Known as the capital of the Pitas District in the Kudat Division of Sabah, the local population is made up of the Kadazan-Dusun ethnic of Rungus and Orang Sungai (including Tambanuo) descent, with a small community of Malaysian Chinese and other ethnic minorities.

The district with its laid back charm is prospering slowly but surely as more people come to visit or do business.

Pitas district has one of the highest rates of poverty in Sabah. This is due to the unsuitability of the land for agriculture due to its geographical isolation.