Aceh Map & Geography

Aceh is located in the Northwestern of Sumatra Island with the area of approximately 57,365.57 km square or 12.26 % of size of Sumatra Island. It consists of 119 islands, 73 major rivers and 2 lakes. Aceh is surrounded by Malacca Strait in the north, North Sumatra Province in the east, Indian Ocean in the south and the west. The capital of Aceh is Banda Aceh.

The Special Province of Aceh with its area of 57 ,365.57 square kilometers covering 1.17 per cent of indonesia is situated at the northern tip of Sumatera Island, between latitudes 2<N-6°N and longitudes 95°E-98°E.

In the central part of this province runs the Bukit Barisan Mountain ranges with Tangse, Gayo, and Alas uplands. Also, there are several mountains found in the region such as Pasee Mountain with its peak, Geureudong" (2,595 m), and Peut Sagoe (2,708 m), Gayo Mountain range with its peak Burni Telong (2,566 m), and Ucap Malu Mountain range (3,187 m). Other mountains include: Alas mountain with its peak Abong-abong (3,015 m) Leuser (3,466 m), Aceh" Raya Mountain range with its peak Seulawah Agam, (1,762 m) and Seulawah Inong Mountain (868 m).

The area. also has several lakes such as lake Laut Tawar in Central Aceh with an area of 60 square kilometers and a height of 1,225 meters above sea level, and also lake Aneuk Laot in Sabang (Weh Island).

Besides the mountains and lakes, there are also several major and lesser rivers which run into either the Strait of Malacca or into the Indonesian Ocean. Among the rivers running into the Straits of Malacca are: Krueng Aceh (Aceh River) in the Greater Aceh Regency, Krueng Peusangan and Krueng Jambo Aye in North Aceh Regency, Krueng Baro in Pidie Regency, and Krueng Peureulak and Krueng Tamiang in East Aceh Regency; The rivers running to the Indonesian Qcean are Krueng Teunom and Krueng Meureubo in West Aceh Regency, Krueng Kluet, Krueng Simpang Kiri and Krueng Simpang Kanan in South Aceh Regency.

On the west and south coasts, there are both large and small islands, some of which are inhabited and others which are uninhabited. These islands are Pulau Weh, Pulau Breuh, Pulau Nasi, Pulau Simeulue and Pulau Tuangke (Pulau Banyak).

Geographically, the land in the Special Province of Aceh can be described as follows:

a. From the tip of Tamiang on the east coast to the tip of the north coast in Pidie, the soil is of organosol / alluvial type. This condition also applies to areas from Ujong Batee to Ulee Lheue (Krueng Aceh Valley),from Ujong Jahu (Calang) to Ujong Raya (West Aceh and South Aceh borders) and from Tapak Tuan (South Aceh) to Ujong Singkil.

b. The red yellow podsolic, litosol, and regosol type of soil is found from the tip Pidie to Ujong Batee in the Greater Aceh Regency, from Guereutee Mountain to Kuala Teunom (West Aceh), and from Kuala Tripa to Tapak Tuan (South Aceh).

c. The red yellow podsolic soil exists from Ulee Lheue to Guereutee Mountain.

d. The interlands of Aceh through to the upland plains contain red and yellow podsolic, litosol, regosol, and brown podsolic. Whereas gray podsolic, podsolic renzina, litosol pondosol are found in Pidie Regency. South East Aceh Regency partly contains organosol, alluvial soil type.