Sumatra

Sumatra is the westernmost major island of Indonesia and the sixth-largest island in the world. It lies in the eastern Indian Ocean and is bordered by the Andaman Sea to the northwest, the Strait of Malacca to the northeast, the Java Sea to the southeast, and the Sunda Strait to the south, which separates Sumatra from Java. The island is oriented roughly north-south, with the western coast facing the Indian Ocean and the central spine formed by the Bukit Barisan Mountains. Mount Kerinci, at 3,792 meters, is the highest peak. The western part of Sumatra contains extensive tropical rainforests that are among the most biologically diverse in the region.

Historically, Sumatra was a core region of the Srivijaya maritime empire, centered around Palembang, which dominated trade between the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia from around the 7th to 13th centuries. The island later saw Dutch colonial rule and significant European contact before becoming part of the Republic of Indonesia after 1945. In 2004, the western coast of Sumatra was devastated by the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, especially Aceh, leading to a long recovery and peace process.

Sumatra is ethnically diverse, home to groups such as the Acehnese, Batak, Minangkabau, Melayu, and Lampung, among others. Indonesian is the national language, while regional languages are widely spoken. The island is predominantly Muslim, though there are Christian, Buddhist, and indigenous communities. The cultural landscape includes the matrilineal Minangkabau in West Sumatra and various traditional arts and oral literatures.

Sumatra contains several large protected areas, including Gunung Leuser, Kerinci Seblat, and Way Kambas, which conserve orangutans, tigers, elephants, and other endemic species. Deforestation, palm oil expansion, and mining pose environmental challenges. The tropical forests are part of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising these parks.

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