Sumatera (Sumatra), located in Indonesia, the island is the sixth largest island in the world, with an area of 443,065.8 km2. Sumatra island population is about 42,409,510 inhabitants (2000). The island is often called Percha Island, Andalas, or Suwarnadwipa (Sanskrit word meaning Gold Island). Then on Padang Roco Inscription (1286) inscribed swarnnabhūmi and Bhumi Malayu to call this island. Later in the Negarakertagama script (14th century) also called Tanah Malayu for the island.
The origin name of Sumatra was originated from the existence of Samudera Kingdom (located on the east coast of Aceh). Begins with a visit Ibn Battuta, an adventurer from Morocco to this island in 1345, he pronounced the word Indian to Samatrah, and then became Sumatra or Sumatra, then these names are listed in the maps made by the Portuguese Empire in the 16th century, as a reference material on this island that became known widely until now.
Geographical Condition
Island of Sumatra is located in the western part of the constellation Islands Nusantara. In the north of the island borders the Bay of Bengal, on the east by the Strait of Malacca, on the south by the Strait of Sunda, and on the west by the Indian Ocean. To the east of the island of Sumatra there are many swamps with large rivers, among others; Asahan (North Sumatra), Kampar, Siak and Indragiri River (Riau), Batang Hari (West Sumatra, Jambi), Ketahun (Bengkulu), Musi, Ogan, Lematang, Komering (South Sumatra), and Way Sekampung (Lampung).
In the western part of Sumatra Island, lies the Bukit Barisan which ran from north to south. Only a few areas of the island suitable for rice farming. Along the lines of the hill there are volcanoes, which until now still active, such as Merapi (West Sumatra), Bukit Kaba (Bengkulu), and Kerinci (Jambi). Sumatra Island has many large lakes, among them Laut Tawar (Aceh), Lake Toba (North Sumatra), Lake Singkarak, Lake Maninjau, Lake Diatas, and Lake Dibawah (West Sumatra), and the Lake Ranau (Lampung and Bengkulu).
Etymology
Original name Sumatra, as noted in historical sources and folk tales is Island of Gold. The term ameh island (Minangkabau language, means the island of gold) found in the story Cindur Mata from the Minangkabau. In Lampung folklore there is a terms tanoh mas to refer to the island of Sumatra. A traveler from China named I-sing (634-713) called Sumatra with a chin-chou which means golden land. 
In various inscriptions, Sumatra, called by the Sanskrit name: Suwarnadwipa (island of gold) or Suwarnabhumi (golden land). These names are used in Indian texts BC. Manuscript oldest Buddhist, Jataka Book, told Indian sailors across the Bay of Bengal to the Suwarnabhumi. Ramayana story is told in the search for Dewi Sinta abducted by Ravana until the Suwarnadwipa. 
Arab travelers Sumatra island by the name of Serendib (exactly: Suwarandib), transliteration of the name Suwarnadwipa. Abu Raihan al-Biruni, Persian geographers who visited the kingdom of Srivijaya in 1030, said that the kingdom was located on the island Suwarandib. But there are also people who identify Serendib in Sri Lanka, who never called Suwarnadwipa.
In various inscriptions, Sumatra, called by the Sanskrit name: Suwarnadwipa (island of gold) or Suwarnabhumi (golden land). These names are used in Indian texts BC. Manuscript oldest Buddhist, Jataka Book, told Indian sailors across the Bay of Bengal to the Suwarnabhumi. Ramayana story is told in the search for Dewi Sinta abducted by Ravana until the Suwarnadwipa. Arab travelers Sumatra island by the name of Serendib (exactly: Suwarandib), transliteration of the name Suwarnadwipa. Abu Raihan al-Biruni, Persian geographers who visited the kingdom of Srivijaya in 1030, said that the kingdom was located on the island Suwarandib. But there are also people who identify Serendib in Sri Lanka, who never called Suwarnadwipa. 
Among the ancient Greeks, Sumatra was known by the name Taprobana. Name Taprobana insula has been used by Klaudios Ptolemaios, Greek geographer of the second century AD, when he describes the Southeast Asian region in his Geographike Hyphegesis. Ptolemaios wrote that in one area of the Taprobana Island there is Barousai country. Perhaps the area in question is Barus which is located on the west coast of Sumatra, which is famous since ancient times as a producer of mothballs. 
Greek manuscripts (70th AD) Periplous test Erythras Thalasses, revealed that Taprobana also known chryse nesos, which means island of gold. Since ancient times, traders from the area around the Mediterranean had come Nusantara, especially Sumatra. In addition to searching for gold, they are looking for incense (Styrax sumatrana) and camphor (Dryobalanops aromatica) who was only in Sumatra. In contrast, the Nusantara’s merchants had also sailed to the West Asia and East Africa for trade, as stated in the manuscript Historia Naturalis by Plini first century AD. 
In the book of the Jewish people, Melakim (the Kings), chapter 9, Solomon explained that as king of Israel received 420 talents of gold from Hiram, king of Tyrus, who became his subordinate. Gold was obtained from Ophir country. Kitab al-Qur'an, Surat Al-Anbiya '81, explained that the ships of Solomon as sailed to bless our land (al-ardha l-lati barak-Na fiha).Many historians argue that the country Ophir was located in Sumatra. It should be noted, the city of Tyrus is the marketing center of goods from the Far East. Ptolemaios also write Geographike Hyphegesis based on information from a merchant from the city of Tyrus named Marinus. And many European adventurers in the 15th century and the 16th for gold to Sumatra in the belief that therein lays Ophir country as Solomon.
Samudera became Sumatera
The name Sumatra comes from the name of Ocean, the kingdom of Aceh in the 13th and the 14th century. European travelers since the 15th century royal name were to call the whole island. Similarly, the island of Borneo was once called Borneo, from Brunei's name, the island's northern part which first visited by Europeans. Similarly, Lombok Island was named Selaparang, while Lombok is a region on the east coast of the island Selaparang stop off at first Portuguese sailors.
The transition name from Samudera (a kingdom) to Sumatra (island name) is interesting to trace. Odorico da Pardenone in the story of his voyage in 1318 mentioned that he sailed to the east of the Coromandel, India, for 20 days, and then reached the Sumoltra kingdom. Ibn Bathutah told in the book Rihlah Masyriq ila l-(travels to the East) that in 1345 he stopped at Samatrah kingdom. In the next century, the name of the country or kingdom of Aceh was taken over by other travelers to mention the entire island.
In the year 1490, Ibn Majid create a map of the area around the Indian Ocean and there is written Samatrah island. Map of Ibn Majid was copied by Roteiro in 1498 and appeared Camatarra name. Map made by the Amerigo Vespucci in 1501 appeared the name Samatara, while maps made by Masser in 1506 led to Samatra name. Ruy d'Araujo in 1510 the island was call the island by the name Camatra, and Alfonso Albuquerque in 1512 to write the name Camatora. Antonio Pigafetta in 1521 was wearing a rather correct name Somatra. But many other travelers are notes more chaotic with writing Samoterra, Samotra, Sumotra, even Zamatra and Zamatora.
According to the records of the Dutch and English since Jan Huygen van Linschoten and Sir Francis Drake in the 16th century are always consistent in the writing of Sumatra. This form is to be fixed, and then adjusted to the pronunciation of Indonesian Sumatra.
Population
In general, the island of Sumatra inhabited by the Malays, which is divided into several tribes. Major tribes are Acehnese, Batak, Melayu, Minangkabau, Lampung and Histories. In the eastern coastal region of North Sumatra and big cities such as Medan, Palembang, and Pekanbaru many ethnic Tionghoa settled. Sumatra island population is only concentrated in the region of East Sumatra and the Minangkabau highlands. Sumatra livelihoods are mostly as farmers, fishermen, and traders.
Population of Sumatra Island is Muslim majority and minorities are Protestant, especially in the area Tapanuli, Nias Island Nias and North Sumatra. In urban areas, such as Medan, Pekanbaru and Palembang, there are also some Buddhist people.
Transportation
Cities in Sumatera Island connected by three cross streets, which cross the middle, across the east, and west traffic. In some parts of Sumatra Island, the train is an alternative means of transportation. In the south, the railway line starts from the port of Panjang (Lampung) to Lubuk Linggau and Palembang (South Sumatra). In the middle of the island of Sumatra, the railway line only occurred in West Sumatra. This route connects the city of Padang with Sawah Lunto and the city of Padang Pariaman. During Dutch colonial rule until the year 2001, the line of Padang - Sawah Lunto used for transporting coal. But since the coal reserves in Ombilin began to thin out, and then this path does not work anymore. Since the end of 2006, the West Sumatra provincial government, re-activate this pathway as a tourist railway.
In the northern part of Sumatra Island, the railway line runs from Medan to the Tebing Tinggi city. At this point, the train used as a means of transportation of oil palm and passengers.
International flights are served on the island of Sumatra from Banda Aceh (International Airport Sultan Iskandar Muda), Medan (Polonia International Airport), and Padang (Minangkabau International Airport). While the sea port in Teluk Bayur (Padang) and Belawan (Medan).
Economy
Island of Sumatra is rich in agricultural produce. From among the five richest provinces in Indonesia, there are three provinces on Sumatra Island, the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, Riau and South Sumatra. The main results of Sumatra Island are palm oil, tobacco, petroleum, tin, bauxite, coal and natural gas. Mining results is largely processed by foreign companies, such as PT Caltex petroleum processing in the province of Riau.
Places where the mine is producing the goods:
1. Arun (NAD) produces natural gas,
2. Pangkalan Brandan (North Sumatra) produces oil,
3. Duri, Dumai and Bengkalis (Riau), produces oil,
4. Tanjung Enim (South Sumatra) produces coal,
5. Plaju and Gerong River (South Sumatra), produces oil,
6. Tanjung Pinang (Riau Islands) produces bauxite,
7. Indarung (West Sumatra) produces cement,
8. Sawahlunto (West Sumatra) produces coal,
Several cities on the island of Sumatra are also a city of commerce that is important. Medan is the largest city on the island of Sumatra; the city is a major trading town on the island. Many large companies nationally headquartered here.
List of Provinces on the island of Sumatra:
1. Aceh
2. Sumatera Utara
3. Sumatera Barat
4. Riau
5. Jambi
6. Sumatera Selatan
7. Bengkulu
8. Lampung
List of mountains on the island of Sumatra:
1. Mount Dempo (3159 m)
2. Mount Kerinci (3.805 m)
3. Mount Leuser (3172 m)
4. Mount Marapi (2,891.3 m)
5. Mount Perkison (2300 m)
6. Mount Pesagi
7. Mount Sekincau (1718 m)
8. Mount Seulawah Agam (1.726 m)
9. Mount Sibayak (2.212 m)
10. Mount Singgalang (2.877 m)
11. Mount Talamau (2,912 m)
12. Mount Tandikat (2438 m)
13. Mount Tanggamus (1162 m)
14. Mount Rajabasa (1281 m)
