Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two larger islands, Borneo and New Guinea, are shared between Indonesia and other countries), and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km² with a population of 50,365,538. Its biggest city is Medan with a population of 1,770,000.
The earliest known use of the name is in the title of 11th century king, Haji Sumatrabhuji (King of the Land of Sumatra)[citation needed], but settler colonies were arriving in Sumatra in 500 B.C. and several significant kingdoms flourished there. I Ching, the Chinese Bhuddist studied Sanskrit and spent four years of his life working in Palembang. Explorer Marco Polo also visited Sumatra in 1292.
Sumatra boasts a huge range of plant and animal species but has lost almost 50% of it’s tropical rainforest in the last 35 years and many species are Critically Endangered such as Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Rhino, and Sumatran Orangutan.
87% of Sumatrans are thought to be Muslim with 10% Christian, 2% Bhuddist and 1% Hindu.
Etymology
Sumatra was known in ancient times by the Sanskrit names of Swarnadw?pa (“Island of Gold”) and Swarnabh?mi (“Land of Gold”), due likely to the gold deposits of the island’s highland. The first word mentioning the name of Sumatra was the name of Srivijayan Haji (king) Sumatrabhumi (“King of the land of Sumatra”), who sent an envoy to China in 1017. Arab geographers referred to the island as Lamri (Lamuri, Lambri or Ramni) in the 10-13th centuries, in reference to a kingdom near modern day Banda Aceh which was the first landfall for traders. Late in the 14th century the name Sumatra became popular, in reference to the kingdom of Samudra, which was a rising power. European writers in the 19th century found that the indigenous inhabitants did not have a name for the island.
Administration
The administrative regions of Sumatra (or the smaller islands nearby) are:
* Aceh (capital: Banda Aceh)
* Bangka-Belitung (capital: Pangkalpinang)
* Bengkulu (capital: Bengkulu)
* Jambi (capital: Jambi)
* Lampung (capital: Bandar Lampung)
* Riau (capital: Pekanbaru)
* Riau Islands (capital: Tanjung Pinang)
* West Sumatra (Sumatera Barat) (capital: Padang)
* South Sumatra (Sumatera Selatan) (capital: Palembang)
* North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara) (capital: Medan)
Geography
The longest axis of the island runs approximately 1,790 km (1,110 mi) northwest–southeast, crossing the equator near the center. At its widest point the island spans 435 km (270 miles). The interior of the island is dominated by two geographical regions: the Barisan Mountains in the west and swampy plains in the east.
To the southeast is Java, separated by the Sunda Strait. To the north is the Malay Peninsula, separated by the Strait of Malacca. To the east is Borneo, across the Karimata Strait. West of the island is the Indian Ocean.
The backbone of the island is the Barisan mountains chain, with the active volcano Mount Kerinci’s 3,805 m (12,467 ft) the highest point, located at about the midpoint of the range. The volcanic activity of this region endowed the region with fertile land and beautiful sceneries, for instance around the Lake Toba. It also contains deposits of coal and gold. The volcanic activity stems from Sumatra being on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”.
To the east, big rivers carry silt from the mountain, forming the vast lowland interspersed by swamps. Even if mostly unsuitable for farming, the area is currently of great economic importance for Indonesia. It produces oil from both above and below the soil—palm oil and petroleum.
Sumatra is the largest producer of Indonesian coffee. Small-holders grow Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) in the highlands, while Robusta (Coffea canephora) is found in the low lands. Arabica coffee from the regions of Gayo, Lintong and Sidikilang is typically processed using the Giling Basah (wet hulling) technique, which gives it a heavy body and low acidity.
Most of Sumatra used to be covered by tropical rainforest, but economic development coupled with corruption and illegal logging has severely threatened its existence. Conservation areas have not been spared from destruction, either.
The island is the world’s 5th highest island, and the third highest in the Indonesian archipelago.
Largest cities
1. Medan, North Sumatra 1,770,000
2. Palembang, South Sumatra 1,277,000
3. Padang, West Sumatra 986,000
4. Bandar Lampung, Lampung 940,000
5. Pekanbaru, Riau 796,000
6. Jambi, Jambi 457,000
7. Bengkulu, Bengkulu 386,000
8. Banda Aceh, Aceh 295,000
9. Pematang Siantar, North Sumatra 205,000
10. Lubuklinggau, South Sumatra 201,000
Flora and fauna
Sumatra supports a wide range of vegetation types which are home to a rich variety of species, including 17 endemic genera of plants. Unique species include the Sumatran Pine which dominates the Sumatran tropical pine forests of the higher mountainsides in the north of the island and rainforest plants such as Rafflesia arnoldii (the world’s largest individual flower), and the titan arum (the world’s largest unbranched inflorescence).
The island is home to 201 mammal species and 580 bird species. There are 9 endemic mammal species on mainland Sumatra and 14 more endemic to the nearby Mentawai Islands. The species present include: Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Orangutan, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Sumatran Elephant, Sumatran Striped Rabbit, Dhole, Dayak Fruit Bat, Malayan Tapir, Malayan Sun Bear and the Bornean Clouded Leopard.
The island has lost 48% of its natural forest cover since 1985, and many of the remaining species are endangered. The Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Rhino, and Sumatran Orangutan are all Critically Endangered, indicating that the highest level of threat to their survival. In October 2008, the Indonesian government announced a plan to protect Sumatra’s remaining forests. However, the construction of illegal roads through prime tiger habitat has continued since then by companies led by Asia Pulp & Paper, the pulp and paper company well known for illegal logging and breaching environmental law.
The island includes more than 10 National Parks, including 3 which are listed as the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra World Heritage Site—Gunung Leuser National Park, Kerinci Seblat National Park and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park. The Berbak National Park is one of three National Parks in Indonesia listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.
Demographics
Sumatra is not very densely populated, about 96 people per km²—more than 45 million people in total. It is nonetheless the fifth most populous island in the world. The most populous regions include most of North Sumatra and central highlands in West Sumatra, while the major urban centers are Medan and Palembang.
The people represent many different ethnic groups, speaking 52 different languages. Most of these groups, however, share many similar traditions and the different tongues are closely related. Malay-speaking people dominate the eastern coast, while people in the southern and central interior speak languages related to Malay, such as the Lampung and Minangkabau people. The highland of northern Sumatra is inhabited by the Bataks, while the northernmost coast is dominated by Acehs. Ethnic Chinese minorities are also present in urban centers.
A majority of people in Sumatra are Muslims (87%), while 10% are Christians, 2% are Buddhist and 1% Hindu.[7] Most central Bataks are Protestant Christians, a religion introduced by the German Rhenish Missionary Society.
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