Mata Mamplam – village in Kabupaten Bireuen regency, on the North Sumatran coast
Mata Mamplam is a small settlement in Indonesia's Aceh province, belonging to Kecamatan Peusangan in Kabupaten Bireuen regency. Geographically, it is located in the northern part of Sumatra island, and based on its coordinates (5.2223° N, 96.7594° E), it sits in an inland area near the southeastern coastal regions of the Strait of Malacca. The broader region, Kabupaten Bireuen, became an independent regency on October 4, 1999, when it was separated from the western districts of the former North Aceh Regency. The regency's seat is Bireuen city, located approximately 105 miles (about 170 km) east of the Aceh provincial capital, Banda Aceh.
General overview
Mata Mamplam is one of the villages in Kecamatan Peusangan district, for which independent and detailed database sources are not available; therefore, the characteristics of the broader administrative unit, Kabupaten Bireuen, provide context for understanding the settlement. The regency covers an area of 1,796.97 square kilometers, and according to the 2020 census, it was inhabited by 436,418 people, while in mid-2025, the official estimated population stood at 464,776. Mata Mamplam itself is a relatively small, lesser-known rural community bearing the characteristics of surrounding agricultural and coastal ways of life. Aceh province generally possesses strong local cultural and religious traditions that shape both daily life and the built environment. Kecamatan Peusangan is one of the regency's inland-coastal zones, where farming and small-scale commerce are the predominant livelihoods. The regency is bordered to the northeast by the Strait of Malacca, which offers fishing opportunities for coastal villages, though Mata Mamplam's precise relationship to the seashore cannot be determined with certainty from available sources.
Real estate and investment
Detailed real estate market data at the Mata Mamplam level is not available; therefore, the following reflects the broader market context of Kabupaten Bireuen and Aceh province. The regency is a relatively young administrative unit, established in 1999, with developing infrastructure; the real estate market is, in the manner typical of rural Indonesian regions, less liquid than in major cities. Agricultural land and small residential properties dominate the local market. Indonesia's land ownership regulations establish generally recognized frameworks: foreign nationals cannot acquire full ownership (Hak Milik); however, certain rental and usage rights (such as Hak Pakai or long-term leases) are accessible to them. Aceh province additionally has its own regional regulations, which should be thoroughly assessed with a local legal advisor before undertaking any real estate transactions in the province. The province underwent significant reconstruction following the devastating 2004 tsunami, which to some extent modernized the infrastructure, but rural villages, likely including Mata Mamplam, have modest and localized real estate markets.
Safety and security
Independent public safety statistics at the Mata Mamplam level are not available. Regarding the broader region, Kabupaten Bireuen, available sources note that the area was affected by the armed conflict between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and the Indonesian government, which caused serious tensions particularly until the Helsinki Agreement was signed in 2005. Since the peace accord, Aceh province has generally become more stable politically, and daily life in most communities has returned to normal. The December 26, 2004, Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami also severely affected the regency's territory, and recovery from the catastrophe took years. Currently, the regency and presumably smaller villages such as Mata Mamplam operate with the general public safety conditions typical of rural Indonesian communities. In the absence of specific crime statistics, travel agencies recommend caution and local orientation for visitors to Aceh province, primarily for respect of local customs and religious legal norms (rooted in Sharia).
Tourist attractions
No identified tourist attractions can be determined for Mata Mamplam from available sources; therefore, the following provides information based on the broader characteristics of Kabupaten Bireuen regency and Aceh province. The regency is located near the Strait of Malacca, whose coastline is known for fishing traditions and Sumatran coastal landscapes. Aceh province as a whole is home to numerous culturally and historically significant sites: the province was one of the early centers of Indonesian Islamic culture, and the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, located in Banda Aceh, is one of the most renowned architectural monuments in the region, though it is situated in the capital and not in Kabupaten Bireuen. In areas affected by the 2004 tsunami, several memorials and museums have been established to honor victims and document the catastrophe, which can be found throughout Aceh. What specific natural or cultural attractions are accessible near Mata Mamplam cannot be reliably determined from currently available sources.
Summary
Mata Mamplam is a small, scarcely documented rural settlement in Kecamatan Peusangan, Kabupaten Bireuen regency, Aceh province, in northern Sumatra. In the absence of direct, settlement-level data, an understanding of the locality is formed primarily through the context of the broader regency: a region that became independent in 1999, with a varied history, having experienced both the 2004 tsunami and the GAM conflict, which has gradually stabilized over the past two decades. In terms of real estate market and tourism, Mata Mamplam can be classified among the regency's rural, modest-traffic settlements, which are more the setting of local community life than established destinations.
