ABSTRACT
The Autonomous Province of Aceh, the state of Aceh (Nanggröe Aceh Darussalam—NAD), is the northernmost and westernmost part of Indonesia. Until 9 August 2001 the territory was called the Special District of Aceh (Daerah Istimewa Aceh), its new status taking effect on 1 January 2002. The region is known colloquially as Serambi Mekkah or the Veranda of Mecca, to signify its closeness, both geographic and religious, to the holiest city of Islam, in Saudi Arabia. Aceh (Acheh, Atjeh or Achin are all old spellings) is located at the north-western tip of the island of Sumatra (Sumatera). To the south it borders the province of North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara); Aceh has maritime boundaries with Malaysia to the east and India to the north-west (Andaman and Nicobar Islands). The east coast faces the Strait of Malacca (Melaka), the region’s most important trade route for the last two millennia; the port of Aceh, situated at the tip of Sumatra and at the western entrance to the strait, has historically played a major role in regional and international trade. The west coast faces the Indian Ocean, although the southern sections of this coastline are sheltered to some extent from ocean swells by the chain of offshore islands on the other side of the Mentawai Strait.
