BASIC INFO Print

GEOGRAPHY

The North Sumatra Province is lay between East longitude 98°-100° and North longitude 1°-4° with the territorial is 71,680 km square or 3.72 % of Indonesia. Surrounded by 162 islands, of which 156 spreaded over western coast and 6 on the eastern coast. This province is bordered by the special territory of Aceh on the North, West Sumatra and Riau provinces on the South, Indian Ocean on the West and Strait of Malacca on the East.

Lush, tropical forest filled with giant trees, birds of paradise and unusual orchids flourish in the shadow of towering active volcanic peaks. Coral gardens, the likes of which are found nowhere else in the world, thrive in the fertility of this island's volcanic soil.


ADMINISTRATION

The province of North Sumatra is governed by a governor, North Sumatra province divided into 23 Regency and 7 Municipality :

 - Asahan Regency - North Tapanuli Regency
 - Batubara Regency - Padang Lawas Regency
 - Binjai Municipality - Padang Sidempuan Municipality
 - Central Tapanuli Regency - Pakpak Bharat Regency
 - Dairi Regency - Pematang Siantar Municipality
 - Deli Serdang Regency - Samosir Regency
 - Humbang Hasundutan Regency - Serdang Bedagai Regency
 - Karo Regency - Sibolga Municipality
 - Labuhan Batu Regency - Simalungan Regency
 - Langkat Regency - South Labuhan Batu Regency
 - Mandailing Natal Regency - South Tapanuli Regency
 - Medan Municipality - South Nias Regency
 - Nias Regency - Tanjung Balai Municipality
 - North Labuhan Batu Regency - Tebing Tinggi Municipality
 - North Padang Lawas Regency - Toba Samosir Regency


 
TOPOGRAPHY

Medan, the Provincial Capital of North Sumatra has 2 million population and may be reached within one hour by plane from Singapore and about 45 minutes from Kuala Lumpur. As the third tourist gateway after Bali and Jakarta, Medan has direct flight service to Amsterdam, Munich, Quangzhou, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur through the Polonia Airport. The main seaport of Belawan is situated on the eastern coast directly connected to the international shipping route on the strait of Malacca.


LABOUR

The current number of population of North Sumatra province is 11.9 million with the density of 172 persons per km2 and growth rate of 1.2 % per year.

From this population, the number of work force is 5.5 million persons with major work status of employee and labour.
This work force work in the sectors of agriculture and plantation [55.23%], trade [17.65%], service [14.07%] and industry [5.72%]


TRADE

Medan is also trading center and important harbor. The region also produces more than 30% of Indonesia's export commodities and handles about 60% of them, making it a vital cog in the Indonesia economy. Tobacco, palm oil, tea and rubber are produced in large quantities, particularly around Medan in the North of the Province.


CULTURAL AND TOURISM

North Sumatra, with it's colourful, ethnically-mixed population, is Indonesia's most populous province outside Java. It now has over 11 million inhabitants more than the entire population of Kalimantan or all of the islands of Nusa Tenggara. Dynamic Bataks, Malays, Javanese, Indians and Chinese have created a fascinating kaleidoscope of modern and traditional Indonesian cultures.

Some of the ethnic groups which live in this province, include the Malays, who live along the eastern coast of the island, the Bataks who can be devided into six sub-ethnic groups: Karo, Simalungun, Angkola, Mandailing, Pakpak, and the Toba who are the biggest sub-ethnic, and the people of Nias island. The province's most interesting tourist destination is Lake Toba situated in the centre of the Bukit Barisan mountain range, Mount Leuser National Park, where there is a rehabilitation center for Orang utans in Bahorok Bukit Lawang, Berastagi is a famous weekend and holiday resort located in the Karo highlands and Nias island.