[4] South Aceh Regency was originally created on 14 November 1956 (under Emergency Law No.7 of 1956) from the former southeastern districts of West Aceh Regency.

On 20 April 1999 (under Law No.14 of 1999) its own southeastern districts were in turn split off to create a separate Aceh Singkil Regency, and it was further reduced in size on 10 April 2002 (under Law No.4 of 2002) by further districts in the northwest of the regency being split off to create a Southwest Aceh Regency.

At the time of the 2010 Census, the regency was divided administratively into sixteen districts (kecamatan).

[1] The districts are grouped into five geographical units, which have no administrative significance.

(c) The Trumon area which forms the southern 28% of the Regency is adjacent to the city of Subulussalam to the east.