Lampung Province occupies the southern most tip of Sumatra – separated from Java by the shallow Sunda Strait, that are less than 30 km wide at their narrowes point. Ancient Chinese travel chronicles refer to a place in the most southerly part of Sumatra called “Lampung” or “place of southerly winds”. Megalithic sculptures discovered in Kebontebu, Kenali, Pugung and Batubedil also help to date the province to Indonesia’s greatest maritime empire, Sriwijaya. Lampung has a long history of trade and is still an important gateway into Sumatra; consequently Lampung has been the area of Sumatra most influenced, socially and economically by its densely populated and politically powerful neighbor, Java.

The province is generally flat with the highest mountains of Gunung Pesagi, Tanggamas, Seminiung, Sekincau and Raya all being dormant volcanoes. Bandar Lampung, the Provincial capital, was formerly two separate towns, Tanjungkarang and the port of Teluk Betung, which after the infamous eruption of Krakatau were both completely covered in volcanic ash. In the course of development, however this town have merged together to become one single city. Being blessed with incredibly fertile soil, agriculture has naturally become the main industry of the province. Clove, coffee and coconut plantations are abundant along the southern coast while pepper, coffee, cassava, cocoa and rice are preferred in the eastern sections of the region. The area around Lake Ranu is primarily a tobacco growing area.

The Way Kambas Nature Reserve in the west of the province is a perfect place to see Sumatran elephants being trained to work in thick tropical jungles as well as hundreds of species of exotic birds. Tigers still roam this land although they are rare. The largest flower in the world, Rafflesia Arnoldi, can be seen at Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park.

Lampung’ original inhabitants comprised three distinct groups: the orang Abung or mountain people who practiced head hunting and remained in isolation until the 19th century; the orang Pubian who inhabited the eastern lowlands; the orang Peminggir or peoples of the south coasts around Lampung and Semangka Bays, who propably came under the suzerainty of Palembang-based Sriwijaya, and were later Islamized through influences from Java. According to local legends, all these people have a single ancestor; si Lampung, from whom the province derives its name. Their descendants today speak two closely-related languages, Komering and Lampung, but due to the influx of migrants, even more people now speak Sundanese or Javanese.

The traditional culture of Lampung reflects indigenous beliefs overlain by Hindu-Budhistic and Islamic influences. A strong megalithic tradition continued until fairly recent times; the Pepadon or ritual throne used by Lampung chiefs appears to have had megalithic origins, and ancient stone sculptures show the ancestors with symbolic motifs that suggest sacrificial rites.