Animals of the island of sumatra. Sumatra island. Islands of Indonesia: geographical location and description. Sumatra: state affiliation
Sumatra… One of my favorite islands in Indonesia, if not the most! Sumatra is huge, diverse and unique. Now, if they asked me: “Where do you want to stay to live, start a family, children, a house?”. Then my answer would be "Sumatra!". Yes, Sumatra is a mother. Here you lie, sometimes, in hot springs in the open air ... To your right is the Sibayak volcano, and to your left - the jungle, from where you can hear the songs of the siamangs and you understand how good it is to live and feel every moment with every cell of the body. Or you sit on the beach of a desert island in the Banyac archipelago and think: “Is there anyone else on this planet besides me? Or maybe I don’t exist either ... there is only a boundless sea, sand, palm trees, waves ... ”. Sumatra is my personal paradise, but it can be yours…
Sumatra is divided into 10 provinces, I have been to half of them
Provinces of Sumatra
Aceh
The northernmost province of Sumatra, famous for its supposedly radical Muslims. Yes, Islam is strict here, but, of course, not as much as in Arab countries. Indonesia remains Indonesia in Aceh. I have been here a few times when I traveled around Sumatra on a motorbike. I really liked Aceh for its nature preserved in almost its original form, mountains, many kilometers of beaches on the west coast, wild people in remote villages. There are practically no tourists here, only foreigners regularly visit Veh Island. Meanwhile, there is something to see and I still plan to come back here. I visited the city of Takengon located at an altitude of 1100 meters at sea level and Lake Laut Tawar, the capital of the province of Banda Aceh, the village of Ketambe, from where you can go trekking through the Gunung Leser National Park, the uninhabited islands of the Banyak archipelago, where is a real tropical paradise!
Bengkulu
Bengkulu is a quiet and isolated province that stretches along the west coast in the southern half of Sumatra. It has the lowest population density on the island of Sumatra, but few forests have survived, only in the mountains of the Barisan range. In the lowlands, everything is cut down for oil palm plantations. In the cities of the province of Bengkulu, there are a lot of buildings specialized for growing nests of swift salangans without windows and doors. But the locals do not know how to cook bird nests: everything goes straight to China. The capital of the province of Bengkulu, the city of the same name is very pleasant, clean and quiet, somewhat similar to provincial Thai cities, only without dogs and temples 🙂 I lived here for several days while extending my visa. There are practically no tourists. Although there is something to see and do in the province, the cat wept for information in Runet. The most famous mountain in the province is Kaba volcano. Very easy to climb: it takes less than 1 hour to walk along a short path to the crater. The crater itself, or rather the craters are very beautiful and active: they soar, smoke, there are mud geysers, large fumaroles, colored lakes, like changing color on Kelimutu.
.North Sumatra
North Sumatra is the most touristic region on the island, but only due to the largest caldera lake in the world, Toba, and the village of Bukit Lawang, where you can watch orangutans. I have been here many times and in many places, so I have a lot of material on Sumatra Utara. In addition to the above two points, I highly recommend stopping by the city of Berastagi, located at an altitude of 1400 meters next to two active volcanoes: Sinabung and Sibayak. The latter is very easy to climb, if you drive up to it by car or motorbike as close as possible, go to the crater for only half an hour, or even less. Also in the vicinity of Berastagi there is a unique two-color waterfall, with cold blue water, next to it there is an ordinary waterfall with warm water. The main point of arrival in North Sumatra is Kuala Namu Airport, which opened in the summer of 2013. This is the second largest airport in Indonesia, very pleasant. The transport system in North Sumatra entangles the entire province, getting somewhere is not a problem, but the buses are old, sometimes quite. I have prepared several local guides for North Sumatra:
West Sumatra
West Sumatra is my favorite province on the island! I love the city of Bukittinggi located in the mountains on the equator. For me, duck there is the most ideal climate for life! Warm, but not cold and not hot, humid, but not flooding or overdrying, high (900 meters), but not really. I have been here many times and alone with friends and with clients ... I do not get tired of coming back here and I hope to come back again more than once. As well as in the province of Aceh in West Sumatra, the primary equatorial forest has been preserved. In general, the trekking opportunities for nature lovers are endless here: the Marapi, Singgalang, Thalang, Talamau volcanoes ... And there are so many lakes: Maninjau, Danau Bawah, Danau Atas. I did not like the capital of the Padang region, but there are good islands near it, where it is convenient to swim from the Rimba Ecolodge guest house.
.Jambi
Jambi is a vast province in the southern half of Sumatra. I've only been here once, when I climbed Indonesia's highest volcano, Kerinci. Its height is 3805 meters. The ascent takes 2 days and is surprisingly easy for such a high mountain. During my ascent in July 2013, the weather was bad, everything was overcast and I could hardly see anything from the top. In addition to the volcano, the Danau Gunung Tujuh crater lake at an altitude of 2000 meters is interesting in the region, where I was also. Actually these two mountains are next to each other. Near these mountains, elite varieties of tea are grown, which are exported directly to Holland and England. I didn’t manage to visit the factories: everything is serious there, the entrance is by passes and machine gunners are everywhere. I don’t know what kind of tea this should be, if it is so severely guarded. There are several large cities in the province, including the capital Jambi, but I have not been there and apparently they are not of particular interest.
.Lampung
Lampung is the closest province to Java in Sumatra and as a result has a large Javanese population. The local cities are more like Java. But in the province, the wilderness is still there. I have been here several times, exploring geothermal anomalies in the Suoh Valley for almost a week, climbing the Krakatoa volcano twice, seeing the Sumatran rhinoceros in the Wai Kambas National Park. There are many potential tourist sites in Lampung province, but there are very few foreign tourists due to lack of information. I really liked the island of Sebesi, from where the cheapest option is to sail to the volcano Krakatau. Mostly Javanese live on Sebesi, and if you want to look at a real seaside Javanese village, you are here. Traditional crafts, fishing and boundless attention and smiles of the locals await you there.
.South Sumatra
A huge province with its capital in the two-million city of Palembang. I have so far been only in the city of Pagaralam and its environs.
.Realizing how little information there is about the sixth largest island on the planet, I have already written dozens of detailed articles on this island and continue to please with something new every year. Below I have sorted the available articles into thematic categories for ease of search. This page is regularly updated with new material.
Sumatra is the westernmost island of the Indonesian archipelago and the fifth largest in the world, a place steeped in legends and practically devoid of civilization.
In the southeast of the island, as early as the 7th century AD, there was a Buddhist kingdom of Srivijaya. And at the end of the 12th century, Arab traders and merchants from India brought their religion to the island. This is how Islam was born.
If you decide to make a trip to the island of Sumatra, then there is simply no better time than from May to June and from September to October. These periods on the island of Sumatra are characterized by warm weather, dry and sunny and, by the way, prices in hotels are quite reasonable. But if you plan your visit to the island of Sumatra in July or August, then you should expect expensive prices, 1.5 times higher than usual, and hotels crowded with European tourists. Indeed, now the island of Sumatra in terms of the number of tourists visited the island ranks third after Bali and Java. What attracts travelers to the island of Sumatra? First, by its nature. Hundreds of kilometers of beaches stretch along the coast, with dark sand of volcanic origin, the island has reserves rich in exotic flora and fauna, crystal clear mountain lakes and a very interesting past, captured by history in the ruins of temples, mosques and palaces that have survived to this day.
Medan is a port city and the capital of North Sumatra province. It has a very important strategic importance for the island of Sumatra, since it serves as a kind of link between the island and the capital Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Amsterdam, Vienna and the island of Penang.
A long time ago, this huge canvas of land (about the size of modern France) among the boundless expanse of the ocean was called the island of Andalas. Well, today it is better known as the island of Sumatra. The word Andalas - the former name of these island lands of Sumatra was borrowed from the language of the indigenous population of the island - the Minangkabau language. Now it is immortalized only in some names of institutions and establishments of the city. For example, in the name of Sumatran University, several business firms, cinemas and shops.
The equator passes through the island of Sumatra, dividing the island into two parts, and almost equal. And now, something curious - not far from the city of Bukittinggi, you can easily set foot on the northern hemisphere, the other on the southern hemisphere. What is true, there will certainly not be any unusual sensations in this case. But the geographer-scientist will officially confirm the fact that now you are simultaneously in 2 seasons.
The island of Sumatra is interesting because it is rich in a variety of cultures. By this, he constantly attracts the attention of scientists - cultural experts, sociologists, people who study art. On the lands of the island of Sumatra, there are as many as six ethnic, and quite large, groups. Each of them has its own language, its own culture, its own traditions and customs. If you want to travel around the island of Sumatra, then this can be done by car, bus and (!) Even a cart drawn by buffaloes. And on the island of Sumatra, the doors of museums and national libraries are open for those interested. And the most interesting, of course, is still live communication. So, on the island of Sumatra, you can chat with old-timers who can tell many interesting stories. For example, people still live on the island of Sumatra who remember the last bloodthirsty ritual on these lands, performed seventy years ago. And there are even eyewitnesses who claim that there were cases of cannibalism in a tribe living in the center of the island of Sumatra. Here are some interesting facts, from which it becomes even somehow uncomfortable.
But let's not talk about the sad and terrible. Let's talk about something fun, for example, about Sumatran weddings. Here, too, everything is no less interesting. So, one of the traditions of the island of Sumatra is that the girl herself chooses the groom herself, and not vice versa, the guy chooses the girl as his wife. And the situation is similar with matchmaking - it is the bride's parents who send matchmakers to the groom's parents. And their own “court” determines whether such a husband is suitable for their daughter, whether he is worthy of the kind of their family or not. Although recently violent weddings have already lost their relevance, young men and women are increasingly objecting to such lack of rights and lack of freedom of choice. And, nevertheless, the parental word on the island of Sumatra still remains significant. Before the family of the future bride decides who to marry the daughter as a husband, all the information will be collected about each potential groom - who this young man is, what qualities and character traits he has, what family he is from, how wealthy she is, who the young man has in relatives, and what kind of people they are. And by the way, preference in many parts of the island of Sumatra is still given the old fashioned way - not the profession of the future groom, but his origin.
In order to file a divorce, in Sumatra, the wife does not need to give any special explanations or reasons why a divorce is necessary. She can get away with a fairly simple explanation of her decision. For example, to say that the husband earns little, does not care about her or the children at all, is rude, and the like. It's enough to kick her husband out. And not only the wife has such rights. Her mother, too, can and has every right to forbid the unfortunate husband to come to his wife (!). This is called divorce in Sumatra. A girl has the right to take a new husband after a period of three months.
Why was the phrase “coming to your wife” specifically used? Yes, again, it's just a matter of customs on the island of Sumatra. When a man takes a woman as his wife, from this, alas, he does not become the master of the house. After all, so to speak, the maternal race “rules” here. There is a real matriarchy on the island of Sumatra. And the loser husband is simply called “orang sumando”, which translates into Russian as “coming” or “alien”. The next morning, according to custom, the husband must leave his wife's house and go back to his mother.
What else is interesting about their customs? Well, for example, the fact that the husband practically does not take part in the fate and upbringing of children on the island of Sumatra. On the island of Sumatra, on the other hand, he is responsible for some members of his own family, namely for nephews and nieces - children through his sister's line. A husband has the right to see his children only when he comes to his wife's house to spend the night. And the care of them, according to the same principle, is entrusted to the brothers of the wife. By the way, about children, I think you will be interested to know that at the age of six or seven years old boys are sent to live in surau. Surau on the island of Sumatra is called a large community house, in which there is both a church and a school. Unmarried or divorced men live here, and those who do not have their own roof over their heads are also accepted. And this means that on the island of Sumatra a man has neither his own house, nor land, nor at least some valuable property. The rules dictated by the customs of the island of Sumatra are as follows - only women have the right to inherit.
Although in recent years on the island of Sumatra, old traditions are increasingly being evaded, violating the laws that have developed over the centuries. It happens that guys, growing up, tend to escape from their native places. Who wants to be almost like homeless and homeless, living on bird's rights in surau?! Women today also violate sacred laws. Having married, they leave their husband in their house forever, putting forward a demand to the clan that they be given a small separate house.
As part of the Mentawai archipelago, which stretches like a thread of emeralds along the southwestern coast of the island of Sumatra, there is the island of Siberut. The sea surface with a length of 1.5 hundreds of kilometers closes the rift fold - a geological formation that is a kind of barrier between Indonesia and Mentawai. They even differ in flora and fauna - 2/3 of the mammals of the island of Siberut are found exclusively on its territory and nowhere else. Well, for example, the distant ancestor of our pet cats is the palm marten.
There are no roads on Siberut. And, absolutely none. It’s not worth talking about paved roads at all - there aren’t even unpaved ones. Siberut lacks electricity, running water, television and radio. But there is something else priceless - clean air, tropical forest, crystal clear rivers and streams, a variety of animals and birds. And everything that moves and grows on the island serves as food for the Siberians. It doesn't matter if it's coconut bananas or monkeys, fish and ant larvae.
At night there is a hunt for river crabs. Women are engaged in this occupation, armed with a torch for lighting and nets for catching. But men, as has long been customary, hunt. Moreover, their weapons are very unusual - arrows saturated with the poison of anchar.
The islanders of Siberut live in elongated houses. In the middle, such houses are divided into three main parts by partitions. One of them is the kitchen, and the other two are the men's and women's rooms. And there is also a closed part of the house, located at the back. This is the place where widows live. According to beliefs and customs, they are supposed to sleep separately from the rest, so as not to incur the wrath of their former deceased husbands. The middle part of the house is used for rituals. Around this part are mats of married women, girls and small children, intended for sleeping. The front part of the house is assigned to the men for the night. And under the shaky bamboo floor - also a life of its own. Pigs are kept and fed there, the swamp is squelching, flies live during the day, and mosquitoes at night.
Any thing or food - everything they need to live on the island they take from nature. Fortunately, the nature of all this eats as much as it needs and will continue to do so. And therefore, it is not customary to store something.
And today the situation in Siberut is somewhat different. Uninvited and unexpected, starving for the land, 20 thousand Indonesian peasants also settled on the lands of the island. Out of sheer necessity, they were forced to leave the large but overpopulated islands where they had lived before. And today they watch with hungry eyes the heavenly protected places of Siberut, where only two thousand people live. So far, "paradise" is under state protection.
Holidays are very interesting on the island of Sumatra. For example, "Puliaijat". The day before the holiday begins, a tattoo master appears in the ancestral home. After all, "Puliaijat" is also a celebration of coming of age, which means that all island youth who have reached a certain age will receive, as it were, a "certificate" of their personality - a tattoo from the master. When the master gets down to work, he will first make paints - he will mix wood ash with sugarcane juice in the shell of a large coconut, heat it up in the same “container” and begin to paint the body lying at his feet. Tattoos are made with palm wood chips. But the main weapon is a sickle, in the middle of the arc of which a spike is enclosed. On it, the master will tap with a thin stick, drawing it along the contour of the already drawn lines.
Initially, such a procedure on the island of Sumatra is performed on the chest and neck. Next - on the face, stomach, back, arms and legs. And since it hurts quite a lot, the girls scream hollowly. But the guy can not show in public that he is in pain. The painful procedure lasts for three hours.
In honor of the islanders, the “model village” is a couple of dozen houses built on the island of Sumatra by the state, located to the left and right of the road. Also, a school and a Catholic church.
And now the "long houses" of the Siberuts have already been pushed to the edge of the village and are almost already in the jungle. While the celebration is going on, young men and women, who are being raised by missionaries and dressed in European clothes, ridicule naked savages. For pupils of missionaries, access to the "pagan performance", as they call the holiday of wild Siberians, is prohibited. Meanwhile, the celebration continues. It lasts all night through the full moon and the next day to boot. That is twenty-four hours. All this time, the holiday is accompanied by its irreplaceable attributes - singing to the beat of drums and roasting monkeys and pigs on fires. “Satiated” with the aroma of fried meat coming from the fire, young “orang Catholics” (“newly minted” Christians) dejectedly wander into their mission to regale themselves with boring unloved rice porridge. After all, they, too, in the distant past, were free children of the forests, and, just like the Siberians, they would now prefer to taste meat instead of rice porridge. However, being civilized is not easy. People of civilization are required to wear pants and shirts, and also ... there is rice.
Being on the island of Sumatra, you should not think about what to see. We will talk about this now. And then - choose for yourself. Although, the choice before you is difficult. After all, there are so many interesting, interesting and impressive things for tourists. So, from the sights of the island of Sumatra, Mount Lauser Park can be noted. This is a national reserve, and the oldest, located in the Lawang Valley. It is here that you can find a large number of animals that are on the verge of extinction. These are tigers, elephants, orangutans, bears, rhinos, tapirs and siamangs (black gibbons). What awaits them in the future is unknown. And will they have it? Now the state is engaged in their protection, and the park is under state protection.
You can not ignore the island of Sumatra and Lake Toba. It owes its appearance to the volcanic eruption that occurred here seventy-five thousand years ago - this is a caldera flooded with water. The area of the lake is 1300 square kilometers. Its depth reaches five hundred meters, and in the middle there is a huge island of Samosir. On the banks of the Tobo, the Parapat resort is located, with luxurious hotels and a large number of restaurants of national cuisine. Leisure activities here are also varied. But the choice of water sports is especially great. You can get to Parapat in four hours by car or by bus from Medan. The northern part of Lake Tobo is very interesting - here you can watch the three hundred and sixty-pound mountain waterfall. On the island of Sumatra, this is a breathtaking sight - crystal clear splashes of water in the purest rarefied mountain air create some kind of unprecedented effect, as if what is happening is unreal. In addition, you can take a fascinating boat trip to Samosir and get acquainted with the culture of the Batak tribe living there. Learn about their culture, way of life, see the village, traditional dances of the inhabitants and listen to folk songs, buy goods at the fruit market and, of course, see one of the sights of the island - the royal grave and the palace.
Just five kilometers from Medan is a large Indonesian crocodile farm. Here you can see how little crocodiles hatch from eggs.
But if you take a trip to the island of Sumatra deep into the hills - there, behind countless rivers, a real paradise for lovers of bright adventures - lush jungle separates tourists from the orangutan rehabilitation center.
On the island of Nias, you can see a rather spectacular and impressive sight - the ritual of "jumping over the Stone". This is one of the traditions of the Nias people. The male part of the population performs ritual jumps.
The traditional building of West Sumatra is the "big house" or as it is called in the native language Rumah Gadang. Its main difference is the unique shape of the roof, similar to the horns of a buffalo. It is also worth seeing Jam Gadang (literal translation - "big clock") in the beautiful city of Bukittinggi, located on the highlands. This is its main attraction. Here you can also choose souvenirs, for yourself as a keepsake or as a gift to family and friends. And the best souvenir from these parts will be "kain songket" - a traditional fabric with a pattern characteristic of Minangkabau, and made with gold and silver threads.
Sumatra is one of the largest Indonesian islands, famous for the ruins of ancient temples, palaces, long coastline, virgin nature. The Barisan mountains stretch along the western coast of the island, the highest point of which is the peak of Kerinchi - a height of 3.8 km. In this part of Indonesia, tectonic layers regularly collide, causing devastating earthquakes. The eastern part of Sumatra is dominated by flat areas. Where is ?
The island is a territory stretched for 1.8 thousand km; in width reaches 435 km. Curiously, the island is located in two hemispheres, and is divided into two equal parts by the equator.
History of Sumatra
At the beginning of the 17th century, the Dutch colonialists fought with the Aceh Sultanate in Sumatra, which traded spices. The natives established trade relations with the British, which put the Dutch East India Company in a difficult position. As a result, the two European maritime powers fought for dominance in Sumatra for a long time, while the authority of the Aceh Sultanate only strengthened.
At the end of the 19th century, the Krakatoa volcano buried the island in the deep ocean, thus ending the wars and eradicating the Aceh civilization. Japan occupied Sumatra in the 20th century, and after the end of World War II, the island became part of Indonesia.
Things to Do in Sumatra
The Paradise Mosque with characteristic black domes is the main symbol of Sumatra. The following architectural and natural attractions are also noteworthy:
- the 1888 Maimun Palace (the current residence of the royals);
- a military museum containing military exhibits from various eras;
- Lake Tobo (the world's largest lake in the crater of a volcano);
- Lake Samosir, which is popular among lovers of secluded recreation.
Thermal springs can be found on Mount Belirang, and the performance of the traditional Toba Batak dance can be seen in Simanido. At Ambarita, natives display stone thrones that only an elder can sit on.
Indonesia - a large state in Southwest Asia - is not in vain called the Land of a Thousand Islands. It is spread over parts of New Guinea, the Moluccas and Sunda Islands, the largest of which are Borneo, Sulawesi, Java, Sumatra, the islands of Timor, Flores, Sumbawa, Bali and others. The three islands of the Republic of Indonesia are among the six largest on the planet.
tropical paradise
The islands of Indonesia are a motley carpet of a mixture of peoples, cultures, diverse landscapes, natural and climatic zones. One of the most amazing is Sumatra, which many call a continent in miniature. There are tropics and savannahs, lowland swamps and high mountains. The island is inhabited by rhinos and elephants, tigers and leopards, bears and buffaloes - a large fauna that is not typical of the islands.
Geographical position
Sumatra is one of the largest archipelago. It stretches from northwest to southeast for 1800 km. The area of the island is 421,000 km2. It is formed by a system of mountain ranges extended far to the west. Their highest points are located at a distance of 30-50 km from the Indian Ocean. They don't have names. The southern sections are known as the Barisan range, in the northern part of the island rises the Batak plateau.
Smaller land areas are located around the "parent" island. From the side of the Indian Ocean, mountainous sparsely populated territories lined up parallel to Sumatra: Mentawai, Nias, Engano. Along the eastern shore are Sinkep, Banka, Belitung. Notorious became Simalur (Simelue) - an Indonesian island to the west of the island of Sumatra. In 2004, a giant tsunami hit its coast.
Very close, to the northeast, is the Malay Peninsula - part of the Asian continent. It is separated from Sumatra by the Strait of Malacca. The most important shipping routes pass here: rich cargo attracts real pirates of the 21st century who rob ships. To the east, 420 km, is the "big brother" - Between the "relatives" lies the Karimata Strait. The most populous Indonesian island, Java, is separated from Sumatra by the 25 km wide Sunda Strait.
The question "where is Sumatra" can be answered simply: between Australia and Asia. And more precisely - in the extreme west of the Malay Archipelago, in the triangle between Java, Kalimantan and the Malay Peninsula.
Geology
The mountains of Sumatra were formed partly in the Hercynian, partly in the Mesozoic and later Paleogene folding, they also have young longitudinal faults. They are composed of quartzites, crystalline schists, Paleozoic limestones, there are outcrops of granite intrusions. The average height of the mountains is from 1500 to 3000 m.
The Barisan Ridge is divided by a longitudinal zone of faults and grabens into two parallel chains. The island is crowned with numerous cones of active and extinct volcanoes, among which the highest volcano in Sumatra - Kerinchi (Indrapura), 3800 m high, is clearly distinguished. It is followed by Dempo (3159 m) and Marapi (2891 m). Only twelve active giants.
Between Sumatra and neighboring Java, the stratovolcano Krakatoa (813 m) lurks. Its eruptions are rare, but catastrophic. The last activity here was observed in 1999. In 1927-1929. As a result of an underwater explosion, the island of Anak-Krakatau was formed. And the eruption of 1883 actually destroyed the once high island - the blast wave was felt on all continents, circling the Earth three times.
Relief
In contrast to the southwestern mountain range, in the east of Sumatra lies a large swampy alluvial lowland. A feature of the area is that its coastal part is flooded by sea tides. Here are fertile conditions for extensive mangrove forests. Sumatra, the islands of Banka and Belitung are rich in various types of minerals: oil, coal, gold, manganese, iron, nickel, tin.
Climate
The Malay Archipelago on the map is located between Asia and Australia. The climate here is humid. The amount of precipitation in Sumatra in some places exceeds 3500-3800 mm (up to 6000 mm), but they fall unevenly. A large amount of rain is due to a mountain barrier that stretches along the entire island. The maximum moisture falls in October-November to the north of the equator, and in December-January - to the south of it. In the north, the season with less rainfall is more pronounced than in the south. The temperature is comfortable - 25-27 degrees almost throughout the year, but the incredibly high humidity spoils the idyllic picture.
Strong easterly winds often blow in the east of the island and in. They reach their greatest strength during the action of the southwest monsoon. Mostly this hurricane wind, accompanied by a thunderstorm, is observed at night - apparently, this is facilitated by the Sumatra mountain range, which runs parallel to the Straits of Malacca.
water areas
The islands of Indonesia, due to heavy rainfall, have excess moisture. Due to this, numerous rivers flow in most regions. Sumatra is no exception: the river network is quite dense, water flows do not dry up during the year, washing away a lot of sedimentary material from the mountains. The largest rivers of the island are Muse, Khari, Kampar, Rokan, Inderagiri.
There are many lakes on the island. In the center of the Batak tuff plateau in a volcanic depression lies the largest lake in Indonesia - Toba, with the island of Samosir in the middle. At one time, there was a separate Batak principality here, whose descendants, according to legend, settled throughout Sumatra. The lake is located at an altitude of 904 m above sea level. The area is more than 1000 km 2, and the maximum depth is 433 meters. It's cold here, especially at night. A 320,000 kW hydroelectric power station was built on the Asahan River, which flows out of the reservoir.
ground cover
The most common soil types are podzolized laterites that have formed on weathered crust. On the foothills and in the mountains, soils are represented by a variant of mountain lateritic soils. In the east, alluvial and marsh soils stretch in a wide strip, and mangrove soils in a narrow coastal strip.
Vegetation
The geographical position of Sumatra near the equator contributes to the growth of dense tropical forests, they occupy large areas. Unfortunately, in the river valleys, on the plains and in the mountain basins, large areas of forests have been cut down, and a variety of agricultural crops are grown in the developed territories. Rubber trees, rice, coconut palm, tobacco, tea, cotton, pepper are widely cultivated on the island.
The northeastern lowland coast is dominated by mangroves. In intermountain low areas, small areas are occupied by savannahs. At altitudes of 1.5-3 km, forests are common with a predominance of evergreen trees (laurel, oak), there are also coniferous, broad-leaved deciduous (chestnut, maple) trees. Above 3000 m, the forests give way to stunted thickets with falling leaves, shrubs and grasses.
Fauna
The island fauna is mainly represented by forest species. The jungles of Sumatra have become the Mecca of ecotourists who want to get acquainted with the life of one of the most interesting species of monkeys - orangutans.
Also typical mammals are primates (fat loris, siamang, pig-tailed macaques, brownie macaques), woolly wings, lizards, squirrels, badgers, bats. Among the large inhabitants, the two-horned rhinoceros, the Indian elephant, the black-backed tapir, the leopard, the striped pig, the island Weaver, and wild dogs stand out.
Of the birds, the most interesting are gomrai, argus, hornbeak, and several species of pigeons. Of the reptiles on the island, flying dragons, gharials (crocodiles), snakes are found. Of the amphibians, the legless worm stands out. A lot of different insects, arachnids.
Dormant supervolcano
On the map, it is not much different from neighboring lands, but it was here that an epoch-making cataclysm occurred 73,000 years ago that changed the history of the Earth. The explosion of a supervolcano gave rise to the emergence of the so-called volcanic winter, reminiscent of a nuclear one. In addition to 3000 km 3 of ash, a huge amount of anhydride fell into the atmosphere, which provoked widespread acid rain.
For six years, unnaturally low temperatures reigned on the planet, acid rains destroyed vegetation. The next millennium is characterized by cooling and the onset of glaciers. As a result, only the most intelligent survived from a large population of people - about 10,000 representatives of the Homo sapiens species in the heart of Africa. In fact, a natural disaster contributed to the "explosive" development of intelligence in our distant ancestors.
Lake Toba
Sumatra is an island with amazing nature. The most striking geological and cultural attraction is the largest lake of volcanic origin on the planet, Toba, which filled the giant crater of that very supervolcano. Its dimensions (length - 100 km, width - 30 km, depth - 505 m) allowed the reservoir to become the largest in Indonesia and the second (after Tonle Sap Lake) in Southeast Asia.
The picturesque island of Samosir is located on Lake Toba. It is famous for its incredible landscapes, nature, authentic culture. Not only Muslims live here, but also a people called Batak. They are Christians, they have very peculiar folk traditions, art, and especially architecture. Samosir is quite small, the length of its coastline is 111 km. But in this small area, developed tourist centers, and the “untouched” natural landscape, and the daily life of Sumatran peasants organically fit in.
Although the water in Toba is fresh, its transparency, azure, surrounding landscapes and microclimate are reminiscent of the Mediterranean coast. This association is broken only by the absence of large waves, which is a great advantage for many tourists.
Population
More than 300 peoples live in Indonesia, while linguists count 719 living languages and dialects. About 90% of citizens, including those in Sumatra, are Muslims. Most of the islanders know the Indonesian language, which is only 50 years old. It unites different peoples and nationalities in the country, it is studied in schools, it dominates on television and in the press.
The western region (Banka, Sumatra, the Mentawai Islands, the Linga Archipelago and others) is home to more than 50 million people who speak 52 languages. In the north and east of Sumatra and on numerous islands, Malays dominate, in the south - Javanese. The Chinese and Tamils are concentrated in urban centers.
Less than a third of the population lives in cities. Major metropolitan areas:
- Medan - 2.1 million people (2010).
- Palembang - 1.5 million (2010).
- Batam (Riau Islands) - 1.15 million (2012).
- Pekanbaru - 1.1 (2014).
In the central highlands and around Lake Toba, an amazing people live - the Bataks. First of all, their fantastic architecture surprises: three-story houses resemble Noah's Ark. The indigenous people explain that the first floor is for animals: earlier there were many wild animals in the forests, so the house was built “on legs” (on stilts) for safety. Families live on the second floor, and spirits live in the attic. Although the Bataks are Christians, they believe in spirits very much, so attics can even exceed the first two floors combined in size. In everyday life, the Bataks (there are about 6 million of them on the island) speak their own language, but most speak the national Indonesian. Many understand English.
Sumatra is a truly beautiful and breathtaking island in Indonesia. It is here that you can not only enjoy the real beauty of nature, but also immerse yourself in dangerous adventures. Travelers get the best opportunity to enjoy the picturesque nature, unique cultural heritage and affordable prices.
However, the island of Sumatra is associated with numerous natural disasters, which include volcanic eruptions, floods, tsunamis, landslides and earthquakes. Only brave tourists will be able to fully immerse themselves in the world of Sumatra and Indonesia in order to comprehend other facets of life.
Gunung Louser is a national park located along the border of two provinces in Indonesia. From the very beginning, this natural attraction attracts a large number of tourists who are ready to appreciate the beauty of nature and unique ecosystems. Gunung Loser National Park is a World Heritage Site and is home to orangutans, rhinos, elephants, tigers, Bengal cats.
Toba is one of the largest lakes in the world. The appearance of the lake was facilitated by the eruption of the volcano of the same name. Tropical pine forests grow on the banks. At the same time, even a boat trip will give bright and positive impressions.
Lake Toba is famous for its clean and clear water. People can see fish that sometimes rise to the surface of the reservoir. In addition, you can take unique photographs of Lake Toba.
The village of Tomok Bolon is a traditional settlement of the Sumatra tribe. Tourists note that it is here that you can understand how the locals live.
The whole village consists of houses with natural straw roofs. The houses are located on low piles, which allow, if necessary, to wait out the floods here.
There are also special rice barns in the village, which are not inferior in size to residential buildings and can be used as an additional bedroom.
The most important and beautiful building in the village is the public house. Its façade is adorned with a classic floral ornament that combines red, white and black. Today, the traditions of the peoples of Indonesia are gradually becoming a thing of the past. This leads to a noticeable influence of civilization. However, if you hurry, you can visit the village of Tomok Bolon.
The center is successfully working to conserve and increase the population of orangutans. The center was founded in 1973. Currently, the place is almost unique, as the opportunity to see wild orangutans is almost lost. Thousands of individuals live in the reserve, so there are good chances for the effective operation of the center.
Tourists get the opportunity to go into the jungle in order to understand how monkeys live. In addition, you can watch the feeding of wild orangutans. Such opportunities for admirers of ecological tourism are truly worthy.
Sipiso Piso Falls is located in the northern part of Lake Toba. This waterfall is steep, which only gives a unique touch to its appearance. The place surprises with its picturesque beauty. In addition, Sipiso Piso exists thanks to an underground river that flows under the plateau.
The natural attraction can be viewed from three viewing platforms. From each place a truly beautiful panorama of Sumatra opens up. The most worthy is the upper observation deck, which offers beautiful views of the best natural objects of the Indonesian island.
Simalungun Royal Palace is a worthy example of ancient Indonesian architecture. Despite its considerable age, the palace was kept in good condition thanks to regular restoration activities. Inside the building are richly decorated rooms that feature rich displays on the history of Sumatra. If you wish, you can buy unique souvenirs in a nearby shop.
The museum center is one of the oldest in Indonesia. Here are numerous artifacts from the Aceh province, which belongs to Sumatra.
Each visitor to the museum can appreciate the unique exposition, which fully reveals the significant aspects of the Aceh province. At the same time, most of the exhibits are directly related to nature and geology, as a result of which visitors form the right impression of the potential of the province.
The Ampera Bridge, which is a lifting bridge, was previously actively used to pass passing ships. The bridge was planned to create a unique rival for Tower Bridge, which proved to be a matter of principle for the local government. Funding for the project was taken from war reparations that were collected from Japan.
The Amper drawbridge project was developed by representatives of the Japanese company Fuji Car Manufacturing Co. Ltd. However, even the Japanese did not have the relevant experience, so it was not so easy to implement the project.
The vaults of the Amper Bridge ceased to rise in 1970. This is due to the fact that the half-hour wait that was required for the rise of the vaults led to serious delays. The silting of the river also led to the lack of the possibility of navigability of ships.
The national park surprises with its large area, but at the same time, tourists also note a truly picturesque nature. On the territory of the natural attraction there are rivers with rapids, caves, waterfalls and hot springs. The amazing diversity of the world of flora and fauna contributes to the fact that the national park plays a truly important role for the entire nature of Indonesia. Tigers, leopards, tapirs, Malayan bears, rhinos live here.
The National Library of Soeman H.S is housed in a unique building. The house where the library is located surprises with modern and elegant forms. However, not only the architectural design of the library contributes to the successful attraction of tourists.
The funds are regularly replenished with novelties of world literature and classical masterpieces, so the library is only expanding and developing. Local residents and tourists can choose interesting books and read them in a special room, attend lectures and relax in a cozy cafe.
Location: Jl. Jenderal Sudirman - 462.
Istana Maimun Palace is one of the most worthy sights of North Sumatra. The palace surprises with its unique architectural and interior design, in which it is possible to find worthy elements of various styles that combine in a truly harmonious way.
The palace complex was built for Sultan Al Makmun in 1887-1891. Today, the palace complex is one of the most important tourist attractions.
Only one room is available for visiting, which can be viewed in about 15 minutes. However, the interior still allows you to understand how special Indonesian sights are and make sure that many objects are different from European ones.
The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Catholic religious site that attracts pilgrims from all over the world.
Construction activities were carried out in 2001-2005. The religious landmark is a 2-story building with three domes, which are made in accordance with the best principles of the Indonesian style. The building is decorated with various symbols from religious themes, which emphasize the features of religious faith.
Location: Jl. Sakura III No. — 7, Perumahan Taman Sakura Indah.
Bukit Barisan Selatan is a national park in Sumatra, included in the official list of World Heritage Sites. The work of the national park contributes to the preservation of the richness of the Indonesian fauna and flora.
Initially, the territory was recognized as a protected area. However, after almost 50 years, the object was recognized as a national park.
The World Wildlife Fund notes that the violation of current legislation has led to partial loss of forests, as the area is now used for the development of coffee plantations.
Nature and adventure lovers can stay at a small hotel or campsite. In addition, river walks will contribute to a successful approach to pristine nature.
Sumatra is a truly charming island in Indonesia, allowing you to touch nature and Indonesian culture.
