| Official Name: | North Aceh Regency |
| Native Name: | Kabupaten Aceh Utara |
| Native Name Lang: | id |
| Type: | Regency |
| Coordinates: | 5°N 96.75°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Indonesia |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Sumatra |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 1956 |
| Seat Type: | Regency seat |
| Seat: | Lhoksukon |
| Leader Title: | Regent |
| Leader Name: | Muhammad Thaib |
| Area Total Km2: | 3296.86 |
| Population As Of: | mid 2023 estimate |
| Population Total: | 624582 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Timezone1: | IWST |
| Utc Offset1: | +7 |
| Area Code: | (+62) 645 |
| Pushpin Map: | Indonesia_Aceh#Indonesia_Sumatra North#Indonesia_Sumatra#Indonesia |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Aceh, Northern Sumatra, Sumatra and Indonesia |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Leader Title1: | Vice Regent |
| Leader Name1: | Fauzi Yusuf |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
North Aceh Regency (Indonesian: Kabupaten Aceh Utara) is a regency in Aceh Province - which was formerly called the Aceh special territory (Daerah Istimewa Aceh) in 1959–2001), and then Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam in 2001–2009), before reverting to Aceh Province in 2009. It is located on the island of Sumatra. The regency covers an area of 3,296.86 square kilometres and had a population of 534,085 at the 2010 census[2] and 602,793 at the 2020 Census;[3] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 624,582.[4]
The administrative centre is now at the town of Lhoksukon; this followed the splitting off of the western districts from the regency to form (by Law No. 48 of 1999) a separate Bireuen Regency on 4 October 1999, and then the creation (by Law No. 2 of 2001) of the independent city of Lhokseumawe out of what was formerly the capital, which was cut out of the regency on 21 June 2001.
This regency is included in one of the largest industrial regions outside Java, especially with the opening of liquid gas processing industry plants based on PT Arun LNG in Lhokseumawe, 1974. There were several large factories nearby at the time: PT.Kertas Kraft Aceh, pabrik Pupuk AAF (Aceh Asean Fertilizer) and pabrik Pupuk Iskandar Muda (PIM).[5] The Port of Krueng Geukueh is located in the regency.[6]
In the agricultural sector, the regency has a good reputation as an important rice producer. The whole North Aceh Regency has the greatest potential of any region in Aceh and its income per capita is above Rp 1.4 million (without oil and natural gas) or Rp 6 million (with oil and natural gas).[7]
Gas and petroleum fields were found in Lhokseumawe, North Aceh's former capital city around the 1970s. Then, many investors interested in its natural resources came to Aceh. Since then, liquefied natural gas (LNG) processed in refinery of PT. Arun Natural Gas Liquefaction (NGL) Co, coming from the installation of PT. ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia (EMOI) in Lhokseumawe industrial zone (now : Arun Lhokseumawe Special Economic Zone), had changed this regency to modern petrochemistry industrial region.[8]
There are 2 sectors dominating economical activity in North Aceh, i.e. mining and excavating, and processing industrial sector. In mining sector, the gas wells processed by PT. EMOI surely become one of this sector's pioneering factor.[9]
North Aceh's inhabitants are predominantly Muslim. Minorities still get the freedom to worship according to their respective religions.
The regency is divided administratively into twenty-seven districts (kecamatan), listed below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 Census[10] and the 2020 Census,[11] together with the official estimates as at mid 2023.[12] The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages (gampong) within each district, and its post code.
| Kode Wilayah | Name of District (kecamatan) | Area in km2 | Pop'n Census 2010 | Pop'n Census 2020 | Pop'n Estimate mid 2023 | Admin centre | No. of villages | Post code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.08.15 | Sawang | 384.65 | 34,024 | 39,063 | 40,135 | Sawang | 39 | 24377 | |
| 11.08.16 | Nisam | 114.74 | 17,255 | 19,663 | 20,721 | Keude Amplah | 29 | 24378 | |
| 11.08.27 | Nisam Antara | 84.38 | 12,195 | 13,465 | 13,967 | Alue Dua | 6 | 24379 | |
| 11.08.26 | Banda Baro | 42.35 | 7,437 | 7,926 | 8,410 | Ulee Nyeue | 9 | 24376 | |
| 11.08.03 | Kuta Makmur | 151.32 | 22,208 | 26,379 | 28,307 | Buloh Blang Awa | 39 | 24371 | |
| 11.08.22 | Simpang Keramat | 79.78 | 8,781 | 9,957 | 10,994 | Kedee Simpang Empat | 16 | 24313 | |
| 11.08.11 | Syamtalira Bayu | 77.53 | 19,110 | 22,393 | 22,941 | Baru | 38 | 24370 | |
| 11.08.25 | Geureudong Pase | 269.28 | 4,484 | 5,534 | 5,924 | Mbang | 11 | 24373 | |
| 11.08.07 | Meurah Mulia | 202.57 | 17,756 | 21,024 | 22,304 | Jungka Gajah | 50 | 24372 | |
| 11.08.05 | Matangkuli | 56.94 | 16,558 | 18,756 | 19,621 | Matang Kuli | 49 | 24386 | |
| 11.08.20 | Paya Bakong | 418.32 | 12,794 | 15,555 | 15,937 | Keude Paya Bakong | 39 | 24383 | |
| 11.08.24 | Pirak Timur (East Pirak) | 67.70 | 7,474 | 8,799 | 9,074 | Alue Bungkoh | 23 | 24384 | |
| 11.08.17 | Cot Girek | 189.00 | 18,492 | 20,305 | 20,537 | Cot Girek | 24 | 24352 | |
| 11.08.14 | Tanah Jambo Aye | 162.98 | 39,461 | 44,222 | 44,929 | Panton Labu | 47 | 24395 | |
| 11.08.18 | Langkahan | 150.52 | 21,090 | 22,518 | 23,192 | Langkahan | 23 | 24394 | |
| 11.08.09 | Seunuddon | 100.63 | 23,457 | 25,982 | 26,430 | Seunuddon | 33 | 24393 | |
| 11.08.01 | Baktiya | 158.67 | 32,731 | 37,657 | 39,463 | Alue Le Puteh | 57 | 24392 | |
| 11.08.19 | Baktiya Barat (West Baktiya) | 83.08 | 17,082 | 18,980 | 19,881 | Keude Sampoiniet | 26 | 24396 | |
| 11.08.04 | Lhoksukon | 243.00 | 44,358 | 49,733 | 51,421 | Lhoksukon | 75 | 24382 | |
| 11.08.12 | Tanah Luas | 30.64 | 22,217 | 25,193 | 26,380 | Blang Jruen | 57 | 24387 | |
| 11.08.21 | Nibong | 44.91 | 9,121 | 10,778 | 11,279 | Keude Nibong | 20 | 24385 | |
| 11.08.08 | Samudera | 43.28 | 24,589 | 27,147 | 28,366 | Geudong | 40 | 24374 | |
| 11.08.10 | Syamtalira Aron | 28.13 | 16,591 | 19,345 | 19,910 | Simpang Muling | 34 | 24381 | |
| 11.08.13 | Tanah Pasir | 20.38 | 8,445 | 9,978 | 10,136 | Jrat Manyang | 18 | 24390 | |
| 11.08.23 | Lapang | 19.27 | 7,974 | 8,806 | 8,862 | Lapang | 11 | 24391 | |
| 11.08.06 | Muara Batu | 33.34 | 24,585 | 27,753 | 28,588 | Krueng Mane | 24 | 24355 | |
| 11.08.02 | Dewantara | 39.47 | 43,797 | 45,882 | 46,873 | Krueng Geukueh | 15 | 24354 | |
| Totals | 3,296.86 | 534,085 | 602,793 | 624,582 | Lhoksukon | 852 |
The current regent is Muhammad Thaib also known as Cek Mad.