Environmental Influences on Trade Activities in the 19th Century East Coast Sumatra

This study examines the factors supported on the relationship between environmental or regional conditions affected the development of trading activities. To examine this problem, historical methods are used which include four stages, namely heuristics, criticism, interpretation, and historiography. Meanwhile, this study used a geostrategic and geopolitical approach. The result shows that the dynamic trade activity in the East Sumatra Region in the 19th century was inseparable from the strategic regional position which faces directly to the Malacca Strait which is the center of the largest maritime economic activity in the Southeast Asian region as well as connecting the 'world' from the east and west. Therefore, geopolitically, there were many forces fighting over the region including the Sumatra coastal area which importantly become the hinterland area for the international trading commodity, especially to Asia and Europe. It was evidenced by a large number of foreign investors developing tea plantations in the East Sumatra region which then stimulated the growth of ports in the coastal regions of East Sumatra with very dynamic trading activities.