WELCOME TO SUMATRA

Sumatra has something for everyone - luxuriant tropical rainforests, an unparalleled array of exotic flora and fauna, amazingly diverse traditional ethnic groups, gleaming white sand beaches and some of the most spectacular volcanic landscapes anywhere. The fourth largest island in the world and second largest island in Indonesia at 480,700 square kilometers, just off the coast in the Sunda Straits lie the Krakatoa islands, which exploded in 1883 in the greatest natural calamity in recorded history. The longest axis of the island runs approximately northwest - southeast, crossing the equator near the center. The interior of the island is dominated by two geographical regions: the Bukit Barisan Mountains in the west and swampy plains in the east. Sumatra offers an incredible selection of national parks, from the Kerinci-Seblat National Park in West Sumatra to Leuser National Park in Northern Sumatra. Sumatra is not very heavily populated, about 85 people per sq.km The most populous regions includes most of North Sumatra and central highland in west Sumatra, while the major urban centre are Medan, Padang and Palembang.

The people are of Malay stock composed of many different tribes, speaking 52 different languages. Most of these groups, however, share many similar traditions and the different tongues are closely related. Malay-speaking people dominate the eastern coast, while people in the southern and central interior speak languages related to Malay, such as Lampung and Minangkabau. The highland of northern Sumatra is inhabited by the Bataks, while the northernmost coast is dominated by Acehs. Ethnic Chinese minorities are also present in urban center.