Sumatra

(soo-ma'trah,) an important island of the E. Archipelago, and, after Borneo, the largest in extent, lies bet. N. Lat. 6º and S. Lat. 4º, and E. Lon. 96-106°. It is separated from the Malacca peninsula by the straits of same name, and from Java on the S. by the Straits of Sunda. It is of an oblong and tapering shape, and has an extreme length of 1,050 m., with a superficial area of 125,000 sq. m. The island is intersected through its centre by a mountain-chain rising some 15,000 feet in maximum height, whence flow on either hand to the sea immense rivers, through wide and fertile plains, teeming with tropical vegetation. S. in the interior is divided into many petty native states, and has on her S.W. coast the important settlements and seaports of Bencoolen, Padang, and Quedah, and on her E. shore that of Palembang. This island, discovered by the Portuguese in 1509, was partially settled by the Dutch in 1600, and by the English a year or two later. The latter people exchanged their settlements for the Dutch po e ions in Malacca in 1825; and in 1871, the whole island became, by retroce ion on the part of the Netherlands govt., a British colony. Pop. 2,415,000. [s. 867]