West Sumatra (
Indonesian:
Sumatera Barat, abbreviated to
Sumbar) is a
province of
Indonesia. It lies on the west coast of the island
Sumatra, and borders the provinces of
North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara) to the north,
Riau and
Jambi to the east, and
Bengkulu to the southeast. It includes the
Mentawai Islands off the coast. The
capital of the province is
Padang.
The history of West Sumatra is closely related to the history of the
Minangkabau people.
Archaeological evidence indicates that the area surrounding the
Limapuluh Koto regency forms the first area inhabited by the Minangkabau. The Minangkabau ancestors were believed to have arrived on this route.
