Bone Regency

Bone Regency was home to the Bone Kingdom, an adat-based Bugis kingdom which was founded by ManurungngE Rimatajang in 1330. It later entered an alliance with the Wajo and Soppeng kingdoms for mutual defense. This alliance became known as LaMumpatue Ri Timurung.

In 1605, during the reign of the tenth king of Bone Latenri Tuppu Matinro Ri Sidenreng, Islam entered Bone and caused a change in local culture, including a renaming of various aspects of the regal system. Bone State later enjoyed a period of prosperity in the middle of the 17th century.

In May 1950, the people held demonstrations in Watampone against the royalty and Bone's membership in the State of East Indonesia. This caused the sultan to step down and join Indonesia.

Bone is located on the east coast of South Sulawesi. It has 174 kilometres (108 mi) of coastline and covers a land area of 4,559 square kilometres (1,760 mi²). It includes a total of 88,499 hectares (884.99 km²) of rice fields.

Bone Regency is surrounded by Wajo to the north, Sinjai to the south, Soppeng, Maros, Pangkkajene, and Barru to the west, and the Gulf of Bone to the east, where it has a sea border with Sulawesi Tenggara.

The climate of Bone is tropical, with the wet season from April to September and the dry season from October to March. The temperature ranges from 26 to 34 °C (79 to 93 °F), with air humidity averaging 95% - 99%. The average annual rainfall varies from less than 1,750 millimetres (69 in) to 3,000 millimetres (120 in).

According to a 2010 census, Bone Regency had 717,268 residents, consisting of 341,614 males and 376.068 females. This gave a sex ratio of 90.80 for the regency, or 91 males for every 100 females. It displayed a population growth rate of 0.67% per annum for the 2000-2010 period. At the 2020 census, Bone Regency had 801,775 residents, consisting of 391,682 males and 410,093 females. The mid 2025 official estimate was 836,715 (comprising 408,759 makes and 427,956 females).

The majority of residents of Bone Regency are Muslim, with numerous mosques and places for studying Islam. There are also some churches in Watampone.

Bone Regency in 2020 (as in 2010) comprised 27 administrative districts (Kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 census and 2020 census, together with the official estimates as of mid 2025. For convenience of location, these are grouped below into geographical sectors (which have no administrative significance). The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages within each district (totaling 328 rural desa and 44 urban kelurahan - 24 of the latter being in the town of Watampone), and its postal code(s).

Notes: (a) including one kelurahan. (b) except for the desa (villages) of Biru (postcode 92714), Cenrana (postcode 92754) and Palakka (postcode 92761). (c) including the two kelurahan of Ceppaga and Tanah Batue.
(d) including several small islands off the east coast of the district. (e) except the desa (village) of Kading (post code 90225).
(f) including the two kelurahan of Otting and Tokaseng. (g) including the two kelurahan of Pompanua and Pompanua Riattang.
(h) all 8 are kelurahan (Bulu Tempe, Jeppee, Macanang, Macege, Majang, Mattiro Walie, Polewali and Watang Palakka).
(j) all 8 are kelurahan (Biru, Bukaka, Manurunge, Masumpu, Pappolo, Ta, Walanae and Watampone).
(k) all 8 are kelurahan (Bajoe, Cellu, Lonrae, Pallette, Panyula, Tibojong, Toro and Waetuo).

The coat of arms of Bone consists of a blue shield with a harrow, anchor, unsheathed kris, rice, cotton plant, and - at the bottom of the shield - the words Kabupaten Bone in red text on a white banner. The harrow and rice stand for the agricultural history of the area. The anchor signifies Bone's nautical prowess, while its symmetry and location in the middle of the shield represent rationality. The kris and red text signify bravery, while the cotton plant represents the Bone people's struggle for independence. The white banner stands for purity and holiness.

The majority of Bone residents are farmers, commercial gardeners, and fishermen. In the area near the Gulf of Boni, seaweed, crabs, shrimp, and milkfish are the main source of income. Seaweed production averages 3,821.5 tonnes per annum, while catches of shrimp, crabs, and milkfish average 4,318 tonnes, 2,061 tonnes, and 4,964 tonnes per annum each. Catches of other fish, mainly tuna, average 73,763.5 tonnes per annum.

Bone's sea transportation is handled by five harbours, a larger one located in East Taneteriattang named Bajoe and four smaller ones.