North Sumatra

North Sumatra (Indonesian: Sumatera Utara, is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra, and its capital is Medan. North Sumatra is fourth most populous province in Indonesia after West Java, East Java and Central Java and the most populous Indonesian province outside Java, with over 13,5 million inhabitants in 2014.

Geography and population

The province of North Sumatra stretches across the island of Sumatra between the Indian Ocean and the Strait Malacca. It borders Aceh province on the northwest and Riau and West Sumatra provinces in the southeast. It has an area of 72,981 km². The province contains a broad, low plain along the Strait of Malacca on which the provincial capital, Medan, is located. In the south and west, the land rises to the mountain range that runs the length of Sumatra; the mountains here are dominated by Lake Toba, formed from the caldera of an ancient volcano. Several large islands in the Indian Ocean off the west coast of Sumatra are currently part of North Sumatra, most notably Nias Island and the Batu Islands.

North Sumatra recorded a population of 12,985,075 in the 2010 national census, making the 4th most populous province in Indonesia, with a sex ratio of 99.59 men per 100 women. The latest estimate (for January 2014) is 13,527,937.

Historical population Year Pop. ±% 1971 6,621,831 — 1980 8,360,894 +26.3% 1990 10,256,027 +22.7% 1995 11,114,667 +8.4% 2000 11,649,655 +4.8% 2010 12,982,204 +11.4% 2014 13,527,937 +4.2% Source: Badan Pusat Statistik 2010

Agriculture and Economy

Sumatra Mandheling and Sumatra Lintong coffee beans are grown in North Sumatra and largely exported to the United States. Mandheling is named after the similarly spelt Mandailing people located in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The name is the result of a misunderstanding by the first foreign purchaser of the variety, and no coffee is actually produced in the "Mandailing region". Lintong on the other hand, is named after the Lintong district, also located in North Sumatra.

Sei Mangkei Industrial Area

Sei Mangkei Industrial Area, also known as Sei Mangkei - Integrated Sustainable Palm Oil Cluster (SM-ISPOIC), is located in Simalungun Regency and was formally opened on 12 June 2010. Four companies have joined in this area, with investment costs totalling up to Rp1.5 trillion ($176 million). In April 2011, three other companies also joined in the Sei Mangkei area. They are Procter & Gamble Co for making CPO derivatives of cosmetic raw materials, Ferrostaal AG and Fratelli Gianazza SpA.

Tourism

• Lake Toba is the largest volcanic lake in the world. Located in the centre of North Sumatra, the lake can be reached via Parapat (Simalungun regency), Tongging (Karo regency), and Balige (Toba Samosir regency).
• Samosir Island is a volcanic island in middle of Lake Toba, It is a popular tourist destination due to its exotic Batak history and the vistas it offers. The tourist resorts are concentrated in the Tuktuk, Tomok, Simanindo, and Pangururan areas.
• Nias Island is an island off the western coast of Sumatra. Nias is an internationally popular surfing destination. The best known surfing area is Sorake Bay, close to the town of Teluk Dalam, on the southern tip. This is enclosed by the beaches of Lagundri and Sorake. Tourists can visit the island by plane from Medan, or by ferry from Sibolga.
• Berastagi is a small highland town located 63 kilometers to the south of Medan, and is a popular weekend destination for city dwellers.
• Lumbini Natural Park is a Buddhist theravada-style temple that is similar to Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar.
• Dua Warna Waterfall is a two-coloured waterfall located on Sibolangit.
• Berhala Island is a 2,5 hectares island located in the Malaka Strait near the boundary of Indonesia and Malaysia. It is a popular place for snorkeling and watching turtle nesting. Visitors can reach the island via boat from Sergei in the Serdang Bedagai regency.
• Sipisopiso, one of the highest waterfalls in Indonesia, is located near Tongging in Karo regency.
• Bahal temple, a ancient Buddhist monastery located on Padang Bolak, Padang Lawas Regency, around 3 hours journey with car from Padangsidempuan. The temple believes constructed between the 11th to 13th century CE.

Transportation

Airports

The modern Kuala Namu International Airport was opened on July 25, 2013 and is located almost 40 kilometers from Medan. The airport replaces the old Polonia International Airport. It serves flights to several Indonesian and Malaysian cities, along with flights to Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia. Flights to India and China are also planned. In passenger numbers, Kuala Namu is the fifth largest airport in Indonesia.

Polonia International Airport (Indonesian: Bandar Udara Internasional Polonia) (IATA: MES, ICAO: WIMM) (popularly Polonia Airport, as in Indonesia, Bandara Polonia) is located about 5 km from the Central Business District of Medan. It is the first international airport in Medan, although the airport is under air force authority. Polonia airport is the site of several crashes, is inappropriately located in the center of the city of Medan, has a difficult takeoff path and a short runway.

Seaports

North Sumatra has an international seaport at Belawan, near Medan and is now preparing to have a new seaport at Kuala Tanjung, in Batubara Regency, for about Rp.1 trillion ($114 million) budget.