Banda Aceh
city in Aceh Province, Indonesia
Banda Aceh ( BUN-duh-AH-cheh; Acehnese: Banda Acèh, Jawoe: بند اچيه) is the capital and largest city in the province of Aceh, Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra and has an elevation of 35 metres (115 ft). The city covers an area of 61.36 square kilometers (23.69 sq mi) and had a population of 223,446 people at the 2010 Census, rising to 252,899 at the 2020 Census. The official estimate as of 2025 was 267,962 (comprising 134,451 males and 133,511 females).
Banda Aceh is located on the northwestern tip of Indonesia at the mouth of the Aceh River. Banda Aceh itself is a semi-enclave within Aceh Besar Regency, as Banda Aceh is surrounded by Aceh Besar to the south, east, and west, while it borders with the Andaman Sea to the north-west. Many suburbs of the city have developed in adjacent districts of Acah Besar Regency beyond the city limits.
The city was originally established as Bandar Aceh Darussalam and served as the capital and hub for the Sultanate of Aceh upon its foundation in the late 15th century. Later its name was changed to Bandar Aceh Darussalam, and thereafter became popularly known as Banda Aceh. The first part of the name comes from the Persian bandar (بندر) meaning "port" or "haven".
The public source identifies “Banda Aceh” as city in Aceh Province, Indonesia. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Banda, Aceh and city.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Banda Aceh”, the useful work is to connect “city in Aceh Province, Indonesia” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The strongest evidence will usually combine a dated visual record with documents produced by the authority responsible for the place. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 15, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q5779. VIAF identifies the subject as 173434692. The Library of Congress control number is n80152335. Authority coordinates are 5.550, 95.317. 3 of 5 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2010, 2020 and 2025.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Banda Aceh”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Banda Aceh primary sources, Banda Aceh archive and Banda research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
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- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Banda Aceh” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.