Aceh Besar Regency


Great Aceh Regency is a regency of the Indonesian province of Aceh. The regency covers an area of 2,969 square kilometres and according to the 2010 census had a population of 351,418; the latest official estimate is 418,467. The Regency is located at the northwest tip of Sumatra island and surrounds the provincial capital of Banda Aceh. It includes a number of islands off the northern tip of Sumatra, which comprise Pulo Aceh district within the regency. The seat of the Regency government is the town of Jantho. The regency is divided into 23 districts with 618 villages.

Economy

Aceh Besar Regency produces cloves, nutmeg and palm oil and rice, and also small quantities of maize, cassava, sweet potatoes and beans.

Landmarks

Museums

Aceh Besar Regency contains several museums. The Museum dan Rumoh Aceh is the State Museum, located in Banda Aceh. The museum's main building is built in the style of a traditional Acehnese house. It was installed by Dutch Governor Van Swart in 1915. Museum Ali Hasymi contains the personal collection of Ali Hasymi, a former governor of Aceh and artist and include books by the scholars of Acehnese past, ancient ceramics, the typical weapons of Aceh, souvenirs from all over the world, etc. Museum Cut Nyak Dhien was originally the home of the heroine Cut Nyak Dhien.
The ancient Abee Tanoh Library, located at the foot of Mount Seulawa contains some important manuscripts.

Places of worship

is located about 20 km south of Medan. Indra Puri was a Hindu kingdom and it was a place of worship before Islam arrived. Later, Sultan Iskandar Muda introduced Islam to the public. After the people embraced Islam, the previous temple was converted into a mosque. The mosque site covers an area of 33,875 m², and is located approximately 150 meters from the edge of Krueng Aceh River.

Fortress and tombs

is situated 19 km from Banda Aceh at Krueng Raya. According to history it was built under the Indra Puri Hindu kingdom, although some say that the fort was built during the Sultanate of Aceh Darussalam in an effort to resist the Portuguese. The fort had a very important function at the time of Sultan Iskandar Muda.
The Tomb of Admiral Malahayati is located about 32 km from the city of Banda Aceh.

Administrative divisions

The regency is divided administratively into twenty-three districts, which comprise 618 villages. The areas of the districts and their populations at the 2010 Census are listed below:
NameArea
Population
Census 2010		No of
villages
Pulo Aceh90.83,79617
Peukan Bada40.015,46226
Lhoknga87.514,87425
Leupung169.52,5536
Lhoong149.29,09328
Total Western section537.045,778102
Kuta Cot Glie331.912,38832
Kota Jantho592.58,44312
Lembah Seulawah326.010,75312
Seulimeum396.621,51941
Total Eastern section1,647.053,10397
Mesjid Raya130.720,86413
Baitussalam15.716,59013
Darussalam43.922,63329
Kuta Baro60.523,54152
Blang Bintang41.710,72325
Montasik59.717,73253
Indrapuri198.419,97552
Kuta Malaka16.95,89115
Suka Makmur47.913,90535
Simpang Tiga27.85,36018
Darul Kamal23.96,76614
Darul Imarah23.546,39732
Ingin Jaya24.428,06455
Krueng Barona Jaya6.914,09612
Total Central section721.9252,537418

Rusa Island

Rusa Island in Lhoong district was shaped like Rusa before the tsunami struck the island on 26 December 2004, but now the form of the island changed and become smaller like a lamb embryo. The island is very important for marking Indonesian boundaries due to its location in the outer-most west island in Indonesia with Titik Dasar TD175 and Titik Referensi TR175.

Bunta Island

After the tsunami struck Bunta island, a 45 minutes sail by traditional machine boat from Ujong Pancu Village, Peukan Bada, there are no inhabitant live there anymore. Nowadays some people use the island as coconut plantation, but they live in Banda Aceh. Due to the tsunami washed out all of the living creature there, so nowadays there are no squirrel, monkey or snake in the island. The island is popularized by documentary film "Hikayat di Ujung Pesisir" and ideal for camping with no facilities at all, and modest snorkeling can be done there.