a town on the west coast of the island of Sumatra, capital of a Dutch province of the same name; S. Lat. 0° 57', E. Long. 100° 20'. It is built on a small river, in a valley bordered by wild and rocky hills, and consists of several distinct portions. The quarter which is farthest from the sea is chiefly inhabited by Chinese, who carry on an active traffic. It is very populous; and the river is navigated by many neat boats. Almost all the houses in this part of the town contain shops. The quarter inhabited by Malays, which lies near the mouth of the river, is poor and wretched, consisting of huts built of bamboos or the bark of trees. The European quarter is widely scattered over a plain to the N.W., and contains a few stone houses, but is chiefly built of wood and bamboos. Besides some small chapels, the principal building in the place is a large and well-arranged hall-room. Until recently, Padang was a very wretched place, but many new buildings and improvements have been recently made. It is the seat of the provincial governor, and of courts of law. In the vicinity there are extensive marshes, and the town has the reputation of being unhealthy. Pop. 10,000.