North Sumatra

North Sumatra, propinsi (or provinsi; province), northern Sumatra, Indonesia, bounded by the semiautonomous province of Aceh to the northwest, by the Strait of Malacca to the north and northeast, by the provinces of Riau to the southeast and West Sumatra (Sumatera Barat) to the south, and by the Indian Ocean to the southwest and west. North Sumatra also includes the Indian Ocean islands of Nias and Musala and the Batu group. The capital is Medan, in the northern part of the province.

The area formed part of the Buddhist Srivijaya empire of Palembang in the 7th century and, later, of the Hindu Majapahit empire of eastern Java, which lasted until the early 16th century. After Islam arrived and the sultanate of Aceh was established in the latter half of the 16th century, northern Sumatra became part of the Aceh kingdom and was the site of battles between the sultan of Aceh and the sultans of southern Sumatra. The British and Dutch vied for control of the region during the 17th and 18th centuries; the British surrendered their interests in Sumatra to the Dutch in 1871, and by 1903 the Dutch had gained complete control of the northern part of the island. Following Japanese occupation during World War II (1939–45), northern Sumatra (including the former kingdom of Aceh) was incorporated into the Republic of Indonesia in 1950 as the province of North Sumatra. Political unrest and demands for greater autonomy resulted in the Indonesian government’s granting of special semiautonomous status to Aceh in 1956.

The central Batak Plateau of the Barisan Mountains, running northwest-southeast, covers about two-thirds of the province. It is surmounted by both active and extinct volcanic cones, including Mount Sinabung (8,041 feet [2,451 metres]), which erupted in 2010 after more than 400 years of dormancy, Mount Sibayak (6,870 feet [2,094 metres]), and Mount Sorikmarapi (7,037 feet [2,145 metres]). Near the centre of the plateau, at an elevation of 2,985 feet (910 metres), is Lake Toba, the remnant of an ancient and massive volcanic eruption. At the lake’s centre is Samosir Island, 27 miles (44 km) long and 12 miles (19 km) wide, which is linked with the western shore of the lake by a narrow man-made isthmus. The plateau is flanked on the southwestern side by coastal lowlands with swamps to the north and south. Flat lowlands extend northeastward from the plateau’s northeastern side, and a wide belt of swampland covers the southeastern part of the province. The coastal regions, deeply indented by estuaries, are where most of the lowland settlements are situated. The Asahan River drains Lake Toba from its southeastern shore, and the Barumun, Bila, and Kuala rivers also descend from the eastern slopes of the plateau and flow into the Strait of Malacca. The Gadis River drains the western slopes into the Indian Ocean. In 2004 the Indian Ocean tsunami inundated the western coastal areas and offshore islands, causing widespread destruction of life and livelihood.

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The plateau is covered by tropical rainforests of teak, ironwood, and banyan and by mixed subtropical forests of oak, maple, walnut, and laurel. Bamboo is common in the uplands. The coastal regions are covered with tidal and freshwater swamp forests, including a broad belt of mangroves.

Agriculture, based on shifting cultivation, is a major component of the economy and produces rice, cassava, tobacco, rubber, palm oil, sisal (used to make rope, twine, and other fibre products), tea, coffee, pepper, and fruits and vegetables. The province’s manufacturing sector produces processed foods, beverages, and tobacco, as well as aluminum, textiles, carved wood, leather and rubber goods, chemicals, metal goods, machinery, and transport equipment. Major roads generally run parallel to the coasts, and railway service is available in the northern region near Medan. Medan also has an international airport.

The population of North Sumatra consists mainly of Acehnese, Batak, and Malay peoples. Residents of Chinese and South Asian descent together constitute a small but significant minority. Medan is the province’s largest city; other important urban areas include Binjai, Pematangsiantar, Tanjungbalai, and Tebingtinggi, all in the northern coastal region. Area 28,178 square miles (72,981 square km). Pop. (2000) 11,642,488; (2010) 12,982,204.