General Information

One of the poets who visited West Sumatra for the first time depicted this province as one of the remaining heavens on earth. West Sumatra is indeed very rich in stunning natural scenic panorama, including a number of unique stalactite caves. There are also several beautiful lakes, nature reserves and eighteen mountains, three of which are active volcanoes: Mount Merapi, Mount Talang and Mount Tandikat in the area. With such a rich environment, West Sumatra has become for many years a popular destination for domestic and foreign tourists. In general the tourist destinations in the province spread out at three different main areas: Padang and its vicinity with their beautiful sea and beaches ; the cool Bukittinggi, famous for its plentiful assortment of delicious meals and snacks as well as home for a number of natural scenic beauties; and finally, the Tanah Datar area which is home for the old Minangkabau cultural heritage.

range of orchids and dwarf black and yellow gibbons.

LAND & SOCIETY

The province of West Sumatra covers an area of 42.229 square kilometers with Padang as its capital. The most recent census indicated that its population amounts to 4.5 millions, more or less the same with the number of Minangkabau living in the other parts of the country. The population comprises 85% Minangkabaus, and the rest are Indonesians of Arab, Indian, Chinese descents as well as Javanese transmigrants. Approximately 85% of the West Sumatrans reside in the rural areas living on traditional agricultural produce. The Minangkabaus are matrilineal. Land and wealth of the clan are handed down to the daughters. The Mentawai archipelago is part of West Sumatra, but their culture and language are entirely different from the Minangkabau’s.

LANGUAGE

The West Sumatrans speak in Minang. Each nagari or district has its own dialect. Thanks to the school system which has been introduced to this province for many years, people in both the rural and urban areas can speak Indonesian well. Nagari is a unique communal unit in Minangkabau.

CLIMATE

Being on the equator, West Sumatra has only two seasons: rainy and hot. The rainy season is between March and October, and the hot season, between April and September.

CUSTOM & TRADITIONS

The proverb in the Minangkabau tradition says: adat bersendi syara’, syara’ bersendi Kitabullah which means that customs follow the religious rules, and the latter are based on the Holy Qur’an. The consensus based on deliberation traditions has led the society to deal with others in a democratic way.

FLORA & FAUNA

West Sumatra, which is mountainous, is not only rich in dense forests, but also in the diversity of its flora and fauna, including several endangered species, such as the Sumatran tigers, twin horned rhinoceros, and a number of other wild animals. The famous Rafflesia Arnoldi flower is found in the areas around Padang and Bukittinggi. In additions, the jungles are home for wild boars, the famous hunting game targets in the area. While on the Mentawai archipelago you can find a wide