They also form a significant minority in the populations of Jakarta, Bandung, Medan, Batam, Surabaya and Palembang in Indonesia as well as Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Penang, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam in the rest of the Malay world.

[2] The matrilineal culture and economic conditions in West Sumatra have made the Minangkabau people one of the most mobile ethnic group in Maritime Southeast Asia.

[8] In the 13th century, the Minangkabau people started colonies along the west coast of Sumatra island from Meulaboh to Bengkulu when they were spice traders.

[12] Minangkabau migration to the Malay peninsula increased dramatically in the early 1850s, as a result of Padri War in West Sumatra.

[13] Haji Taib, one of the wealthiest Minangkabau merchant at that time, was an important person in the early development city centre of Kuala Lumpur.

And they belong to the "Bugis-Makassar community" who migrated to the Malay Peninsula, West Borneo, eastern Sumatra and Java in the late 17th century.

Despite Greater Jakarta is their major concentrations, they are also often found in many cities and towns, such as Bandung, Yogyakarta, Semarang, Surabaya, Malang, Surakarta and Tasikmalaya, where they have quite solid associations.

[4] The increasing wealth of the interior of Minangkabau people has encouraged them to send their children to school in the Middle East, Europe and Java.

While Djanan Thaib founded Jamaah al-Chairiyah in 1923 and led Seruan al-Azhar magazine with Ilyas Yakoub and Mahmud Junus at Cairo.

Abdoel Rivai, Mohammad Hatta, Roestam Effendi, Nazir Pamuntjak, and Sutan Sjahrir were overseas Minangkabaus who studied in Europe and later became activists in the movement for Indonesian independence.

[24] The spirit to change the fate of the pursuit of knowledge and wealth, and Minang proverb which says Ka ratau madang di hulu, babuah babungo balun, marantau bujang dahulu, di rumah paguno balun (better go wander, because in kampong not useful) result in Minang youth to migrate since youth.

Minangkabau inland area has geological reserves of raw materials especially gold, copper, lead, zinc, mercury, and iron.

Tomé Pires around the 16th century, says that gold was trade in Malacca, Barus, Tiku and Pariaman, originated from Minangkabau inland area.

[28] And arrived at 17th-century, Dutch still call a gold ruler to the king of Pagaruyung[29] and then asks Tomas Diaz to investigate the matter, which he tried to enter the interior of the Minangkabau from east coast of Sumatra, and Diaz' noted he had found one of the Minangkabau king at that time (Rajo Buo) and also mentioned main of the people jobs was gold miners.

[31] Until the 19th century, the legend of gold in Minangkabau hitterland, still pushing Raffles to prove it, and he is listed as the first European to successfully achieved Pagaruyung through the west coast of Sumatra.

The mid-twentieth century, many overseas Minangkabau like Ahmad Boestaman, Abdullah CD, Rashid Maidin, Shamsiah Fakeh, and Khadijah Sidek[34] were involved in the Malaysian independence movement.

After Malaysia and Singapore independence, many politician and minister were Overseas Minangkabau, such as Ghazali Shafie, Rais Yatim, Aishah Ghani and Muhammad Eunos Abdullah.

While Yusof bin Ishak was the first president of Singapore and Tuanku Abdul Rahman was the first Supreme Head of State (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) of the Federation of Malaya.

Three of his students: Ahmad Dahlan, Hasyim Asy'ari and Sulaiman ar-Rasuli established Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Ulama and Perti respectively.

Muhammadiyah had been founded in 1912 in Yogyakarta, but its rapid spread throughout Indonesia was due in large part to the efforts of Minangkabau traders and teachers.

[38] In addition to Yamin, the other Minangkabau authors, such as Marah Rusli, Abdul Muis, Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana, Hamka and Chairil Anwar, who migrated to Java since youth, were considered to be a pioneer of modern Indonesian literature.

Hasyim Ning, Abdul Latief, Basrizal Koto, Nasimuddin Amin and Kamarudin Meranun were the figure of successful Minangkabau businessmen.

[4] After Indonesian independence, Minangkabau people migrated as skilled professionals to the Australia, Japan, Europe, and the United States.