Fast Facts About Medan City

·         City name : Medan (Means:large place to gather) 

·         Area : 265.10 sq km  

·         Population : 1,979,340 (2003) 

·         Administration : City of Medan is divided into 21 districts which cover 151 villages. 

·         Geographical Location : Medan located between 3 º 30' — 3 º 43' Northern Latitude and 98 º 35' — 98 º 44' Eastern Longitude, with a north-ward sloping topography and it lies at 2,5 - 37,5 meters above sea level. 

·         Provincy : North Sumatera 

·         Country : Republic of Indonesia 

·         Government : 

Mayor of Medan: Drs. H. Rahudman Harahap, M.M

Vice Mayor of Medan: Drs.Dzulmi Eldin S, M.Si

Governor of North Sumatera: H Gatot Pudjo Nugroho

President of Indonesia: Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Vice President of Indonesia: Boediono

·         People : The population of Medan is consisting of diverse ethnic groups: Malay, Java, Batak, Chinese, Aceh, Minangkabau, Tamil, etc. Each ethnic group has its own cultural patterns and different social structures.

·         Language : Bahasa Indonesia is the national language but English, Mandarin and Hokkian are widely spoken. The ethnic groups also speak various languages and dialects.

·         Climate : Tropical climate with warm weather all year round. Temperatures in the lowlands range from 21ºC (70ºF) to 32ºC (90ºF). The highlands are cooler, where temperatures range between 15°C (59° F) to 25°C (77°F). Annual rainfall varies from 1,000mm to 4,000mm.

·         Currency : The unit of currency is Indonesia Rupiah indicated as IDR. USD1 is roughly equivalent to IDR 9.500,-. Foreign currency can be converted at banks and money changers.

·         Banking Hours : Mon - Fri: 9.00am to 4.30pm.Sat & Sun: Closed (Selected banks and branches are open on Sat).

·         Business Hours: Business offices are usually open either from 8.00 am - 4.00 pm or 9.00 am - 5.00 pm, with a break for lunch between 12.00 noon and 1.00 pm. But on Saturday many business offices are closed.

Government office hours are from 8.00 am - 4.00 pm from Monday to Friday, Saturday many government offices are closed. 

·         Post Offices : Open from 8.00am to 4.00pm daily except Sundays and public holidays.

·         Time : Seven hours ahead of GMT and 16 hours ahead of U.S. Pacific Standard Time.

·         Major Holidays : New Year's Day, Hari Raya Aidiladha, Chinese New Year, Awal Muharam, Saka New Year, Birthday of Prophet Muhammad, Easter Day, Vesak Day, Independence Day, Isra' Miraj, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Christmas.

·         Electricity : Voltage is 220 – 240 volts AC at 50 cycles per second.Voltage 110 – 130 volts AC are still use.

·         Weights and Measures : Indonesia follows the metric system in weights and measures.

·         Telephone

Medan phone code: 061

Indonesia phone code: 62 or +62

·         Accommodation : The city of Medan is the center of accomodation and tourism service in North Sumatra. There are 160 hotels of various types and classes, from simple lodges to five-star hotels.

Source : kotamedan.com