Toba Batak people

'Toba Batak people
ᯅᯖᯂ᯲ ᯖᯬᯅ
Batak Toba
	Toba Batak traditional clothes
Total population
	c. 4,100,000 (2020)
Regions with significant populations
	Indonesia: North Sumatra: Toba Samosir Regency, Samosir Regency, Humbang Hasundutan Regency, Sidikalang, Sibolga, Pematang Siantar, Medan, Dairi, Deli Serdang, and the surrounding areas – 3,000,000 Outside North Sumatera: Riau, Batam, Jakarta, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Papua, Bali, and around Indonesia – 1,100,000 Outside Indonesia: Singapore Malaysia European Union United States – 1,100+
Languages
	Toba Batak language, Indonesian language
Religion
	Christianity 97.8%, Sunni Islam 2%, Other 0.2%
Related ethnic groups
	Angkola people, Karo people, Mandailing people, Pakpak people, Simalungun people

Toba Batak people (Batak script: ᯅᯖᯂ᯲ ᯖᯬᯅ) are the largest ethnic group of the Batak peoples of North Sumatra, Indonesia. The common phrase of ‘Batak’ usually refers to the Batak Toba people. This mistake is caused by the Toba people being the largest sub-group of the Batak ethnic and their differing social habit has been to self-identify as merely Batak instead of ‘Toba’ or ‘Batak Toba’, contrary to the habit of the Karo, Mandailing, Simalungun, Pakpak communities who commonly self-identify with their respective sub-groups.

The Toba people are found in Toba Regency, Humbang Hasundutan Regency, Samosir Regency, North Tapanuli Regency, Central Tapanuli Regency (with Sibolga and its surrounding regions), and part of Dairi Regency.^[3] The Batak Toba people speak the Toba Batak language and are centered on Lake Toba and Samosir Island within the lake. Batak Toba people frequently build in traditional Batak architecture styles which are common in Samosir. Cultural demonstrations, performances, and festivities such as Sigale Gale are often held for tourists.

Paleontological research done in the Humbang region of the west side of Toba Lake suggests that human activity existed 6,500 years ago. The genetic test of the Toba Batak people shows that the Toba Batak are the descendants of different people with distinct genetic components. The Toba Batak's ancestors migrated from Formosa thousands years ago.^[4]

^ Jacob Cornelis Vergouwen, Masyarakat dan hukum adat Batak Toba
^ "Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Toba Samosir". tobasamosirkab.bps.go.id.
^ Jacob Cornelis Vergouwen (2004). Masyarakat Dan Hukum Adat Batak Toba. PT LKiS Pelangi Aksara. ISBN 9-7933-8142-6.
^ Mapping Human Genetic Diversity in Asia, The HUGO Pan-Asian SNP Consortium (2009)

[1] Jacob Cornelis Vergouwen, Masyarakat dan hukum adat Batak Toba

[2] "Badan Pusat Statistik Kabupaten Toba Samosir". tobasamosirkab.bps.go.id.

[3] Jacob Cornelis Vergouwen (2004). Masyarakat Dan Hukum Adat Batak Toba. PT LKiS Pelangi Aksara. ISBN 9-7933-8142-6.

[4] Mapping Human Genetic Diversity in Asia, The HUGO Pan-Asian SNP Consortium (2009)

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