Purbalingga Regency (Javanese: ꦥꦸꦂꦧꦭꦶꦁꦒ) is an inland regency in the southwestern part of Central Java province in Indonesia. Purbalingga Regency has an area of 805.76 km2 and a population of 848,952 at the 2010 census and 998,561 at the 2020 census, comprising 505,281 male and 493,280 female inhabitants; the official estimate as at mid-2023 was 1,027,333 (comprising 519,734 males and 507,599 females). The administrative capital is the town of Purbalingga.

Etymology

The term Purbalinga comes from the Sanskrit root words of Hindu origin, purba (east) and linga (an abstract representation of the Hindu deity Lord Shiva), thus meaning the Lord Shiva of East. This reflects the historical origin of the place that the Srivijaya-era or earlier founders of the place had built a Hindu temple of Lord Shiva here in whose honor the place was named by the founder ruling dynasty.

History

Purbalingga is steeped in the ancient history of the Hindu empires of the Srivijaya and Majapahit eras, with several extant ancient Hindu temples scattered in and around the regency:

Administrative districts

Purbalingga Regency comprises eighteen districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 census and the 2020 census, together with the official estimates as of mid-2023. The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (a total of 224 rural desa and 15 urban kelurahan - the latter consists of 11 villages in Purlalingga (town) District, 3 in Kalimanah District and 1 in Padamara District), together with its postcode. Notes: (a) except the village of Timbang, which has a post code of 53314. (b) except the village of Penaruban, which has a post code of 53331. (c) comprises 11 classed as kelurahan (Bancar, Bojong, Kandang Gampang, Kedung Menjangan, Kembaran Kulon, Penambongan, Purbalingga Kidul, Purbalingga Kulon, Purbalingga Lor, Purbalingga Wetan and Wirasana) and 2 as desa. (d) comprises 3 kelurihan (Kalikabong, Karangmanyar and Mewek) and 14 desa. (e) except the village of Kalikabong, which has a post code of 53321. (f) includes one kelurahan (Karangsentul).

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Climate

Purbalingga Regency has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) with moderate rainfall from July to September and heavy to very heavy rainfall from October to June. The following climate data is for the town of Purbalingga.

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