SABANG

kotamadya (city) and free port, Aceh daerah istimewa (special district), Indonesia, on the northeastern coast of We Island, off the northern tip of Sumatra. It lies at the northern entrance to the Strait of Malacca and is the first port of call in the Malay Archipelago for vessels coming from the west. The harbour, built in 1887, is sheltered from the strong winds and heavy swells of the Indian Ocean. Sabang, which has an airfield, was occupied during World War II by the Japanese, who used it as a fueling point. Pop. (1980) 23,821.