. The central sharpened bamboo spear represents the Dairi people's struggle for independence.

History

Prior to the arrival of the Dutch East India Company, the people of what is now Dairi lived in traditional adat-regulated communities, with unelected local leaders. After the arrival of the Dutch they established an ethnic-Dutch controleur to be in charge of the Dairi onder afdeling, as well as a native Indonesian demang, or lieutenant. When the Japanese occupied Indonesia beginning in 1942, the Dairi area was also occupied; during this time, local youths were used as forced labour to build the 65 km long Sidikalang road and the Dutch were removed. After Indonesia's independence, the residents attempted to build a foundation for a new government. However, after the Dutch army recaptured nearby East Sumatra in 1947, they chose a new leader for the Dairi area. Another leader was chosen in 1949; later that year, after the Netherlands and Indonesia signed an agreement for Indonesian independence

Economy

Farming is a large business in Dairi. Major crops in Dairi are coffee, both robusta and arabica, corn, and potatoes. Approximately 6,770 tonnes of robusta coffee are produced every year, in addition to 2,639 tonnes of arabica; corn fields take up 63% of suitable farming land. Other minor trades are damar collecting, fish farming, and rattan. Since 1997, Dairi Prima Mineral have operated the Dairi mine near the Sopokomil hamlet of Longkotan [id] village in the Silima Pungga-Pungga [id] subdistrict of the regency.