North Sumatra

North Sumatra (Indonesian: Sumatera Utara, Batak: ᯘᯮᯔᯖᯩᯒ ᯥᯖᯒ) is a province of Indonesia located in the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan on the east coast of the island. It borders Aceh to the northwest, Riau to the southeast, West Sumatra to the south, the Indian Ocean to the west, and the Strait of Malacca (with a maritime border with Malaysia) to the east. With a population of around 14.8 million in 2020 and a mid-2025 estimate of around 15.8 million (and adding about 200,000 people each year), North Sumatra is Indonesia's fourth most populous province and the most populous province outside of Java Island. At 72,437.755 square kilometres (27,968.374 mi2), North Sumatra is 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. The 15th of April was later designated as the anniversary of the founding of the province of North Sumatra.