Cot Muda Itam – a small settlement in Peureulak District, eastern Aceh
Cot Muda Itam is a smaller settlement in Indonesia that belongs to Peureulak District (Kecamatan Peureulak) and administratively forms part of Kabupaten Aceh Timur (East Aceh Regency). The regency is located on the eastern edge of Aceh Province in northern Sumatra. Based on the settlement's coordinates (4.8137868 north latitude, 97.9129873 east longitude), it can be localized to an interior area close to the Sumatran coastal strip facing the Strait of Malacca. Since no independent, settlement-level statistical source is currently available for Cot Muda Itam, the description below relies on verified data at district and regency level and on generally known regional context.
General overview
Cot Muda Itam does not rank among the widely recognized or touristically prominent settlements of Aceh Timur Regency; based on its name, it concerns a local-level, village-character community, of which many dozens exist in Aceh's interior areas. The settlement belongs to Peureulak District, which is a historically significant area in East Aceh: the Peureulak region is characterized by local traditions traceable to early Islamic presence, and the area lay along important trade routes in Sumatran commerce history. Kabupaten Aceh Timur overall extends across the eastern part of Aceh Province, and according to end-2023 data, the regency's total population was 449,796. Hydrocarbon extraction has traditionally played a role in the regency's economy, as Aceh Timur ranks among the oil-rich regencies alongside Aceh Utara and Aceh Tamiang. Cot Muda Itam and its immediate surroundings can be considered territory preserving agricultural and fishing traditions, although no direct source is available for this; it reflects the generally observable character of this broader region.
Real estate and investment
No settlement-level, verifiable data is available on Cot Muda Itam's real estate market. At the broader context level of Kabupaten Aceh Timur, it can be noted that the regency occupies a relatively peripheral position compared to the most frequently targeted areas in Sumatra for real estate investment, such as the immediate hinterland of Medan or Banda Aceh. In rural areas linked to the hydrocarbon industry and agricultural economy, property transaction intensity is typically low and determined locally. The generally applicable Indonesian regulatory framework states that foreigners cannot acquire full ownership rights (Hak Milik) to property in Indonesia; for them, the so-called Hak Pakai (right of use) and certain long-term rental constructs are available. This general regulation applies throughout the country, including in Aceh Timur, and foreign interest is particularly limited in rural areas not classified as tourist zones. Before any investment decision, it is advisable to engage local legal experts and a notary public.
Safety and security
Current, quantified public safety statistics for Cot Muda Itam are not available in public sources. To understand the broader regional context, it is worth noting that Kabupaten Aceh Timur, and specifically the Peureulak region within it, was an intensive focal point of armed conflict related to the presence of Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (GAM, Free Aceh Movement) during the period before May 2003, which was classified in contemporary sources as a "black zone" (kawasan hitam). Following the 2005 Helsinki peace agreement and the subsequent democratization and rehabilitation processes, the region's security situation was fundamentally stabilized, and the province generally returned to normal civil life. The general Acehnese security picture in recent years is considerably more favorable than during the conflict decades; however, in rural, peripheral areas, inequality in public services and infrastructure can affect daily life. In the absence of precise data broken down specifically for Cot Muda Itam, it is advisable to seek current information from local authorities or Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefings.
Tourist attractions
No named tourist attraction relating to Cot Muda Itam appears in available source materials. The broader Peureulak region and Kabupaten Aceh Timur area nonetheless feature regional points of interest: Peureulak itself is recognized in local and Indonesian historical tradition as the site of one of the earliest Islamic sultanates, which provides special cultural-historical context to the entire district. Natural habitats, river valleys, and agricultural landscapes characterize the interior areas of the regency, while the Strait of Malacca coastline is accessible along the coastal strip. However, these are not directly connected to Cot Muda Itam itself, but rather reflect the broader offer of Peureulak District and Kabupaten Aceh Timur more generally. Organized tourism infrastructure in this region is limited.
Summary
Cot Muda Itam is a small-sized settlement unknown to the wider public in Kabupaten Aceh Timur, in Peureulak District, in the eastern part of Aceh Province on Sumatra. In the absence of independent, settlement-level documentation, characterization of the place relies primarily on context at regency and district level: since the conclusion of the GAM conflict, the region has stabilized; its economy is determined by hydrocarbon extraction, agriculture, and fishing. From real estate and tourism perspectives, the area does not qualify as a particularly active zone, and based on available source material, detailed numerical data on Cot Muda Itam cannot be reliably provided.
