Quick facts
Medan overview
Medan (orange) and the other large cities of Indonesia
Medan lies in North Sumatra in Indonesia at 3.58°N, 98.67°E, about 26 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Jakarta (UTC+7); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Bandung (2,528,163) and larger than Depok (2,163,635). The largest city in Indonesia is Jakarta with 8,540,121 people; the capital, Jakarta, has 8,540,121.
The national capital, Jakarta, is about 1,418 km away; the nearest large city is Sunggal, 6 km from Medan.
Indonesia as a whole has a live population of 288,519,962 (+0.7% a year) and ranks #4 of 238 countries — see the Indonesia population page for the full statistics and the Indonesia atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Medan
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Sunggal North Sumatra | 6 km | 157,914 |
| Binjai North Sumatra | 20 km | 279,302 |
| Belawan North Sumatra | 21 km | 102,707 |
| Percut North Sumatra | 22 km | 311,063 |
| Perbaungan North Sumatra | 32 km | 157,174 |
| Tebingtinggi North Sumatra | 62 km | 117,530 |
| Pematangsiantar North Sumatra | 82 km | 279,198 |
| Kisaran North Sumatra | 125 km | 141,915 |
Largest cities in Indonesia
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JakartaCapital | Jakarta | 8,540,121 |
| 2 | Surabaya | East Java | 3,018,022 |
| 3 | Bekasi | West Java | 2,648,272 |
| 4 | Bandung | West Java | 2,528,163 |
| 5 | Medan | North Sumatra | 2,486,283 |
| 6 | Depok | West Java | 2,163,635 |
| 7 | Tangerang | Banten | 1,927,815 |
| 8 | Palembang | South Sumatra | 1,801,367 |
| 9 | Semarang | Central Java | 1,694,740 |
| 10 | Makassar | South Sulawesi | 1,474,393 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Medan?
Medan has about 2,486,283 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Medan the capital of Indonesia?
No. The capital of Indonesia is Jakarta (8,540,121 people), about 1,418 km away. Medan is the 5th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Medan compared with the rest of Indonesia?
Its 2,486,283 residents are 0.9% of the 288,519,962 people living in Indonesia today. Jakarta is larger with 8,540,121 people.
Where is Medan?
In North Sumatra, Indonesia, at latitude 3.58 and longitude 98.67, 26 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Sunggal (6 km), Binjai (20 km), Belawan (21 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Medan Population 2026 — Indonesia. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/indonesia/medan/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/indonesia/medan/">Medan Population 2026 — Indonesia</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.