Aceh

**Aceh** () is a province of Indonesia at the northern end of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Banda Aceh. It is close to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India across the Andaman Sea.

Aceh is a religiously conservative territory and the only Indonesian province practicing Sharia law officially. Islam first entered Indonesia here.

Aceh has large amounts of oil and natural gas. Some estimate that Aceh gas reserves are one of the largest in the world.

## Tsunami disaster

The west coast of Aceh, including the cities of Banda Aceh, Calang, and Meulaboh, were hit hard by the tsunami after the magnitude 9.2 Indian Ocean earthquake on 26 December 2004. More than 170,000 people were killed by tsunami in Aceh and about 500,000 were homeless.

## Government

Aceh is governed not as an Indonesian province but as a special territory (_daerah istimewa_). This different title is to give the area more autonomy from the central government in Jakarta.

### Internal divisions

The province is has eighteen regencies (_kabupaten_) and five cities (_kota_). The capital and the largest city is Banda Aceh. It on the coast near the northern tip of Sumatra.

## Other websites

- Local App Portal

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Aceh
- **translit lang1**: Regional
- **image caption**: From top left : Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, Lake Laut Tawar, Sabang, Indonesia, Sabang, Gunung Leuser National Park, Seulawah Agam, Aceh Tsunami Museum
- **image seal**: Coat_of_arms_of_Aceh.svg
- **image flag**: flag of Aceh.png
- **nickname**: _Serambi Mekkah_

- **motto**: "Pancacita"<small>(Sanskrit language, Sanskrit)</small>

- **image map**: Aceh in Indonesia.svg
- **map alt**: Map indicating the location of Aceh in Indonesia
- **map caption**: Location of Aceh in Indonesia.
- **subdivision type**: List of sovereign states, Country
- **established title**: Established
- **established date**: December 7, 1956
- **seat type**: Capital

- **seat**: Banda Aceh
- **leader party**: Aceh National Party, PNA
- **leader title**: Governor
- **leader name**: Irwandi Marzuki
- **unit pref**: Metric
- **area total km2**: 58376.81
- **area rank**: 11th
- **elevation m**: 125
- **elevation min m**: 0
- **population total**: 5189500
- **population as of**: 2017
- **population density km2**: auto
- **population rank**: 14th
- **population density rank**: 20th
- **population demonyms**: Acehnese
Warga Aceh <small>(Indonesian language, id)</small>
Kawom Aceh <small>(Acehnese language, ace)</small>
- **demographics type1**: Demographics
- **timezone1**: Time in Indonesia, Indonesia Western Time
- **utc offset1**: +7
- **postal code type**: Postal codes in Indonesia, Postcodes
- **postal code**: 23xxx, 24xxx
- **area code**: (62)6xx
- **area code type**: Telephone numbers in Indonesia, Area codes
- **iso code**: ID-AC
- **registration plate**: BL
- **blank name sec1**: GRP per capita
- **blank info sec1**: US$2,239.49
- **blank1 name sec1**: GRP rank
- **blank1 info sec1**: List of Indonesian provinces by GRP per capita, 26th
- **translit lang1 type1**: Jawi script, Jawoë
- **translit lang1 info1**: اچيه دارالسلام
- **type**: Provinces of Indonesia, Province
- **leader title2**: Vice Governor
- **leader name2**: Nova Iriansyah
- **elevation max m**: 3466
- **demographics1 info1**: 70.65% Acehnese people, Acehnese
8.94% Javanese people, Javanese
7.22% Gayo people, Gayo
3.29% Batak
2.13% Alas people, Alas
1.49% Simeulue people, Simeulue
1.40 Aneuk Jamee people, Aneuk Jamee
1.11% Tamiang Malay
1.04% Singkil people, Singkil
0.74% Minangkabau people, Minangkabau
- **demographics1 title2**: Religion
- **demographics1 info2**: Islam 98.48%
 Protestantism 1.02%
 Buddhism 0.16%
Catholicism 0.07%
 Hinduism 0.003%
Confucianism 0.0008%
 Others 0.006%
- **demographics1 title3**: Languages
- **demographics1 info3**: Indonesian language, Indonesian <small>(official)</small>
Acehnese language, Acehnese <small>(regional)</small>
Gayo language, Gayo, Simeulue language, Simeulue, Malay language, Tamiang Malay, Minangkabau language, Aneuk Jamee, Alas language, Alas-Kluet, Singkil language, Singkil <small>(minority)</small>
- **registration plate type**: Vehicle registration plates of Indonesia, Vehicle sign
- **blank2 name sec1**: Human Development Index, HDI (2016)
- **blank2 info sec1**: 0.700 ()
- **blank3 name sec1**: HDI rank
- **blank3 info sec1**: List of Indonesian provinces by Human Development Index, 12th (2014)
- **anthem**: Aceh Mulia