Medan city, the geography
The Medan City had an area of 26.510 hectare (265,10 Km2) or 3,6% of the entire North Sumatran territory. Therefore, compared with the other city/regency, the Medan City had the area of the territory that relatively small, but with a relatively high number of populations. Geographically the Medan city was located to south 3° 30 minutes – 3° 43 minutes latitudes and east 98° 35 minutes - 98° 44 minutes longitudes. Thus the topography of the Medan city lean to the north with the altitude of 2,5 - 37,5 meters on sea level.
Administratively, the Medan city territory almost overall shared the borders with the region of the Deli Serdang Regency, which is to West, South and East border.
While the North territory directly bordered with the Malacca Strait, which was known as one of the most densely populated sea routes in the world. The Deli Serdang regency was one of the regions that were rich in natural resources, especially in the matter of plantation and forestry. Thus, geographically the Medan city was supports by regions with abundant natural resources like Deli Serdang, Labuhan Batu, Simalungun, North Tapanuli, South Tapanuli, Mandailing Natal, Karo, and Binjai etc.
This condition made the Medan city economically capable to develop various aligned co-operations and partnership, mutually beneficial, and reinforced each other with the surrounding regions.
Besides this as a region which located on the outskirts Malacca Strait (the route of the voyage), Then the Medan City had the strategic position as a gate (an entrance) of the trade activity in goods and services, whether for the domestic trade or the regional and international trade (export-import). The geographical position of this Medan City pushed the development of the city in two growth poles physically, which is the developing regions of Belawan and the centre of the Medan City.
Medan city, the History
The existence of the Medan City today was attached to a long historic dimension, beginning from the construction of the Medan “Putri Village” in 1590 by ”Guru Patimpus”, developed by the Deli Sultanate during 1669 which was proclaimed by Tuanku Perungit that separated it from the Aceh Sultanate. The next development of the Medan City was marked by the relocation of the capital of East Sumatra Resident from Bengkalis to Medan, in 1887, before finally the status was changed into “Gubernemen” led by a Governor in 1915. Historically, the development of the Medan city since the beginning has been placed as the route of the trade traffic.
Located near the crossing of the Deli River and Babura, as well as the policy from Sultan Deli to develop the tobacco plantation earlier, pushed the Medan City expanded as a Trade Centre (export-import) since the past.
While the change of Medan as the Deli capital has also driven the Medan city to develop as the centre of the government. Until today, besides being one of the Cities, also at the same time the capital of the North Sumatra province.
Medan City, the Culture
As an international trade centre, since the beginning the Medan City had diversity in ethnics, and in religions. Thus, the cultures are also evenly plural which had an impact to the diversity of thought, which is very valuable. This value of culture was definitely very beneficial, because it was believed that none of these culture have the nature to hinder the progress (the modernization), the survival and development of the heterogeneous culture values was also believed to become a big potential in achieving the modernization. The diversity of the ethnic group, the local dance, the musical instrument, the song, food, the physical building, etc, particularly gave many contributions to the development of tourism industry in the Medan City.
The pluralism was also served as the barrier for the emergence of primordial issues, which could disrupt the fundamentals of social life. Therefore, the development strategy of Medan City was formulated in the frame of view and missions that the culture must be maintained harmoniously.
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