Aceh

Aceh Darussalam
Special territory
Other transcription(s)
• Jawoë	اچيه دارالسلام
From top left : Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, Lake Laut Tawar, Sabang, Gunung Leuser National Park, Seulawah Agam, Aceh Tsunami Museum
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): Serambi Mekkah Porch of Mecca
Motto: "Pancacita"(Sanskrit) "Five goals"
Location of Aceh (green) in Indonesia (beige).
Coordinates: 5°33′N 95°19′E / 5.550°N 95.317°E / 5.550; 95.317Coordinates: 5°33′N 95°19′E / 5.550°N 95.317°E / 5.550; 95.317
Country	Indonesia
Established	December 7, 1956
Capital	Banda Aceh
Government
• Body	Aceh Regional Government
• Governor	Zaini Abdullah (PA)
• Vice-governor	Muzakir Manaf
Area
• Total	58,376.81 km2 (22,539.41 sq mi)
Area rank	11th
Elevation	125 m (410 ft)
Highest elevation	3,466 m (11,371 ft)
Lowest elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Population (2016)
• Total	5,096,248
• Rank	14th
• Density	87/km2 (230/sq mi)
• Density rank	20th
Demonym(s)	Acehnese Warga Aceh (id) Kawom Aceh (ace)
Demographics
• Ethnic groups	70.65% Acehnese 8.94% Javanese 7.22% Gayo 3.29% Batak 2.13% Alas 1.49% Simeulue 1.40 Aneuk Jamee 1.11% Tamiang Malay 1.04% Singkil 0.74% Minangkabau
• Religion	98.19% Islam (official)
• Languages	Indonesian (official) Acehnese (regional)
Time zone	Indonesia Western Time (UTC+7)
Postcodes	23xxx, 24xxx
Area codes	(62)6xx
ISO 3166 code	ID-AC
Vehicle sign	BL
GRP per capita	US$ 2,239.49
GRP rank	26th
HDI	0.688 (Medium)
HDI rank	12th (2014)
Largest city by area	Subulussalam – 1.206 square kilometres (0.466 sq mi)
Largest city by population	Banda Aceh – (220,433 – 2010)
Largest regency by area	East Aceh Regency – 6,286.01 square kilometres (2,427.04 sq mi)
Largest regency by population	North Aceh Regency – (557,721 – 2014)
Website	Government official site

Aceh (Acehnese: Acèh; Jawi: اچيه‎; Dutch: Atjeh or Acheh; Indonesian: Provinsi Aceh) is a special region of Indonesia. The territory is located at the northern end of Sumatra. Its capital is Banda Aceh. It is close to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India and separated from them by the Andaman Sea.

There are 10 indigenous ethnic groups in this region, the largest being the Acehnese people, accounting for approximately 80% to 90% of the region's population.

Aceh is thought to have been the place where the spread of Islam in Indonesia began, and was a key factor of the spread of Islam in Southeast Asia. Islam reached Aceh (Kingdoms of Fansur and Lamuri) around 1250 AD. In the early seventeenth century the Sultanate of Aceh was the most wealthy, powerful and cultivated state in the Malacca Straits region. Aceh has a history of political independence and resistance to control by outsiders, including the former Dutch colonists and the Indonesian government.

Aceh has substantial natural resources, including oil and natural gas; some estimates put Aceh gas reserves as being the largest in the world. Relative to most of Indonesia, it is a religiously conservative area. It has the highest proportion of Muslims in Indonesia, who mostly live according to Sharia customs and laws.