Wakatobi Regency is a group of ca. 150 islands forming an administrative regency located in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. The four largest islands are Wangi-wangi, Kaledupa, Binongko and Tomia. The capital of the regency is located on Wangi-wangi Island, and was established by virtue of Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 29 of 2003 dated 18 December 2003. The regency has an area of 473.62 square kilometres and had a population of 92,922 at the 2010 Census and 111,402 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2021 was 113,122. Wakatobi is also the name of a national park established in 1996, with a total area of 1.39 million hectares that consists of marine biodiversity hotspot known as Wallacea and coral reefs, which condition and scale occupy one of the highest priorities of marine conservation in Indonesia. The Wakatobi Islands are a part of the Coral Triangle, which contains one of the richest marine biodiversity on earth. History of Region Before becoming an autonomous region, the Wakatobi Regency was known as the Tukang Besi Islands. The name Wakatobi is an acronym of the names of the four main islands that form the archipelago: WAngi-wangi, KAledupa, TOmia, and BInongko. The Pre-Independence Period In the pre-independence period, Wakatobi was under the authority of the Sultanate of Buton. The Post-Independence Period After Indonesia gained independence, and Southeast Sulawesi was established as a province, the Wakatobi region then constituted of several districts within the territory of the Regency of Buton. The Reform Period On 18 December 2003, Wakatobi was officially formed into one of three new regencies in Southeast Sulawesi that were established by virtue of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 29 of 2003 - the Regency of Bombana, the Regency of Wakatobi and the Regency of North Kolaka. When first established, Wakatobi only consisted of five districts namely the districts of Wangi-Wangi, Wangi-Wangi Selatan, Kaledupa, Tomia and Binongko. In 2005, by virtue of the Regulation of the Regency of Wakatobi Number 19 of 2005, the District of South Kaledupa was established; by virtue of the Regulation of the Regency of Wakatobi Number 20 of 2005, the District of East Tomia was established; and in 2007, by virtue of the Regulation of the Regency of Wakatobi Number 41 of 2007, the District of Togo Binongko was established which brought the total number of districts in the Regency of Wakatobi