The Bulangan Regency was originally co-extensive with what subsequently became the province of North Kalimantan.

On 8 October 1997 the town of Tarakan was cut out of the regency to become an independent city.

[4] Bulangan Regency had originally been part of the East Kalimantan province, but in 2012 it - together with the areas carved out of it in 1997, 1999 and 2007 - became part of the newly created North Kalimantan province.

Tanjung Selor in Bulungan Regency was designated as the province's capital.

[1] The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (a total of 74 rural desa and 7 urban kelurahan), and its postal codes.