Medan, kota (city), capital of North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara) propinsi (or provinsi; province), Indonesia. It lies along the Deli River in northeastern Sumatra. Medan’s harbour is Belawan, 12 miles (19 km) north, on the Strait of Malacca. At the turn of the 21st century, the largest portion of the city’s population consisted of various Sumatran peoples, primarily Batak. About one-third of the population was Javanese. The remainder of Medan’s residents included assorted other groups, notably ethnic Chinese, Indians, and Malays.
The Dutch colonial government pronounced Medan a city in 1886. It was briefly the capital of East Sumatra after the Japanese occupation (1942–45) during World War II. The chief historical building in the city is the sultan of Deli’s palace, built for him by the Dutch in the 19th century. There is also a large, ornately decorated mosque built in the early 20th century. Major institutions of higher learning include the University of North Sumatra (1952) and the Islamic University of North Sumatra.
After the introduction of tobacco plantations to the area in 1873, Medan became the centre of a vast export-oriented agricultural region known for such goods as tobacco, tea, palm products, and rubber. The city’s light industry produces bricks, tile, and machinery. A railway carries agricultural products to Medan from the interior, and there is an international airport. Area 102 square miles (265 square km). Pop. (2010) 2,097,610.