This chain, which resurfaces in Nusa Tenggara in the mountainous islands of Sumba and Timor, is the forearc of the South Sumatra Basin along the Sunda Trench subduction zone.

[7] On 26 December 2004, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake struck a few kilometers north of the island, creating tsunamis as high as 10 metres (33 ft).

[9] In 2007, almost two years after the earthquake, there were still tens of thousands of internally displaced persons living in camps throughout Nias.

UN agencies represented include UNORC – Office of the UN Recovery Coordinator for Aceh and Nias, UNDP, UNICEF, UN-Habitat, WFP, IOM and UNIDO.

[4] Until 2003 Nias was a single administrative regency (kabupaten) covering the entire island, part of the province of North Sumatra.

While this point of view is hotly debated, there is no doubt that Nias' relative geographic isolation has created a unique culture.

The museum had recently built a new building and had improved its storage and exhibitions when the 2004 earthquake and tsunami occurred.

However, adherence to either Christian or Muslim religions is still largely symbolic; Nias continues into the current day celebrating its own indigenous culture and traditions as the primary form of spiritual expression.

The people of Nias build Omo Hada houses on massive ironwood pillars with towering roofs.

Not only were they almost impregnable to attack in former tribal warfare, but their flexible nail-less construction provided proven earthquake durability.

However, local ferry companies regularly go out of business (or their boats sink), so only one terminal may be active at any given time.

Since the 2005 earthquake, transportation has improved to cope with the increase in travel needs for reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.

National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia was set to operate a new service from Jakarta to Nias in North Sumatra starting 15 November 2018.

Using the CRJ Bombardier 1000 Next-Gen that can accommodate 96 passengers, the route operates three times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The best-known surfing area is Sorake Bay, close to the town of Teluk Dalam, on the southern tip.