Aceh, at the northwestern end of Sumatra, was the first area in Indonesia to have significant contact with the outside world.

Chinese chronicles of the sixth century speak of a kingdom called Po-Li on the northern tip of what is now Sumatra. 9th century Arabic and Indian writings mention Aceh as an important trade center. The first Islamic kingdom in Indonesia was established in 804 in Aceh, and the region's position as an Islamic stronghold grew as the city became a center for Islamic learning and the gateway for Indonesians making the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Over the centuries, a constant influx of traders nail immigrants established Aceh as a wealthy and influential trading nation, possessing a strong sense of independence. Aceh's decline began with the death of Sultan Iskandar Thani in 1641, when the British and the Dutch began with the death to battle for control of the region. - The London Treaty of 1824 gave the Dutch control of all British possessions in Sumatra, in return for their withdrawal from India and Singapore.

The Acehnese are famous throughout Indonesia for their courage and fierce sense of independence, and the Dutch lost over 10.000 men during the Aceh Wars, which lasted from 1872 to 1942

Although industrialization and global communication have created a greater openness to western ideas and practices, visitors should keep in mind that the Acehnese take their religion, their manners and their morals very seriously.

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