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]), also called North Sumatra Province, is a province of Indonesia located in the northern part of the island of Sumatra, just south of Aceh. Its capital and largest city is Medan on the east coast of the island. It is bordered by Aceh on the northwest and Riau and West Sumatra on the southeast, by coastlines located on the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca, and by a maritime border with Malaysia to the east.

With a 2020 population around 14.8 million ^[5] and mid-2023 estimate around 15.4 million,^[1] North Sumatra is Indonesia's fourth most populous province and the most populous province outside of Java Island. At 72,460.74 square kilometres (27,977.25 sq mi), North Sumatra is also the third-largest province in area on the island of Sumatra behind South Sumatra and Riau. Major ethnic groups include the Malay, native to the east coast; several Batak groups, indigenous to the west coast and central highlands; the Nias people of Nias Island and its surrounding islets; and Chinese, Javanese, and Indian peoples, who first migrated to Sumatra during Dutch rule.

North Sumatra is home to the Toba Supervolcano, located in what is now Lake Toba, which erupted 74,000–75,000 years ago, wiping out nearly all of humanity. The supereruption resulted in the creation of Lake Toba and was rated a VEI-8 eruption.

During Dutch rule, North Sumatra was administered under the Gouvernement van Sumatra, which governed the entire island of Sumatra out of Medan. In 1948, after Indonesian independence was proclaimed, Sumatra Province was divided into three sub-provinces, each of which had the right to regulate and manage its own affairs. April 15, 1948 was later designated as the anniversary of the Province of North Sumatra.