Siberut
1°23′S 98°54′E Siberut is the largest and northernmost of the Mentawai Islands, located 150 kilometres west of Sumatra in the Indian Ocean. It covers an area of 3,838.25 km2 including smaller offshore islands, and had a population of 35,091 at the 2010 Census and 40,220 at the 2020 Census. A part of Indonesia, the island is the most important home for the Mentawai people. The western half of the island was set aside as the Siberut National Park in 1993. Much of the island is covered with rainforest, but is subject to commercial logging.
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | South East Asia |
| Coordinates | 1°23′S 98°54′E |
| Archipelago | Mentawai Islands |
| Area | 3,838.25 km2 (1,481.96 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 1,129 ft (344.1 m) |
| Highest point | Taitaibeuleleu |
| Administration | |
Indonesia | |
| Province | West Sumatra |
| Regency | Mentawai Islands |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 40,220 (2020 Census) |
| Pop. density | 10.5/km2 (27.2/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | Mentawai. 10% of the population are from other parts of Indonesia. |
Smaller islands adjacent to Siberut include Karamajet and Masokut which lie in the Bungalaut Strait to the south of the island.
The island is known for its range of primates, including the Kloss gibbon (Hylobates klossii), pig-tailed langur (Simias concolor), Siberut langur (Presbytis siberu) and Mentawai macaque (Macaca pagensis).
Siberut was affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake tsunami, but without any known loss of human life. One report stated that the island may have been raised up to two metres by the earthquake.