It was created on 24 June 2008 by being split off from the existing Buru Regency.

The Regency (which includes the smaller island of Ambalau to the southeast of Buru Island) covers an area of 5,060 km2, and it had a population of 53,671 at the 2010 Census,[2] rising to 75,410 at the 2020 Census;[3] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 79,017 (comprising 39,952 males and 39,065 females).

[1] The principal town lies at Elfule in Namrole District.

Namrole, the seat of the regency has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) moderate rainfall from October to March and heavy to very heavy rainfall from April to September.

Unlike most parts of Indonesia, the southern part of Buru island experiences a rainfall maximum during the low-sun season due to local wind currents.