Sumatra

Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is located entirely in Indonesia and the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 square kilometers.

Geography

Sumatra is an elongated landmass spanning a diagonal northwest-southeast axis. The Indian Ocean borders the west, northwest, and southwest coasts of Sumatra with the island chain of Simeulue, Nias and Mentawai off the western coast. In the northeast the narrow Strait of Malacca separates the island from the Malay Peninsula, which is an extension of the Eurasian continent. In the southeast the narrow Sunda Strait separates Sumatra from Java. The northern tip of Sumatra borders the Andaman Islands, while on the eastern side are the islands of Bangka and Belitung, Karimata Strait and the Java Sea. The Great Sumatran fault, the Sunda megathrust, and a number of volcanoes are located on Sumatra, including the Mount Sinabung, Mount Kerinci, and Mount Sibayak.

History

The history of Sumatra is rich and complex, with influences from India, Arabia, and China, as well as from Europe. The island was known in ancient times by the Sanskrit names of Swarnadwīpa ("Island of Gold") and Swarnabhūmi ("Land of Gold"), because of the gold deposits in the island's highlands. The first mention of the name of Sumatra was in the name of Srivijayan Haji (king) Sumatrabhumi ("King of the land of Sumatra"), who sent an envoy to China in 1017.

Economy

Sumatra is a major producer of a wide variety of commodities and natural resources. It produces coffee, cocoa, pepper, rubber, and tobacco. Palm oil and acacia plantations have been rapidly increasing. Sumatra also has a significant amount of oil production, and natural gas extraction particularly around Aceh and North Sumatra.

Culture

Sumatra is known for its diverse range of ethnic groups, speaking 52 different languages. Most of these groups share many similar traditions and the different languages are often mutually intelligible. The largest ethnic groups are the Minangkabau, Batak, Acehnese, Malay, and Lampung.

Flora and Fauna

Sumatra is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. It is one of the only places in the world where tigers, elephants, orangutans, and rhinos coexist in the wild. The Sumatran tiger, Sumatran elephant, Sumatran orangutan, and Sumatran rhinoceros are all critically endangered, indicating the urgent need for protection of their habitat.