West Sumatra is a province of Indonesia. It is on the west coast of the island of Sumatra and includes the Mentawai Islands off that coast. West Sumatra borders the Indian Ocean to the west, as well as the provinces of North Sumatra to the north, Riau to the northeast, Jambi to the southeast, and Bengkulu to the south. The province has an area of 42,119.54 km2 (16,262.45 sq mi), or about the same size as Switzerland, with a population of 5,534,472 at the 2020 census. The official estimate at mid 2023 was 5,757,210. The province is subdivided into twelve regencies and seven cities. It has relatively more cities than other provinces outside Java, although several of them are relatively low in population compared with cities elsewhere in Indonesia. Padang is the province's capital and largest city.
Padang is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of West Sumatra. It had a population of 833,562 at the 2010 Census and 909,040 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2023 was 942,938 - comprising 473,089 males and 469,849 females. It is the 16th most populous city in Indonesia and the most populous city on the west coast of Sumatra. The Padang metropolitan area is the third most populous metropolitan area in Sumatra with a population of over 1.7 million. Padang is widely known for its Minangkabau culture, cuisine, and sunset beaches.
The Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia was a revolutionary government set up in Sumatra to oppose the central government of Indonesia in 1958.
Abdul Karim Amrullah, known as Haji Rasul, was a Muslim reformer who led reformation of Islam in Sumatra, Dutch East Indies.
The mayor of Padang is an elected politician who is accountable for the strategic government of Padang, one of the provincial capitals in Indonesia. The position was first held by W.M. Ouwerkerk whe the role was created in 1928 by the Dutch colonial government, while under government of Indonesia it was first held by Abubakar Jaar in 1945, after Indonesian independence.
Bagindo Azizchan, was an Indonesian independence fighter and second Mayor of Padang after independence. Inaugurated on 15 August 1946, replacing Abubakar Jaar. He died at the age of 36 after being involved in a battle against Dutch forces. His body was buried at the Bahagia Heroes Cemetery, Bukittinggi. On 9 November 2005, Bagindo Azizchan was declared a National Hero of Indonesia.
Said Rasjad served as acting mayor of Padang, bupati of Agam, and regent of Padang Pariaman.
Islam is the most common religion in the Indonesian province of West Sumatra, embraced by 97.42% of the population. The Muslim population increases to 99.6% if it excludes the Mentawai Islands, where the majority of the non-Muslim (Protestant) West Sumatrans reside. Islam in West Sumatra is predominantly Sunni, though there is a small Shia Islamic pocket within the coastal city of Pariaman. The Minangkabau people, indigenous to West Sumatra, comprise 88% of the West Sumatran population today and have historically played an important role within Indonesia's Muslim community. Up until today, the region is considered one of the strongholds of Islam in Indonesia.
Al-Munir was an Islamic magazine, written in Arabic-Malay, published in Padang from 1911 until 1915. Inaugurated by the initiative of Abdullah Ahmad in early April 1911, Al-Munir was listed as the first Islamic mass media in Indonesia. The magazine was often associated with Al-Imam magazine published under the direction of Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin in Singapore during 1906-1909. In addition to Abdullah Ahmad, several religious figures such as Abdul Karim Amrullah, Muhammad Thaib Umar and Sutan Muhammad Salim were recorded in the ranks of the editorial board.
Union of Islamic Education, also known as PERTI, is a Shafii-Ash'ari Islamic organization in Indonesia. The organization was founded by Sulaiman ar-Rasuli on May 5, 1928 in Candung, West Sumatra. In its development, PERTI had become a political party and gained four People's Representative Council (DPR-RI) seats and seven Constituent seats in 1955 general election.
Eny Karim, also spelled as Eni Karim, was an Indonesian politician and civil servant from West Sumatra who served as Minister of Agriculture under the Second Ali Sastroamidjojo Cabinet, and briefly as governor of North Sumatra in 1963.
Colonel Dahlan Djambek was a military officer, independence fighter, and minister in the Cabinet of the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PRRI). During the Japanese occupation of West Sumatra, he was appointed Chairman of the Sumatra Chokai.
Rahmah el Yunusiyah was a Dutch East Indies and Indonesian politician, educator, and activist for women's education. Born into a prominent family of Islamic scholars, she was made to leave school in order to get married as a teenager. After a few years of marriage, el Yunusiyah obtained a divorce and returned to her education.
Colonel Ahmed Husein was an Indonesian independence fighter and military leader of the PRRI. Forming the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PRRI) 15, 1958, in Padang under the leadership of Syafruddin Prawiranegara.
Sinar Sumatra was a Malay-language newspaper published in Padang, Dutch East Indies from 1905 to around 1941 or 1942. It is generally considered a Peranakan Chinese publication, although it had European publishers and Minangkabau editors as well. During the pre-World War II period it was one of the most widely-read Malay language newspapers in Sumatra.
Kaharuddin Datuk Rangkayo Basa was an Indonesian police officer and politician who was the first governor of West Sumatra, serving from 1958 until his removal in 1965. His tenure included the rebellion of the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia in the province, which he had been an opponent of before his appointment.
Sheikh Sulaiman ar-Rasuli, known as Inyiak Canduang, was an Indonesian ʿālim and founder of Union of Islamic Education, a kaum tua (traditionalist) Islamic organization from West Sumatra. He was credited for popularizing the famous Minangkabau idiom, adat basandi syarak, syarak basandi Kitabullah.
Djanius Djamin is an Indonesian academic and politician. She was the rector of the State University of Medan between 1998 and 2007, and chaired the Medan City Regional House of Representatives between 1969 and 1971.
The Japanese occupation of West Sumatra, officially known as Sumatora Nishi Kaigan Shū, started from 1942 until 1945 when the region was controlled by the Empire of Japan. The occupation was notable and recognized as one of the rare instances where a civilian government was established, rather than being governed by someone associated with the Japanese Imperial Army. The Japanese entered Padang on 17 March 1942 and within ten days all important cities in the West Sumatra region were occupied without resistance from the Dutch. The Japanese occupation of the region ended on 17 August 1945 with the proclamation of Indonesian independence by Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta.
