the most important port in northeastern Sumatra, Indonesia, located on Belawan Island at the estuary of the Deli and Belawan rivers in North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara) (Sumatera Utara) propinsi (province). The port was originally dredged and constructed by the Dutch in the first two decades of the 20th century. It exports tobacco, rubber, tea, resin, copra, spices, palm oil, and sisal, and it imports foodstuffs and manufactured goods. Belawan is situated 12 miles (19 km) north of Medan city, which it serves as a port, and is the terminus of a railway that crosses the channel south of the island by bridge.