Medan is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of North Sumatra. The nearby Strait of Malacca, Port of Belawan, and Kualanamu International Airport make Medan a regional hub and multicultural metropolis, acting as a financial centre for Sumatra and a gateway to the western part of Indonesia. About 60% of the economy in North Sumatra is backed by trading, agriculture, and processing industries, including exports from its 4 million acres of palm oil plantations. The National Development Planning Agency listed Medan as one of the four main central cities in Indonesia, alongside Jakarta, Surabaya, and Makassar. In terms of population, it is the most populous city in Indonesia outside of the island of Java. Its population as of 2023 is approximately equal to the country of Moldova.
North Sumatra 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.
Nias is an island located off the western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. Nias is also the name of the archipelago of which the island is the centre, but also includes the Batu Islands to the southeast and the small Hinako Islands to the west. Nias Island covers an area of 5,573.27 km2 (2,151.85 sq mi). It is mostly a lowland area rising to around 800 m (2,600 ft) above sea level. There were 756,338 inhabitants on the island at the 2010 Census; at the 2015 Intermediate Census this had risen to 798,506 and the 2020 Census resulted in a total of 880,550. The official estimate as of mid-2023 was 930,294.
Songket or sungkit is a tenun fabric that belongs to the brocade family of textiles of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. It is hand-woven in silk or cotton, and intricately patterned with gold or silver threads. The metallic threads stand out against the background cloth to create a shimmering effect. In the weaving process the metallic threads are inserted in between the silk or cotton weft (latitudinal) threads in a technique called supplementary weft weaving technique.
The National Museum of Indonesia is an archeological, historical, ethnological, and geographical museum located in Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, right on the west side of Merdeka Square. Popularly known as the Elephant Museum after the elephant statue in its forecourt, its broad collections cover all of Indonesia's territory and almost all of its history. The museum has endeavoured to preserve Indonesia's heritage for two centuries.
The University of North Sumatra is a public university located in the city of Medan in North Sumatra, Indonesia.
The Simalungun people are an ethnic group in North Sumatra, considered one of the Batak peoples. Simalungun people live mostly in Simalungun Regency and the surrounding areas, including the city of Pematang Siantar, an autonomous city, but previously part of Simalungun Regency.
The Greater Medan metropolitan area, known locally as Mebidangro is a metropolitan area in North Sumatra, Indonesia, which consists of Medan City, Binjai City, Deli Serdang Regency and part of Karo Regency. The metropolitan area was established by a presidential decree in 2011. It is a leading economic centre in western Indonesia, especially for provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Riau. The metropolitan area also serves as a hub for western Indonesia.
State Islamic University of North Sumatera is a state Islamic university located in the large city of Medan, North Sumatra, and is the only state Islamic university in North Sumatra.
Mr. Sutan Mohammad Amin Nasution, also known by his birth name Krueng Raba Nasution, was an Indonesian lawyer and politician with an Acehnese–Mandailing background.
PanditaRoos Telaumbanua was an Indonesian Nias priest, politician and bureaucrat, who served as the Regent of Nias, acting Mayor of Medan, acting Governor of Sumatra, and the member of People's Representative Council.
Lundu Panjaitan was a Batak politician and bureaucrat. He began his career in bureaucracy as the assistant for administrative affairs in the office of the Governor of North Sumatra and became the Regent of Central Tapanuli in 1980. Since then, he has been appointed to several high positions in North Sumatra, such as the Head of the Tourism Bureau of North Sumatra, Regent of North Tapanuli, Chairman of the Provincial Investment Coordinating Board of North Sumatra, and the Deputy Governor of North Sumatra.
Raja Junjungan Lubis was an Indonesian Mandailing politician who became the Regent of Batanggadis, Regent of Central Tapanuli, Mayor of Sibolga, Governor of North Sumatra, and member of the People's Representative Council.
Ulung Sitepu was an Indonesian general and politician who served as the governor of North Sumatra from 1963 until 1965. Following the 30 September Movement, he was arrested and accused of supporting the movement. He was sentenced to death, but the sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment.
The 1963 North Sumatra gubernatorial election was an indirect election held to elect the Governor of North Sumatra for the 1963–1968 term. All members of the Regional People's Representative Council of North Sumatra were eligible to vote for this election.
Tortor is a traditional Batak dance originating from North Sumatra, Indonesia. This dance was originally a ritual and sacred dance performed at funerals, healing ceremonies, and other traditional Batak ceremonies. For the Batak people, tortor dance has both cultural and spiritual values. Through this dance, people express their hopes and prayers. Demonstrations of attitudes and feelings through this dance describe the situation and conditions that are being experienced.
Sjoerkani was an Indonesian bureaucrat and politician. He served as the vice governor of West Sumatra between 1987 and 1992, and was also the province's secretary between 1981 and 1987. He also served as the mayor of Medan between 1966 and 1974.
