The Acehnese are indeed an Indonesian people, however there are clear linguistic and cultural differences to the neighbouring Malays. Aceh has a glorious history. It could not be totally subjected by the Netherlands until 1911. In the in the 50s of the 20th century the Acehnese tryed unsuccessfully to withdraw the annexation by Indonesia, and to establish their own Islamic state. This caused an armed resistance against the Indonesian central government until today. The today's flag of the movement for an independent Aceh (Free Aceh Movement, GAM) corresponds to the flag of the ancient Empire of Aceh. Red is in the region of the Indian Ocean a wide-spread flag colour of great tradition, from the coasts of Arabia, to Zanzibar and the Maldives.
This country is a theoretical construct that a separatist movement is striving for as a goal for an independent state. The parameters that roughly describe this goal are listed here. This has nothing to do with an actual – neither partial nor complete – existence of this area, country or state.
Area: 22.377 square miles
Inhabitants: 5.247.250 (2019), thereof ca. 4.000.000 Acehnese (Achinese)
