North Sumatra

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North Sumatra Sumatera Utara
Province
Province of North Sumatra
Coat of arms
Motto(s):  Tekun berkarya, hidup sejahtera, mulia berbudaya (Indonesian) Work diligently, live prosperously, noble in culture
Location of North Sumatra in Indonesia
OpenStreetMap
Coordinates: 2°00′N 99°00′E / 2.000°N 99.000°E / 2.000; 99.000
Established	15 April 1948
Capital and largest city	Medan
Government
• Body	North Sumatra Provincial Government
• Governor	Hassanudin (Acting)
• Vice Governor	Vacant
Area
• Total	72,460.74 km2 (27,977.25 sq mi)
• Rank	8th in Indonesia
Highest elevation (Sinabung)	2,460 m (8,070 ft)
Population  (mid 2023 official estimate)[1]
• Total	15,386,640
• Rank	4th in Indonesia
• Density	210/km2 (550/sq mi)
• Rank	11th in Indonesia
Demographics
• Ethnic groups	45% Batak 30% Javanese 8.5% Chinese 5.7% Malay 4.1% Nias 5.4% other
• Religion (2021)	63.36% Islam 33.99% Christianity 2.43% Buddhism 0.10% Hinduism 0.12% other
Time zone	UTC+7 (Indonesia Western Time)
ISO 3166 code	ID-SU
GDP (nominal)	2022[2]
- Total	Rp 955.2 trillion (6th) US$ 64.3 billion Int$ 200.7 billion (PPP)
- Per capita	Rp 63.2 million (14th) US$ 4,256 Int$ 13,280 (PPP)
- Growth	4.73%[3]
HDI	0.727 (15th) – high
Website	sumutprov.go.id

North Sumatra (Indonesian: Sumatera Utara^[4]) is a province of Indonesia located in the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan. It is bordered by Aceh on the northwest and Riau and West Sumatra on the southeast, with two different coastlines located on the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca, and a maritime border with Malaysia to the east. North Sumatra is Indonesia's fourth most populous province after West Java, East Java, and Central Java, and is also the most populous province outside of Java Island. North Sumatra is also the third-largest province in area on the island of Sumatra after South Sumatra and Riau provinces. It covers an area of 72,460.74 km², which is approximately the same size as Sierra Leone or Scotland or Maine.

According to the 2020 census, the province's population in that year was 14,799,361.^[5] The mid-2023 official estimate was 15,386,640 (comprising 7,721,314 males and 7,665,326 females).^[1]

North Sumatra is a multi-ethnic province. The Malay people are regarded as the natives of the east coast of the province, while the west coast of the province is mainly inhabited by the Batak (Pakpak, Angkola, and Mandailing groups). The central highlands region around Lake Toba is predominantly inhabited by other Batak groups (Toba, Simalungun, and Karo). The Nias people are natives of Nias Island and its surrounding islets. With the opening of tobacco plantations in East Sumatra during the colonial era, the colonial government employed many contract labourers for plantations, mainly Chinese, Javanese, and Indian migrants. The majority did not return after their contract ended and decided to stay in the province.^{[citation needed]} The recent rapid urbanisation also attracted neighbouring people from Aceh, Riau, and West Sumatra.

During the Dutch rule, North Sumatra was administered under a government called the Gouvernement van Sumatra with an area covering the entire island of Sumatra, led by a governor based in the city of Medan. After independence, in the first session of the Regional National Committee (KND), Sumatra Province was then divided into three sub-provinces. With the issuance of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia (R.I.) No. 10 of 1948 on April 15, 1948, it was stipulated that Sumatra was divided into three provinces, each of which had the right to regulate and manage its affairs, namely: North Sumatra Province, Central Sumatra Province, and South Sumatra Province. April 15, 1948, was later designated as the anniversary of the Province of North Sumatra.