This district was formed based on RI Law No. 49 of 1999 and named after its original geographical name. The regency consists of 4 main inhabited island groups namely Siberut Island, Sipora Island, North Pagai Island and South Pagai Island inhabited by the majority of the Mentawai tribe. In addition there are still a number of other small inhabited islands but most of the other islands are only planted with coconut trees.

Geographical
The Mentawai Islands Regency is an archipelagic district located extensively in the westernmost part of the island of Sumatra and surrounded by the Indian Ocean.

The Mentawai Islands are part of a series of non-volcanic islands and the islands are the peaks of an undersea mountain ridge.

Population

The Mentawai tribe as the main population in this district, in general this society does not have a clear picture of their origin, although some of them know some mythology which sometimes is rather blurred and hard to believe. Local people call their country the name Bumi Sikerei.

Most of the inhabitants of the islands in the Mentawai Islands regency are from Siberut Island. The Mentawai tribe community physically has a rather old-fashioned culture, namely the neolithic age wherein this society is not familiar with metalworking technology, as well as farming and weaving.

The population in this district is half of them adherents of animism, then some are Christians and Muslims. After independence the people in this district have mingled with other ethnic groups in Indonesia, especially after this district became one of the transmigration areas.

Government
The central government of the Mentawai Islands district is located in Tuapejat, north of the island of Sipora.

List of Regents
1. Edison Saleleubaja (2001-2006)
2. Edison Saleleubaja (2006-2011)
3. Judas Sabaggalet (2011-2016)
4. Yudas Sabaggalet (2017-2022)

Sub-district
In 2010 geographically and administratively, the Mentawai Islands Regency consisted of 10 sub-districts, 43 villages and 202 hamlets. The ten sub-districts are as follows:

South Pagai sub-district with an area of ​​901.08 km² (14.99%) and the sub-district capital is Bulasat
Sikakap Subdistrict with an area of ​​278.45 km² (4.63%) and the sub-district capital is Sikakap
North Pagai sub-district with an area of ​​342.02 km² (5.69%) and the sub-district capital is Saumanganyak
Sipora Selatan District with an area of ​​268.47 km² (4.47%) and the sub-district capital is Sioban
Sipora Utara District with an area of ​​383.08 km² (6.37%) and the sub-district capital is Sido Makmur
South Siberut sub-district with an area of ​​508.33 km² (8.46%) and the sub-district capital is Maileppet
Siberut Barat Subdistrict with an area of ​​649.08 km² (10.80%) and the sub-district capital is Pasakiat Taileleu
Central Siberut District with an area of ​​739.87 km² (12.31%) and the capital of the sub-district is Saibi Samukop
North Siberut District with an area of ​​816.11 km² (13.58%) and the sub-district capital is the Sikabaluan estuary
West Siberut District with an area of ​​1,124.86 km² (18.71%) and the sub-district capital is Simalegi (Betaet)


Regional potential

This area has a lot of natural potential, besides in the fields of plantations, agriculture and fisheries. This area has the potential to become a tourist area. Seafood is one of the potentials that continues to be developed in this district, especially groupers that sell well for export.

To support development in this area the central and regional governments plan to build a Tuapejat power plant with a capacity of 6 MW.