It was created on 29 October 2008 from what were previously the most northern districts of Tulang Bawang Regency.

It has an area of 2,200.51 km2 and a population of 187,286 people at the 2010 census[2] and 227,518 at the 2020 census;[3] the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 237,935 (comprising 122,391 males and 115,544 females).

Administratively the regency is divided into seven districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and their populations at the 2010 census[2] and 2020 census,[3] together with the official estimates as at mid 2023.

[1] The table also includes the locations of the district administrative centres, the number of administrative villages in each district (all classed as rural desa), and its post code.

In November 2010, four people were killed in a cock fight bust-up in the village of Wirabinangun.