Sumatra

American  

[soo-mah-truh] / sʊˈmɑ trə /

noun

1. a large island in the W part of Indonesia. 164,147 sq. mi. (425,141 sq. km).

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Sumatra British  

/ sʊˈmɑːtrə /

noun

1. Indonesian spellling: Sumatera.  a mountainous island in W Indonesia, in the Greater Sunda Islands, separated from the Malay Peninsula by the Strait of Malacca: Dutch control began in the 16th century; joined Indonesia in 1945. Northern coastal areas, esp Aceh province, suffered devastation as a result of the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. Pop: 42 409 510 (2000). Area: 473 606 sq km (182 821 sq miles)

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Sumatra Cultural  

1. Island in Indonesia in the Indian Ocean northwest of Java and west of Malaysia.

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Discover More

Though much of the island is covered by swampland and impenetrable rain forest, Sumatra's industries — including oil, coal, gold, silver, rubber, timber, and tobacco — produce over half of Indonesia's income.

Other Word Forms

• Sumatran
  adjective

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Sumatra

Couple that with their tropical native climate of Sumatra, Indonesia, and you’re in for a sweaty, stinky viewing experience.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026

Hailing from the rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia, corpse flowers are a massive, putrid spectacle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

The only documented example occurred in Sumatra, where two large earthquakes struck three months apart in 2004 and 2005.

From Science Daily ● May 2, 2026

Indonesia stripped more than two dozen permits from forestry, mining and hydroelectric companies in Sumatra Tuesday, a government minister said, just weeks after deadly floods devastated parts of the island.

From Barron's ● Jan. 20, 2026

It was two days later before the skies cleared and Nat could check their position and set his course once more for Sumatra.

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham