Banda Aceh is the provincial capital and largest city of Aceh, Indonesia, located on the island of Sumatra at , with an elevation of 21 m. The population was approximately 260,000 in 2006.

The first part of its name comes from the Persian bandar (بندر) and means "port" or "haven". It is also proudly referred to as the "port to Meccah", as Islam first arrived in Aceh and spread throughout Southeast Asia.

On December 26 2004, one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history, the Indian Ocean earthquake, struck off the western coast of Sumatra. The earthquake and subsequent tsunamis reportedly killed over 285,000 people around the rim of the Indian Ocean. Banda Aceh was the closest major city to the earthquake's epicentre.

See also

• Other affected towns
  • Leupung
  • Calang
  • Teunom
  • Meulaboh
  • Tapaktuan

Cities in Indonesia

باندا آتشيه | Banda Aceh | Banda Aceh | Banda Aceh | Banda Aceh | Banda Aceh | Kota Banda Aceh | Banda Aceh | Banda Atjeh | バンダ・アチェ | Banda Aceh | Banda Aceh | Banda Aceh | Banda Aceh

• Aceh.Net—Information about Aceh
• Banda Aceh—Official Site of the Municipal Government of Banda Aceh