Kuala Lumpur

Jamek Mosque at the confluence of the Gombak (left) and Klang (right) rivers. The earliest settlement of Kuala Lumpur developed on the eastern side of the river bank (to the right in this picture).

Kuala Lumpur means "muddy confluence" in Malay; Kuala is the point where two rivers join or an estuary, and lumpur means "mud".^[18][19] One suggestion is that it was named after Sungai Lumpur ("muddy river"); in the 1820s a place named Sungei Lumpoor was said to be the most important tin-producing settlement up the Klang River.^[20] However this derivation does not account for this: Kuala Lumpur lies at the confluence of Gombak River and Klang River, and therefore should be named Kuala Gombak, since the kuala is typically named after the river that joins a larger river or the sea.^[21] Some have argued that Sungai Lumpur in fact extended down to the confluence and therefore the point where it joined the Klang River would be Kuala Lumpur,^[22] although this Sungai Lumpur is said to be another river joining the Klang River 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) upstream from the Gombak confluence, or perhaps located to the north of the Batu Caves area.^[21]

It has also been proposed that Kuala Lumpur was originally named Pengkalan Lumpur ("muddy landing place") in the same way that Klang was once called Pengkalan Batu ("stone landing place"), but became corrupted into Kuala Lumpur.^[22] Another theory says that it was initially a Cantonese word, lam-pa, meaning 'flooded jungle' or 'decayed jungle'. There is no firm contemporary evidence for these suggestions other than anecdotes.^[23] The name may also be a corrupted form of an earlier forgotten name.^[21]

Discover more about Etymology related topics

Jamek Mosque

Jamek Mosque

Jamek Mosque, officially Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak River and may be accessed via Jalan Tun Perak. The mosque was designed by Arthur Benison Hubback, and built in 1909.

Gombak River

Gombak River

The Gombak River is a river which flows through Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. It is a tributary of the Klang River. The point where it meets the Klang River is the origin of Kuala Lumpur's name.

Klang River

Klang River

The Klang River is a river which flows through Kuala Lumpur and Selangor in Malaysia and eventually flows into the Straits of Malacca. It is approximately 120 km (75 mi) in length and drains a basin of about 1,288 km2 (497 sq mi). The Klang River has 11 major tributaries.

Malay language

Malay language

Malay is an Austronesian language that is an official language of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, and that is also spoken in East Timor and parts of the Philippines and Thailand. Altogether, it is spoken by 290 million people across Maritime Southeast Asia.

Estuary

Estuary

An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments and are an example of an ecotone. Estuaries are subject both to marine influences such as tides, waves, and the influx of saline water, and to fluvial influences such as flows of freshwater and sediment. The mixing of seawater and freshwater provides high levels of nutrients both in the water column and in sediment, making estuaries among the most productive natural habitats in the world.

Batu Caves

Batu Caves

Batu Caves is a mogote that has a series of caves and cave temples in Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia. It takes its name from the Malay word batu, meaning 'rock'. The hill was originally known as Kapal Tanggang from the legend of Si Tanggang. The town nearby is named after the Batu Caves limestone formation.

Klang (city)

Klang (city)

Klang or Kelang, officially Royal City of Klang, is a royal city and former capital of the state of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the Klang District. It was the civil capital of Selangor in an earlier era prior to the emergence of Kuala Lumpur and the current capital, Shah Alam. Port Klang, which is located in the Klang District, is the 12th busiest transshipment port and the 12th busiest container port in the world.

Cantonese

Cantonese

Cantonese is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou and its surrounding area in Southeastern China. It is the traditional prestige variety of the Yue Chinese group, which has over 80 million native speakers. While the term Cantonese specifically refers to the prestige variety, it is often used to refer to the entire Yue subgroup of Chinese, including related but largely mutually unintelligible languages and dialects such as Taishanese.

Early years

No one specifically knows who founded or named Kuala Lumpur. Chinese miners were involved in tin mining up the Selangor River in the 1840s about 16 kilometres (10 miles) north of present-day Kuala Lumpur,^[24] and Mandailing Sumatrans led by Raja Asal [ms] and Sutan Puasa were also involved in tin mining and trade in the Ulu Klang region before 1860, and Sumatrans may have settled in the upper reaches of Klang River in the first quarter of the 19th century, or possibly earlier.^{[22][25][26][27]} Kuala Lumpur was originally a small hamlet of just a few houses and shops at the confluence of the Sungai Gombak and Sungai Klang (Klang River). Kuala Lumpur became established as a town circa 1857,^[28] when the Malay Chief of Klang, Raja Abdullah bin Raja Jaafar, aided by his brother Raja Juma'at of Lukut, raised funds from Malaccan Chinese businessmen to hire Chinese miners from Lukut to open new tin mines there.^[29][30] The miners landed at Kuala Lumpur and continued on foot to Ampang, where they opened the first mine.^[31] Kuala Lumpur was the furthest point up the Klang River to which supplies could conveniently be brought by boat, and therefore became a collection and dispersal point serving the tin mines.^[32][28]

Kapitan Yap Ah Loy, the third Chinese Kapitan of Kuala Lumpur

Frank Swettenham,
credited with Kuala Lumpur's rapid growth and development

Despite a high death toll from the malarial conditions of the jungle, the Ampang mines succeeded, and exported the first tin in 1859.^[32] At that time, Sutan Puasa was already trading near Ampang. Two traders from Lukut, Hiu Siew and Yap Ah Sze, arrived in Kuala Lumpur and set up shops to sell provisions to miners in exchange for tin.^[33][34] The town, spurred on by tin-mining, started to develop around Old Market Square (Medan Pasar), with roads radiating out towards Ampang as well as Pudu and Batu (the destinations became the names of these roads: Ampang Road, Pudu Road, and Batu Road), where miners had also begun to settle in, and Petaling and Damansara.^[35] The miners formed gangs^[36] and the gangs frequently fought in this period, particularly factions of Kuala Lumpur and Kanching, mainly over control of the best tin mines.^[37] Leaders of the Chinese community were conferred the title of Kapitan Cina (Chinese headman) by the Malay chief, and Hiu Siew, the early Chinese trader, became the first Kapitan of Kuala Lumpur.^[38] The third Chinese Kapitan of Kuala Lumpur, Yap Ah Loy, was appointed in 1868.^[27]

Important Malay figures of early Kuala Lumpur also included Haji Mohamed Tahir, who became the Dato Dagang ("chief of traders").^[25] The Minangkabaus of Sumatra became another important group who traded and established tobacco plantations in the area.^[39] Notable Minangkabaus included their headman, Dato' Sati, Utsman Abdullah,^[40] and Haji Mohamed Taib, who was involved in the early development of Kampung Baru.^[41][42] The Minangkabaus were also significant socio-religious figures, for example Utsman bin Abdullah was the first kadi of Kuala Lumpur, as well as Muhammad Nur bin Ismail.^[43]

Beginning of modern Kuala Lumpur

Part of a panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur c. 1884. To the left is the Padang. The buildings were constructed of wood and atap before regulations enacted by Swettenham in 1884 required buildings to use bricks and tiles. The appearance of Kuala Lumpur transformed rapidly in the following years due to the building regulations.

Early Kuala Lumpur was a small town that suffered from many social and political problems – the buildings were made of wood and 'atap' (palm frond thatching). The buildings were prone to catching fire, and due to a lack of proper sanitation the town was plagued with diseases. It also suffered from a constant threat of flooding due to its location. The town became embroiled in the Selangor Civil War in part over control of revenue from the tin mines. Yap Ah Loy allied himself with Tengku Kudin [ms] and the Hai San secret society, they fought against a rival secret society, Ghee Hin, whom allied themselves with Raja Mahdi.^[44] Raja Asal and Sutan Puasa switched sides to Raja Mahdi, and Kuala Lumpur was captured in 1872 and burnt to the ground. Yap escaped to Klang where he assembled another fighting force and recaptured Kuala Lumpur in March 1873, defeating Raja Mahdi's forces with the help of fighters from Pahang.^[37] The war and other setbacks, such as dropping tin prices, led to a slump. A major outbreak of cholera caused many to flee. The slump lasted until late 1879, when rising prices for tin allowed the town to recover.^[28] In late 1881, the town was severely flooded, after a fire that had destroyed the entire town in January. With the town being rebuilt a few times and having thrived, this was due in large to Yap Ah Loy.^[45][46] Yap, together with Frank Swettenham who was appointed the Resident in 1882, were the two most important figures of early Kuala Lumpur with Swettenham credited with its rapid growth and development and its transformation into a major urban centre.^[47]

The Government Offices of the Federated Malay States (Now the Sultan Abdul Samad Building) facing the Padang, c. 1900

The early Chinese and Malay settled along the east bank of the Klang River. The Chinese mainly settled around the commercial centre of Market Square. The Malays, and later Indian Chettiars and Muslims, resided in the Java Street area, now Jalan Tun Perak. In 1880, the colonial administration moved the state capital of Selangor from Klang to the more strategically advantageous Kuala Lumpur, and British Resident William Bloomfield Douglas decided to locate the government buildings and living quarters to the west of the river. Government offices and a new police headquarters were built on Bukit Aman, and the Padang initially created for police training.^[48] The Padang, now known as Merdeka Square, would later become the centre of the British administrative offices when the colonial government offices moved to the Sultan Abdul Samad Building in 1897.^[46]

Frank Swettenham, on becoming the British Resident, began improving the town by cleaning up the streets. He also stipulated in 1884 that buildings should be constructed of brick and tile so that they would be less flammable, and that the town be rebuilt with wider streets to reduce fire risk.^[47][49] Kapitan Yap Ah Loy bought a sprawling piece of real estate to set up a brick factory for the rebuilding of Kuala Lumpur, the eponymous Brickfields.^[50] Demolished atap buildings were replaced with brick and tile buildings, and many of the new brick buildings had "five-foot ways" and Chinese carpentry work. This resulted in a distinct eclectic shop house architecture typical to this region. Kapitan Yap Ah Loy expanded road access, linking tin mines with the city with the main arterial routes of the present Ampang Road, Pudu Road and Petaling Street.^[51] As Chinese Kapitan, he held wide powers on a par with Malay community leaders. Law reforms were implemented and new legal measures introduced to the assembly. Yap also presided over a small claims court. With a police force of six, he was able to uphold the rule of law, constructing a prison that could accommodate sixty prisoners at a time. Yap Ah Loy also built Kuala Lumpur's first school and a major tapioca mill in Petaling Street, in which the Selangor's Sultan Abdul Samad held an interest.^[52]

The construction of railway spurred the growth of the city. The first headquarters of the Federated Malay States Railways (now the National Textile Museum) near the F.M.S. Government Offices in the distance, c. 1910.

A railway line between Kuala Lumpur and Klang, initiated by Swettenham and completed in 1886, increased access and resulted in rapid growth. The population grew from 4,500 in 1884 to 20,000 in 1890.^[28] As development intensified in the 1880s, putting pressure on sanitation, waste disposal and other health measures. A Sanitary Board created on 14 May 1890 was responsible for sanitation, road upkeep, street lighting, and other functions. This would eventually become the Kuala Lumpur Municipal Council.^[53] In 1896, Kuala Lumpur was chosen as the capital of the newly formed Federated Malay States.^[54]

20th century–present

An arcade of shophouses with a road sweeper at work in the street of Kuala Lumpur, c. 1915–1925.

Kuala Lumpur expanded considerably in the 20th century. It was 0.65 km² (0.25 sq mi) in 1895, but was extended to encompass 20 km² (7.7 sq mi) in 1903. By the time it became a municipality in 1948 it had expanded to 93 km² (36 sq mi), and then to 243 km² (94 sq mi) in 1974 as a Federal Territory.^[55]

The development of a rubber industry in Selangor fueled by the demand for car tyres in the early 20th century led to a boom, and the population of Kuala Lumpur increased from 30,000 in 1900 to 80,000 in 1920.^[56] The commercial activities of Kuala Lumpur had been run to a large extent by Chinese businessmen such as Loke Yew, who was then the richest and most influential Chinese in Kuala Lumpur. The growth of the rubber industry led to an influx of foreign capital and planters, with new companies and industries becoming established in Kuala Lumpur, and other companies previously based elsewhere also found a presence here.^[56]

Japanese troops advancing up High Street (now Jalan Tun H S Lee) in Kuala Lumpur in December 1941 during World War II.

During World War II, Kuala Lumpur was captured by the Imperial Japanese Army on 11 January 1942. Despite suffering little damage during the course of the battle, the wartime occupation of the city resulted in significant loss of lives; at least 5,000 Chinese were killed in Kuala Lumpur in just a few weeks of occupation by Japanese forces, and thousands of Indians were sent as forced labour to work on the Burma Railway where many died.^[57] They occupied the city until 15 August 1945, when the commander in chief of the Japanese Seventh Area Army in Singapore and Malaysia, Seishirō Itagaki, surrendered to the British administration following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.^[58] Kuala Lumpur grew during the war, and continued after the war during the Malayan Emergency (1948–1960), during which Malaya was preoccupied with a communist insurgency and New Villages were established on the outskirts of the city.^[47]

The first municipal election in Kuala Lumpur was held on 16 February 1952. An ad hoc alliance between the Malay UMNO and Chinese MCA party candidates won a majority of the seats, and this led to the formation of the Alliance Party (later the Barisan Nasional).^[59] On 31 August 1957, the Federation of Malaya gained its independence from British rule.^[60] The British flag was lowered and the Malayan flag raised for the first time at the Padang at midnight on 30 August 1957,^[61] and on the morning of 31 August, the ceremony for the Declaration of Independence was held at the Merdeka Stadium by the first Prime Minister of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman. Kuala Lumpur remained the capital after the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. The Malaysian Houses of Parliament were completed at the edge of the Lake Gardens in 1963.^[62]

The Majestic Theatre on Pudu Road was an early pioneer in Kuala Lumpur's cinema scene. It was converted into an amusement park in the 1990s and demolished in 2009.

Kuala Lumpur had seen a number of civil disturbances over the years. A riot in 1897 was a relatively minor affair that began with the confiscation of faulty dacing (a scale used by traders), and in 1912, a more serious disturbance called the tauchang riot began during the Chinese New Year with the cutting of pigtails and ended with rioting and factional fighting lasting a number of days.^[63] The worst rioting on record in Malaysia, however, occurred on 13 May 1969, when race riots broke out in Kuala Lumpur.^[64] The so-called 13 May Incident included violent conflicts between members of the Malay and the Chinese communities, the result of Malaysian dissatisfaction with their socio-political status. The riots caused the deaths of 196 people, according to official figures,^[64] and led to major changes in the country's economic policy to promote and prioritise Malay economic development over that of other ethnicities.

City, Federal Territory, Greater Kuala Lumpur

Kuala lumpur cityscape in the 1980s before KLCC was created. The race track in the foreground was replaced by the Petronas Tower and KLCC Park.^[65]

Kuala Lumpur achieved city status on 1 February 1972,^[66][67] becoming the first settlement in Malaysia to be granted the status after independence. Later, on 1 February 1974, Kuala Lumpur became a federal territory.^[68] The territory of Kuala Lumpur expanded to 96 square miles by absorbing the surrounding areas. Kuala Lumpur was ceded by Selangor to be directly controlled by the central government, and it ceased to be capital of Selangor in 1978 after the city of Shah Alam was declared the new state capital.^[69]

On 14 May 1990, Kuala Lumpur celebrated the centennial of the local council. The new federal territory Kuala Lumpur flag and anthem were introduced. Putrajaya was declared a Federal Territory on 1 February 2001, as well as the seat of the federal government.^[70] The administrative and judicial functions of the government were shifted from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya. Kuala Lumpur however still retained its legislative function,^[71] and remained the home of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Constitutional King).^[72]

The Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) in 2020

From the 1990s onwards, major urban developments in the Klang Valley extended the Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area.^[73][74] This area, known as Greater Kuala Lumpur, extends from the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur westward to Port Klang, east to the edge of the Titiwangsa Mountains as well as to the north and south. The area covers other administratively separate towns and cities such as Klang, Shah Alam, Putrajaya and others,^[75][76] and is served by the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System. Notable projects undertaken within Kuala Lumpur itself include the development of a new Kuala Lumpur City Centre around Jalan Ampang and the Petronas Towers.^[77]

Discover more about History related topics

History of Kuala Lumpur

History of Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is the largest city in Malaysia; it is also the nation's capital. The history of Kuala Lumpur began in the middle of the 19th century with the rise of the tin mining industry, and boomed in the early 20th century with the development of rubber plantations in Selangor. It became the capital of Selangor, later the Federated Malay States, and then Malayan Union, and finally Malaya and Malaysia.

Selangor

Selangor

Selangor, also known by its Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south, and the Strait of Malacca to the west. Selangor surrounds the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, both of which were previously part of it.

Federated Malay States

Federated Malay States

The Federated Malay States was a federation of four protected states in the Malay Peninsula—Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan and Pahang—established by the British government in 1896, which lasted until 1946, when they, together with two of the former Straits Settlements and the Unfederated Malay States, formed the Malayan Union. Two years later, the Union became the Federation of Malaya, which achieved independence in 1957, and finally Malaysia in 1963 with the inclusion of North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore.

Japanese occupation of Malaya

Japanese occupation of Malaya

The then British colony of Malaya was gradually occupied by the Japanese between 8 December 1941 and the Allied surrender at Singapore on 16 February 1942. The Japanese remained in occupation until their surrender to the Allies in 1945. The first Japanese garrison in Malaya to lay down their arms was in Penang on 2 September 1945 aboard HMS Nelson.

Malayan Union

Malayan Union

The Malayan Union was a union of the Malay states and the Straits Settlements of Penang and Malacca. It was the successor to British Malaya and was conceived to unify the Malay Peninsula under a single government to simplify administration. Following opposition by the ethnic Malays, the union was reorganised as the Federation of Malaya in 1948.

Federation of Malaya

Federation of Malaya

The Federation of Malaya was a federation of what previously had been British Malaya, comprising eleven states that existed from 1 February 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957, and in 1963, Malaysia was formed when Malaya united with Singapore, North Borneo, and Sarawak.

Malaysia

Malaysia

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with Thailand and maritime borders with Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. East Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with Brunei and Indonesia, and a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital, the country's largest city, and the seat of the legislative branch of the federal government. Putrajaya is the administrative center, which represents the seat of both the executive branch and the judicial branch of the federal government. With a population of over 32 million, Malaysia is the world's 45th-most populous country. The southernmost point of continental Eurasia is in Tanjung Piai. Located in the tropics, Malaysia is one of 17 megadiverse countries, home to numerous endemic species.

Chinese people

Chinese people

The Chinese people or simply Chinese, are people or ethnic groups identified with China, usually through ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, or other affiliation.

Klang River

Klang River

The Klang River is a river which flows through Kuala Lumpur and Selangor in Malaysia and eventually flows into the Straits of Malacca. It is approximately 120 km (75 mi) in length and drains a basin of about 1,288 km2 (497 sq mi). The Klang River has 11 major tributaries.

Lukut

Lukut

Lukut is a suburb located to the northeast of Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

Malacca

Malacca

Malacca is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 7 July 2008.

Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

Ampang, or Ampang Hilir, is a ward and city district, in the eastern part of Kuala Lumpur (KL) in the Titiwangsa constituency. Its area in Kuala Lumpur can be identified as being along the Ampang Road and Ampang Hilir.

A satellite view of Klang Valley or Greater Kuala Lumpur

The geography of Kuala Lumpur is characterised by the huge Klang Valley, bordered by the Titiwangsa Mountains in the east, several minor ranges in the north and the south, and the Strait of Malacca in the west. Kuala Lumpur is a Malay term that translates to "muddy confluence" and is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers.^[78]

The Red Arrows over the city in 2016

Located in the centre of Selangor state, Kuala Lumpur was a territory of Selangor State Government. In 1974, Kuala Lumpur was split off from Selangor to form the first Federal Territory governed directly by the Malaysian federal government. Its location in the most developed state on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia, which has a wider stretch of flat land than the east coast, has helped it develop faster than other cities in Malaysia.^[79] The municipality covers an area of 243 km² (94 sq mi),^[2] with an average elevation of 81.95 m (268 ft 10 in).^[80]

Climate and weather

Protected by the Titiwangsa Range in the east and Indonesia's Sumatra Island in the west, Kuala Lumpur is sheltered from strong winds and has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen climate classification Af), hot, humid and sunny, with abundant rainfall, especially during the northeast monsoon season from October to March. Temperatures tend to remain constant. Maximums hover between 32 and 35 °C (90 and 95 °F) and sometimes topping 38 °C (100.4 °F), while minimums hover between 23.4 and 24.6 °C (74.1 and 76.3 °F) and have never fallen below 17.8 °C (64.0 °F).^[81][82] Kuala Lumpur typically receives at least 2,600 mm (100 in) of rain annually; June to August are relatively dry, but even then rainfall typically exceeds 131 millimetres (5.2 in) a month.

Floods are frequent in Kuala Lumpur after heavy downpours, especially in the city centre, because irrigation structure lags behind the intense development in the city.^[83] Smoke from forest fires in nearby Sumatra and Kalimantan sometimes casts a haze over the region, and is a major source of pollution, along with open burning, motor vehicle emissions, and construction.^[84]

Discover more about Geography related topics

Geography of Kuala Lumpur

Geography of Kuala Lumpur

The geography of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is characterized by a huge valley — known as the Klang Valley — bordered by the Titiwangsa Mountains in the east, several minor ranges in the north and the south and the Malacca Straits in the west. The name Kuala Lumpur literally means muddy confluence; Kuala Lumpur is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak Rivers, facing the Malacca Straits.

Greater Kuala Lumpur

Greater Kuala Lumpur

Greater Kuala Lumpur is the geographical term that determines the boundaries of Metropolitan Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Though similar to the term "Klang Valley", there remains a variation between the two. It is similar to Greater London and Greater Toronto. The metropolitan area covers 5,194.72 square km of land.

Klang Valley

Klang Valley

Klang Valley is an urban conglomeration in Malaysia that is centered in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and includes its adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. It is conterminous with Greater Kuala Lumpur, although there are variations between the two.

Malay language

Malay language

Malay is an Austronesian language that is an official language of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, and that is also spoken in East Timor and parts of the Philippines and Thailand. Altogether, it is spoken by 290 million people across Maritime Southeast Asia.

Confluence

Confluence

In geography, a confluence occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river ; or where two streams meet to become the source of a river of a new name ; or where two separated channels of a river rejoin at the downstream end.

Klang River

Klang River

The Klang River is a river which flows through Kuala Lumpur and Selangor in Malaysia and eventually flows into the Straits of Malacca. It is approximately 120 km (75 mi) in length and drains a basin of about 1,288 km2 (497 sq mi). The Klang River has 11 major tributaries.

Gombak River

Gombak River

The Gombak River is a river which flows through Selangor and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. It is a tributary of the Klang River. The point where it meets the Klang River is the origin of Kuala Lumpur's name.

Peninsular Malaysia

Peninsular Malaysia

Peninsular Malaysia, historically known as Malaya, also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, is the part of Malaysia that occupies the southern half of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia and the nearby islands. Its area totals 132,490 km2 (51,150 sq mi), which is nearly 40% of the total area of the country; the other 60% is in East Malaysia. It shares a land border with Thailand to the north and a maritime border with Singapore to the south.

Köppen climate classification

Köppen climate classification

The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notably in 1918 and 1936. Later, German climatologist Rudolf Geiger (1894–1981) introduced some changes to the classification system, which is thus sometimes called the Köppen–Geiger climate classification.

Monsoon

Monsoon

A monsoon is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscillation of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) between its limits to the north and south of the equator. Usually, the term monsoon is used to refer to the rainy phase of a seasonally changing pattern, although technically there is also a dry phase. The term is also sometimes used to describe locally heavy but short-term rains.

Kalimantan

Kalimantan

Kalimantan is the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo. It constitutes 73% of the island's area. The non-Indonesian parts of Borneo are Brunei and East Malaysia. In Indonesia, "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo.

Haze

Haze

Haze is traditionally an atmospheric phenomenon in which dust, smoke, and other dry particulates suspended in air obscure visibility and the clarity of the sky. The World Meteorological Organization manual of codes includes a classification of particulates causing horizontal obscuration into categories of fog, ice fog, steam fog, mist, haze, smoke, volcanic ash, dust, sand, and snow. Sources for particles that cause haze include farming, traffic, industry, volcanic activity and wildfires. Seen from afar and depending on the direction of view with respect to the Sun, haze may appear brownish or bluish, while mist tends to be bluish grey instead. Whereas haze often is thought of as a phenomenon occurring in dry air, mist formation is a phenomenon in saturated, humid air. However, haze particles may act as condensation nuclei that leads to the subsequent vapor condensation and formation of mist droplets; such forms of haze are known as "wet haze".

Kuala Lumpur City Hall

Kuala Lumpur was administered by a corporation sole called the Federal Capital Commissioner from April 1, 1961, until it was awarded city status in 1972, after which executive power transferred to the Lord Mayor (Datuk Bandar).^[88] Thirteen mayors have been appointed since then. The current mayor is Datuk Mahadi Che Ngah, who has been in office since October 1, 2020.^[89]

Local government

The local administration is carried out by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, an agency under the Federal Territories Ministry of Malaysia.^[88] It is responsible for public health and sanitation, waste removal and management, town planning, environmental protection and building control, social and economic development, and general maintenance functions of urban infrastructure. Executive power lies with the mayor in the city hall, who is appointed for three years by the Federal Territories Minister. This system of appointing the mayor has been in place ever since the local government elections were suspended in 1970.^[90]

Districts

Kuala Lumpur's eleven parliamentary constituencies, with 2020 population, area, density and percentage of the total are congruent with administrative subdivisions under the authority of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall authority.^[91]

SELANGOR Kepong Baru Batu Wangsa Maju Setiawangsa Sentul Setapak Semarak Kg. Baru Datuk Keramat Pandan Pudu Bdr. Tun Razak Cheras Connaught Alam Damai Sungai Besi Bukit Jalil Sri Petaling Salak Seputeh Taman Desa Brickfields Lembah Pantai Bangsar Bkt. Damansara Duta Manjalara Mont Kiara KLCC Kuala Lumpur TTDI Segambut Kuchai Batu Caves Chow Kit Bukit Bintang Ampang Hilir Maluri Sungai Penchala Taman OUG Jinjang Kepong Batu Muda Kentonmen Taman Melati Titiwangsa Taman Wahyu Sri Rampai Danau Kota Ayer Panas Sri Permaisuri Shamelin Taman Midah Bukit Tunku Bandar Malaysia Bukit Dinding Bukit Kiara Bukit Sri Bintang Bukit Lanjan Bukit TM Bukit Besi Bukit Gasing Bukit Kerinchi Bukit Robson Bukit Ketumbar Bukit Pudu Ulu Bukit Tabur West Bukit Tabur East Perdana Botanical Gardens Taman Tugu SELANGOR SELANGOR Klang Gates Dam Petaling District Hulu Langat District Gombak District class=notpageimage| A map of Kuala Lumpur with the locations of the city centre and its suburbs.

Local authority Population (% of total population) Area (km²) (% of total area) Density Code Name P.114 Kepong 106,199 (5.36%) 12 (4.9%) 8,850 P.115 Batu 219,132 (11.06%) 20 (8.2%) 10,956 P.116 Wangsa Maju 215,870 (10.89%) 16 (6.6%) 13,491 P.117 Segambut 253,715 (12.89%) 51 (21%) 4,974 P.118 Setiawangsa 147,095 (7.42%) 16 (6.6%) 9,193 P.119 Titiwangsa 122,096 (6.16%) 15 (6.2%) 8,139 P.120 Bukit Bintang 120,259 (6.07%) 21 (8.6%) 5,726 P.121 Lembah Pantai 148,094 (7.47%) 20 (8.2%) 7,404 P.122 Seputeh 322,511 (16.27%) 31 (12.8%) 10,403 P.123 Cheras 135,823 (6.85%) 16 (6.6%) 8,488 P.124 Bandar Tun Razak 191,318 (9.65%) 25 (10.3%) 7,652 Total 1,982,112 (100%) 243 (100%) 8,156

Politics

The Malaysia Parliament House (Bangunan Parlimen Malaysia), located at the end of Jalan Parlimen.

Kuala Lumpur is home to the Parliament of Malaysia. The federal Constitution stipulates the three branches of the Malaysian government: the Executive, Judiciary and Legislative branches. The Parliament consists of the Dewan Negara (Upper House / House of Senate) and Dewan Rakyat (Lower House / House of Representatives).^[10]

List of Kuala Lumpur representatives in the Federal Parliament (Dewan Rakyat)

Discover more about Governance related topics

Kuala Lumpur City Hall

Kuala Lumpur City Hall

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall is the city council which administers the city of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. This council was established after the city was officially granted city status on 1 February 1972. Their jurisdiction covers an area of 243 square kilometres.

Corporation sole

Corporation sole

A corporation sole is a legal entity consisting of a single ("sole") incorporated office, occupied by a single ("sole") natural person. This structure allows corporations to pass without interruption from one officeholder to the next, giving positions legal continuity with subsequent officeholders having identical powers and possessions to their predecessors. A corporation sole is one of two types of corporation, the other being a corporation aggregate.

Mahadi Che Ngah

Mahadi Che Ngah

Datuk Seri Mahadi bin Che Ngah is a Malaysian civil servant who became the 13th and current mayor of Kuala Lumpur since 2020.

Mayor of Kuala Lumpur

Mayor of Kuala Lumpur

The Mayor of Kuala Lumpur is the chief executive for the local government of Kuala Lumpur, the capital and largest city of Malaysia. Each year, the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur presents the Kuala Lumpur city budget to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. He is charged with managing an annual budget of MYR 2.905 billion

Dewan Rakyat

Dewan Rakyat

The Dewan Rakyat is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament, the federal legislature of Malaysia. The chamber and its powers are established by Article 44 of the Constitution of Malaysia. The Dewan Rakyat sits in the Houses of Parliament in Kuala Lumpur, along with the Dewan Negara, the upper house.

Selangor

Selangor

Selangor, also known by its Arabic honorific Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity", is one of the 13 Malaysian states. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south, and the Strait of Malacca to the west. Selangor surrounds the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, both of which were previously part of it.

Kepong Baru

Kepong Baru

Kepong Baru (甲洞卫星市) is a suburb in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located between Bandar Menjalara, Taman Usahawan and Segambut. There will be one metro station at Kepong Baru after 2021, named Kepong Baru station.

Batu, Kuala Lumpur

Batu, Kuala Lumpur

Batu is a parliamentary constituency in the northern outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, covering the area between Sentul and Batu Caves.

Semarak

Semarak

Semarak or Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra is a main place in Kuala Lumpur. The Royal Malaysian Police Academy (PULAPOL) and Ministry of Defence Headquarters is located here.

Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur

Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur

Kampung Baru or Kampong Bharu is a Malay enclave in central Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. One of the most valuable tracts of land in the capital, it has been estimated to be worth up to US$1.4 billion.

Kampung Datuk Keramat

Kampung Datuk Keramat

Kampung Datuk Keramat or more commonly referred to as Keramat among the locals is a large zone in the Titiwangsa constituency, falling within the boundary of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located northeast of downtown Kuala Lumpur and borders the district of Ampang in Selangor. The Klang River runs roughly from northeast to the west and acts as a natural divider of Keramat and Ampang.

Kampung Pandan

Kampung Pandan

Kampung Pandan is a village/settlement located in the Titiwangsa constituency in eastern Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, surrounded by Ampang, Maluri, Pudu and Bukit Bintang. Once a small settlement, Kampung Pandan has now grown and developed tremendously.

A pedestrian mall by the Central Market

Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding urban areas form the most industrialised and economically, the fastest-growing region in Malaysia.^[92] Despite the relocation of federal government administration to Putrajaya, certain government institutions such as Bank Negara Malaysia (National Bank of Malaysia), Companies Commission of Malaysia and Securities Commission as well as most embassies and diplomatic missions have remained in the city.^[93] The city remains the economic and business hub of the country. Kuala Lumpur is a centre for finance, insurance, real estate, media and the arts of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is rated the only global city in Malaysia, according to the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC).^[94]

The Merdeka 118 is the tallest building in Southeast Asia; it is also the second-tallest building in the world, after the Burj Khalifa.

Bursa Malaysia, or the Malaysia Exchange, is based in the city and forms one of its core economic activities. As of 5 July 2013, the market capitalisation stood at US$505.67 billion.^[95]

The Exchange 106 is the third-tallest building in Malaysia, located within TRX.

The gross domestic product (GDP) for Kuala Lumpur is estimated at RM73,536 million in 2008 with an average annual growth rate of 5.9 percent.^[96][97] By 2015, the GDP had reached RM160,388 million, representing 15.1% of the total GDP of Malaysia.^[98] The per capita GDP for Kuala Lumpur in 2013 was RM79,752 with an average annual growth rate of 5.6 percent,^[99] and RM94,722 in 2015.^[98] Average monthly household income is RM9,073 (~$2,200) as of 2016, growing at a pace of approximately 6% a year.^[100] The service sector, comprising finance, insurance, real estate, business services, wholesale and retail trade, restaurants and hotels, transport, storage and communication, utilities, personal services and government services form the largest component of employment, representing about 83.0 percent of the total.^[101] The remaining 17 percent comes from manufacturing and construction.

The large service sector is evident in the number of local and foreign banks and insurance companies operating in the city. Kuala Lumpur is poised to become the global Islamic financing hub^[102] with an increasing number of financial institutions providing Islamic financing and the strong presence of Gulf financial institutions such as the world's largest Islamic bank, the Al-Rajhi Bank^[103] and Kuwait Finance House. Apart from that, the Dow Jones & Company is keen to work with Bursa Malaysia to set up Islamic Exchange Trade Funds (ETFs), which would help raise Malaysia's profile in the Gulf.^[104] The city has a large number of foreign corporations and is also host to many multi national companies' regional offices or support centres, particularly for finance and accounting, and information technology functions. Most of the country's largest companies have their headquarters here, and as of December 2007 and excluding Petronas, there are 14 companies that are listed in Forbes 2000 based in Kuala Lumpur.^[105]

There has been growing emphasis on expanding the economic scope of the city in other service activities, such as research and development, which support the rest of the economy of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur has been home for years to important research centres such as the Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia, the Forest Research Institute Malaysia and the Institute of Medical Research.^[106] A new financial district for Kuala Lumpur is currently under construction: the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX), formerly known as Kuala Lumpur International Financial District (KLIFD). The TRX's landmark and prominent building is The Exchange 106 tower. The 70-acre development will be situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and will serve international finance and business opportunities. The new financial hub is a strategic enabler of the Malaysian government's Economic Transformation Programme (ETP), an initiative by the Malaysian government to turn Malaysia into a high income economy nation.

Tourism

The Medan Pasar with its clock tower right at the centre of the square.

Sultan Abdul Samad Building, a historic building designed in the Moorish style and formerly housed various government offices.

Tourism plays an important role in the city's service-driven economy. Many large worldwide hotel chains have a presence in the city. One of the oldest hotels is the Hotel Majestic. Kuala Lumpur is the sixth most visited city in the world, with 8.9 million tourists per year.^[107][108] Tourism here is driven by the city's cultural diversity, relatively low costs, and wide gastronomic and shopping variety. MICE tourism, which mainly encompasses conventions— has expanded in recent years to become a vital component of the industry, and is expected to grow further once the Malaysian government's Economic Transformation Programme kicks in, and with the completion of a new 93,000 square meter-size MATRADE Centre in 2014.^[109] The MATRADE agency is also the owner of the Malaysia International Trade And Exhibition Centre (MITEC), the largest trade and exhibition centre of Malaysia, which is a component of the larger KL Metropolis development situated in the suburb of Segambut. Another notable trend is the increased presence of budget hotels in the city.

The National Museum of Malaysia, located along Jalan Damansara.

The major tourist destinations in Kuala Lumpur include the Petronas Twin Towers, the Bukit Bintang shopping district, the Kuala Lumpur Tower, Petaling Street (Chinatown), the Merdeka Square, the Kuala Lumpur railway station, the House of Parliament building, the National Palace (Istana Negara), the National Planetarium, the National Science Centre, the National Art Gallery (Balai Seni Negara), the National Theatre (Istana Budaya), the National Museum, the Royal Museum, the National Textile Museum, Islamic Arts Museum, Telekom Museum, Royal Malaysian Police Museum, the National Mosque of Malaysia (Masjid Negara), Federal Territory Mosque (Masjid Wilayah), Sultan Abdul Samad Building, DBKL City Theatre (Panggung Bandaraya), Medan Pasar, Central Market, KL Bird Park, KL Butterfly Park, Aquaria KLCC, River of Life KL, Saloma Link, the National Monument, and religious sites such as the Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque, Thean Hou Temple and Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields.^[110][111]

Kuala Lumpur plays host to many cultural festivals such as the Thaipusam procession at the Sri Mahamariamman Temple. Every year during the Thaipusam celebration, a silver chariot carrying the statue of Lord Muruga together with his consort Valli and Teivayanni would be paraded through the city beginning at the temple all the way to Batu Caves in the neighboring Gombak, Selangor.^[112] The primary entertainment and shopping district of the city is mainly centred in the Golden Triangle encompassing Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Ampang Road and Bintang Walk.^[113]

Retail

Kuala Lumpur alone has 66 shopping malls and is the retail and fashion hub of both Malaysia and Southeast Asia.^[114] Shopping in Malaysia contributed RM7.7 billion (US$2.26 billion) or 20.8 percent of the RM31.9 billion tourism receipts in 2006.^[115]

Suria KLCC is one of Malaysia's premier upscale shopping destinations due to its location beneath the Petronas Twin Towers. Apart from Suria KLCC, the Bukit Bintang district has the highest concentration of shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur. It includes: Pavilion KL, Fahrenheit 88, Plaza Low Yat, Berjaya Times Square, Lot 10, Sungei Wang Plaza, Starhill Gallery, Lalaport BBCC, Quill City Mall and Avenue K.^[116] Changkat area of Bukit Bintang hosts various cafes, alfresco dining outlets, illegal activities such as prostitution and more. It is best known as one of the red-light districts in Kuala Lumpur. Bangsar district also has a few shopping complexes, including Bangsar Village, Bangsar Shopping Centre, KL Gateway Mall, Bangsar South, KL Eco City Mall, The Gardens and Mid Valley Megamall.

Apart from shopping complexes, Kuala Lumpur has designated numerous zones in the city to market locally manufactured products such as textiles, fabrics and handicrafts. The Chinatown of Kuala Lumpur, commonly known as Petaling Street, is one of them. Chinatown features many pre-independence buildings with Straits Chinese and colonial architectural influences.^[117][118]

Since 2000, the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism introduced a mega sale event for shopping in Malaysia. The mega sale event is held three times a year – in March, May and December – in which all shopping malls are encouraged to participate to boost Kuala Lumpur as a leading shopping destination in Asia which has been maintained until present with new mega sales.^[119]

• Gallery
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  Changkat Bukit Bintang, an upmarket gastronomy area and red light district in Kuala Lumpur at night.

• 

  Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur's retail cluster.

• 

  Suria KLCC, located between the Petronas Twin Towers.

• 

  Pavilion KL, one of the city's iconic shopping centre.

• 

  Pasar Seni (Central Market), known for its art and craft souvenirs based on Malaysian culture.

• 

  The Carigali Tower, Petronas Twin Towers, Maxis Tower and Four Seasons Place KL from left.

• 

  Kuala Lumpur skyline at night (2019)

Discover more about Economy related topics

Central Market, Kuala Lumpur

Central Market, Kuala Lumpur

Central Market Kuala Lumpur is a market in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Putrajaya

Putrajaya

Putrajaya, officially the Federal Territory of Putrajaya, is a administrative capital and the judicial capital of Malaysia. The seat of the federal government of Malaysia was moved in 1999 from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya because of overcrowding and congestion in the former, whilst the seat of the judiciary of Malaysia was later moved to Putrajaya in 2003. Kuala Lumpur remains as Malaysia's national capital city per the constitution and is still the seat of the head of state and the national legislature, as well as being the country's commercial and financial centre.

Global city

Global city

A global city is a city that serves as a primary node in the global economic network. The concept originates from geography and urban studies, based on the thesis that globalization has created a hierarchy of strategic geographic locations with varying degrees of influence over finance, trade, and culture worldwide. The global city represents the most complex and significant hub within the international system, characterized by links binding it to other cities that have direct, tangible effects on global socioeconomic affairs.

Merdeka 118

Merdeka 118

Merdeka 118, formerly known as Warisan Merdeka Tower, KL 118 and PNB 118, is a 118-storey megatall skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At 678.9 m (2,227 ft) tall, it is the second-tallest structure and the second-tallest building in the world, behind the Burj Khalifa at 828 m (2,717 ft).

Burj Khalifa

Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa, known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration in 2010, is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is known for being the world's tallest building. With a total height of 829.8 m and a roof height of 828 m (2,717 ft), the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest structure and building in the world since its topping out in 2009, supplanting Taipei 101, the previous holder of that status.

Bursa Malaysia

Bursa Malaysia

Bursa Malaysia is the stock exchange of Malaysia. It is one of the largest bourses in ASEAN. It is based in Kuala Lumpur and was previously known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE). It provides a full integration of transactions, offering a wide range of currency exchange and related services including trading, settlement, clearing and savings services.

Gross domestic product

Gross domestic product

Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold in a specific time period by a country or countries, generally "without double counting the intermediate goods and services used up to produce them". GDP is most often used by the government of a single country to measure its economic health. Due to its complex and subjective nature, this measure is often revised before being considered a reliable indicator. GDP (nominal) per capita does not, however, reflect differences in the cost of living and the inflation rates of the countries; therefore, using a basis of GDP per capita at purchasing power parity (PPP) may be more useful when comparing living standards between nations, while nominal GDP is more useful comparing national economies on the international market. Total GDP can also be broken down into the contribution of each industry or sector of the economy. The ratio of GDP to the total population of the region is the per capita GDP.

Al-Rajhi Bank

Al-Rajhi Bank

The Al Rajhi Bank is a Saudi Arabian bank and the world's largest Islamic bank by capital based on 2015 data.

Kuwait Finance House

Kuwait Finance House

Kuwait Finance House (KFH) was established in the State of Kuwait, in 1977, as the first bank operating in accordance with the Islamic Shari'a rulings. KFH is listed in Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE), with a market capitalization of $8.2 billion as of May 2016. Assets total $55.52 billion and deposits amount to $34.97 billion

Dow Jones & Company

Dow Jones & Company

Dow Jones & Company, Inc. is an American publishing firm owned by News Corp and led by CEO Almar Latour.

Petronas

Petronas

Petroliam Nasional Berhad, commonly known as PETRONAS, is a global Malaysian energy group with presence in over 100 countries. Established in 1974 and wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia, the corporation is vested with all oil and gas resources in Malaysia and is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and adding value to these resources. In the annual Fortune Global 500 list for 2022, PETRONAS was ranked at 216th. PETRONAS also ranked 48th globally in the 2020 Bentley Infrastructure 500.

Forest Research Institute Malaysia

Forest Research Institute Malaysia

The Forest Research Institute Malaysia is a statutory agency of the Government of Malaysia, under the Ministry of Land, Water and Natural Resources (KATS). FRIM promotes sustainable management and optimal use of forest resources in Malaysia by generating knowledge and technology through research, development and application in tropical forestry. FRIM is located in Kepong, near Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur is the most populous city in Malaysia, with a population of 1.98 million in the city proper as of 2020^[update]. It has a population density of 8,157 inhabitants per square kilometre (21,130/sq mi), and is the most densely populated administrative district in Malaysia.^[2] Residents of the city are colloquially known as KLites.^[120] Kuala Lumpur is also the centre of the wider Klang Valley metropolitan area covering Petaling Jaya, Klang, Subang Jaya, Puchong, Shah Alam, and Gombak, with an estimated metropolitan population of 7.25 million as of 2017^[update].^[121]

Kuala Lumpur's heterogeneous populace includes the country's three major ethnic groups: the Malays, the Chinese and the Indians, although the city also has a mix of different cultures including Eurasians, Kadazans, Ibans and other indigenous races from around Malaysia.^[101][122]

Historical demographics

Historically Kuala Lumpur was a predominantly Chinese city, although more recently the Bumiputera component of the city has grown substantially and they are now the dominant group. The Kuala Lumpur of 1872 beside the Klang River was described by Frank Swettenham as a "purely Chinese village", although a Malay stockade already existed at Bukit Nanas at that time.^[25] By 1875, after participation in the Selangor Civil War by Pahang Malays had ended, Swettenham noted Malay quarters near the Chinese area in a sketch map he had drawn. There were said to be 1,000 Chinese and 700 Malays in the town in this period. Many of the Malays may have settled in Kuala Lumpur after the war.^[25] The population of Kuala Lumpur had increased to around three thousand in 1880 when it was made the capital of Selangor.^[125] A significant component of the Malay population in Kuala Lumpur of this period consisted of Malays recruited by the British in 1880, mostly from rural Malacca, to establish a police force of 2–300, many of whom brought their families.^[126] Many of the Malays were originally from the other islands of Malay Archipelago i.e. Sumatra and Java. The Mandailings, the Minangkabaus, Javanese, and Buginese began arriving in Kuala Lumpur in the 19th century, while the Acehnese arrived in the late 20th century.^[127] In the following decades that saw the rebuilding of the town, it grew considerably with a large influx of immigrants, due in large part to the construction of a railway line in 1886 connecting Kuala Lumpur and Klang.^[28]

A census in 1891 of uncertain accuracy gave a figure of 43,796 inhabitants, 79% of whom were Chinese (71% of the Chinese were Hakka, but possibly over-counted), 14% Malay, and 6% Indian.^[125] Another perhaps more accurate estimate put the population of Kuala Lumpur in 1890 at 20,000.^[28] The rubber boom in the early 20th century led to a further increase in population, from 30,000 in 1900 to 80,000 in 1920.^[56] In 1931, 61% of Kuala Lumpur's 111,418 inhabitants were Chinese,^[124] and in 1947 63.5%. The Malays however began to settle in Kuala Lumpur in significant numbers, in part due to government employment, as well as the expansion of the city that absorbed the surrounding rural areas where many Malays lived. Between 1947 and 1957 the population of Malays in Kuala Lumpur increased from 12.5 to 15%, while the proportion of Chinese dropped.^[128] The process continued after Malayan independence with the growth of a largely Malay civil service, and later the implementation of the New Economic Policy which encouraged Malay participation in urban industries and business. In 1980 the population of Kuala Lumpur had reached over a million,^[55] with 52% Chinese, 33% Malay, and 15% Indian.^[129] From 1980 to 2000 the number of Bumiputeras increased by 77%, but the Chinese still outnumbered the Bumiputeras in Kuala Lumpur in the 2000 census at 43% compared to 38%.^[101][66] By the 2010 census, according to the Department of Statistics and excluding non-citizens, the Malay population in Kuala Lumpur had increased to 44.7% (45.9% Bumiputera), exceeding the Chinese population of 43.2%.^[130] In the 2020 census, the percentage of the Bumiputera population in Kuala Lumpur had reached around 47.7%, with the Chinese population at 41.6% and Indians 10.0%.^[131]

A notable phenomenon in recent times has been the increased portion of foreign residents in Kuala Lumpur, which rose from 1% of the city's population in 1980 to about 8% in the 2000 census, 9.4% in 2010, and 10.5% in the 2020 census.^{[101][130][131]} These figures also do not include a significant number of illegal immigrants.^[132] Kuala Lumpur's rapid development has triggered a huge influx of low-skilled foreign workers from Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia into Malaysia, many of whom enter the country illegally or without proper permits.^[133][134]

Birth rates in Kuala Lumpur have declined and resulted in a lower proportion of young people – the proportion of those below 15 years old fell from 33% in 1980 to slightly less than 27% in 2000.^[101] On the other hand, the working age group of 15–59 increased from 63% in 1980 to 67% in 2000.^[101] The elderly age group, 60 years old and above has increased from 4% in 1980 and 1991 to 6% in 2000.^[101]

Languages and religions

Kuala Lumpur is pluralistic and religiously diverse. The city has many places of worship catering to the multi-religious population. Islam is practised primarily by the Malays, the Indian Muslim communities and a small number of Chinese Muslims. Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism are practised mainly among the Chinese. Indians traditionally adhere to Hinduism. Some Chinese and Indians also subscribe to Christianity.^[135] Kuala Lumpur is one of the three states where less than 50% of the population are self-identified Muslims, the other two being Penang and Sarawak. As of the 2020 Census, the population of Kuala Lumpur was 45.3% Muslim, 32.3% Buddhist, 8.2% Hindu, 6.4% Christian, 1.8% of other religions, and 6.0% non-religious.^[131]

Clockwise from top left: Masjid Negara, Thean Hou Temple, Sri Mahamariamman Temple, St. John's Cathedral

Statistics from the 2010 Census indicate that 87.4% of the Chinese population identify as Buddhists, with significant minorities of adherents identifying as Christians (7.9%), Chinese folk religions (2.7%) and Muslims (0.6%). The majority of the Indian population identify as Hindus (81.1%), with a significant minorities of identifying as Christians (7.8%), Muslims (4.9%) and Buddhists (2.1%). The non-Malay bumiputera community are predominantly Christians (44.9%), with significant minorities identifying as Muslims (31.2%) and Buddhists (13.5%). All bumiputera Malays are Muslim^[136] due to the criterion in the definition of a Malay in the Malaysian constitution that they should adhere to Islam.^[137]

Bahasa Malaysia is the principal language in Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur residents are generally literate in English, with a large proportion adopting it as their first language. Malaysian English is widely used.^[138] It has a strong presence, especially in business, and is taught as a compulsory language in schools.^[122] Cantonese, Hokkien and Mandarin are prominent, as they are spoken by the local majority Chinese population.^[139] Another major Chinese dialect spoken is Hakka. While Tamil is dominant amongst the local Indian population, other Indian languages spoken by minorities include Telugu, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Hindi.^[140] Besides Malay, there are a variety of languages spoken by people of Indonesian descent, such as Minangkabau^[141] and Javanese. There are also speakers of Arabic and other languages.

Discover more about Demographics related topics

Malaysian Malays

Malaysian Malays

Malaysian Malays are Malaysians of Malay ethnicity whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in the Malay world. In 2015 population estimate, with the total population of 15.7 million, Malaysian Malays form 50.8% of Malaysia's demographics, the largest ethnic group in the country. They can be broadly classified into two main categories; Anak Jati and Anak Dagang.

Malaysian Chinese

Malaysian Chinese

Malaysian Chinese, alternatively Chinese Malaysians, are Malaysian citizens of Han Chinese ethnicity. They form the second largest ethnic group after the Malay majority, constituting 22.4% of the Malaysian population. Most of them are descendants of Southern Chinese immigrants who arrived in Malaysia between the early 19th and the mid-20th century. Malaysian Chinese form the second largest community of Overseas Chinese in the world, after Thai Chinese. Malaysian Chinese are traditionally dominant in the business sector of the Malaysian economy.

City proper

City proper

A city proper is the geographical area contained within city limits. The term proper is not exclusive to cities; it can describe the geographical area within the boundaries of any given locality. The United Nations defines the term as "the single political jurisdiction which contains the historical city centre."

Klang Valley

Klang Valley

Klang Valley is an urban conglomeration in Malaysia that is centered in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and includes its adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. It is conterminous with Greater Kuala Lumpur, although there are variations between the two.

Petaling Jaya

Petaling Jaya

Petaling Jaya, commonly called "PJ" is a city in Petaling District, in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. Originally developed as a satellite township for Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, it is part of the Greater Kuala Lumpur area. Petaling Jaya was granted city status on 20 June 2006. It has an area of approximately 97.2 square kilometres (37.5 sq mi).

Klang (city)

Klang (city)

Klang or Kelang, officially Royal City of Klang, is a royal city and former capital of the state of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the Klang District. It was the civil capital of Selangor in an earlier era prior to the emergence of Kuala Lumpur and the current capital, Shah Alam. Port Klang, which is located in the Klang District, is the 12th busiest transshipment port and the 12th busiest container port in the world.

Puchong

Puchong

Puchong is a major town and a parliamentary constituency in Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia.

Shah Alam

Shah Alam

Shah Alam is a city and the state capital of Selangor, Malaysia and situated within the Petaling District and a small portion of the neighbouring Klang District. Shah Alam replaced Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of the state of Selangor in 1978 due to Kuala Lumpur's incorporation into a Federal Territory in 1974. Shah Alam was the first planned city in Malaysia after independence from Britain in 1957.

Eurasian (mixed ancestry)

Eurasian (mixed ancestry)

A Eurasian is a person of mixed Asian and European ancestry.

Iban people

Iban people

The Ibans or Sea Dayaks are a branch of the Dayak peoples on the island of Borneo in South East Asia. Dayak is a title given by the westerners to the local people of Borneo island. It is believed that the term "Iban" was originally an exonym used by the Kayans, who – when they initially came into contact with them – referred to the Sea Dayaks in the upper Rajang river region as the "Hivan".

Bumiputera (Malaysia)

Bumiputera (Malaysia)

Bumiputera or Bumiputra is a term used in Malaysia to describe Malays, the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia, and various indigenous peoples of East Malaysia. The term is sometimes controversial, and has similar usage in the Malay world, used similarly in Indonesia and Brunei.

Stockade

Stockade

A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls, made of logs placed side by side vertically, with the tops sharpened as a defensive wall.

Panorama view of Kuala Lumpur in 2020

Architecture

The Kuala Lumpur Railway Station (right) contrasts with Keretapi Tanah Melayu (left) Administration Building, a darker, similarly Mughal-styled building. Both were designed by A. B. Hubback

The architecture of Kuala Lumpur is a mixture of old colonial influences, Asian traditions, Malay Islamic inspirations, modern, and postmodern architecture.^[142] A relatively young city compared with other Southeast Asian capitals such as Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila, most of Kuala Lumpur's notable colonial-era buildings were built toward the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. These buildings were designed in a number of styles – Mughal/Moorish Revival, Mock Tudor, Neo-Gothic or Grecian-Spanish style or architecture.^[143] Most of the styling has been modified to use local resources and adapted to the local climate, which is hot and humid all year around. A significant architect of the early period is Arthur Benison Hubback who designed a number of the colonial-era buildings including the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station and Jamek Mosque.

Prior to the Second World War, many shophouses, usually two stories with functional shops on the ground floor and separate residential spaces upstairs, were built around the old city centre. These shop-houses drew inspiration from Straits Chinese and European traditions.^[117][118] Some of these shophouses have made way for new developments but there are still many standing today in the Medan Pasar Besar (Old Market Square), Chinatown, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Doraisamy, Bukit Bintang and Tengkat Tong Shin areas.

Jamek Mosque (Masjid Jamek) is one of the oldest mosques still standing in Kuala Lumpur, built in 1909.

Independence coupled with rapid economic growth from the 1970s to the 1990s and with Islam being the official religion in the country, has resulted in the construction of buildings with a more local and Islamic flavour arise around the city. Many of these buildings derive their design from traditional Malay items such as the songkok and the keris. Some of these buildings have Islamic geometric motifs integrated into the designs of the building, due to Islamic restrictions on imitating nature through drawings.^[144] Examples of these buildings are Telekom Tower, Maybank Tower, Dayabumi Complex, and the Islamic Centre.^[145] Some buildings such as the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia and National Planetarium have been built to masquerade as a place of worship, complete with dome and minaret, when in fact they are places of science and knowledge. The 452-metre (1,483 ft) Petronas Towers are the tallest twin buildings in the world and the tallest buildings in the country.^[146] They were designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art.^[147]

Late modern and postmodern architecture began to appear in the late-1990s and early-2000s. With economic development, old buildings such as Bok House have been razed to make way for new ones. Buildings with all-glass shells exist throughout the city, with the most prominent examples being the Petronas Towers and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Kuala Lumpur's central business district today has shifted to the Kuala Lumpur city centre (KLCC) where many new and tall buildings with modern and postmodern architecture fill the skyline. According to the World Tallest 50 Urban Agglomeration 2010 Projection by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Kuala Lumpur ranks 10th among cities that have most buildings above 100 metres with a combined height of 34,035 metres from its 244 high rise buildings.^[148]

Parks

KLCC Park is a 50-acre urban park located in the city centre.

The Perdana Botanical Garden or Lake Gardens, a 92-hectare (230-acre) botanical garden, was the first recreational park created in Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian Parliament building is located close by, and Carcosa Seri Negara, which was once the official residence of British colonial administration, is also sited here. The park includes a butterfly park, deer park, orchid garden, a hibiscus garden, and the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, which is the world's largest aviary bird park.^[149] Other parks in the city include the ASEAN Sculpture Garden, KLCC Park, Titiwangsa Lake Gardens, Metropolitan Lake Gardens in Kepong, Taman Tasik Permaisuri (Queen's Lake Gardens), Bukit Kiara Botanical Gardens, the equestrian park and West Valley Park near Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), and Bukit Jalil International Park.

There are three forest reserves within the city, the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve in the city centre, the oldest gazetted forest reserve in the country 10.52 ha or 26.0 acres, Bukit Sungai Putih Forest Reserve (7.41 ha or 18.3 acres) and Bukit Sungai Besi Forest Reserve (42.11 ha or 104.1 acres). Bukit Nanas, in the heart of the city centre, is one of the oldest virgin forests in the world within a city.^[150] These residual forest areas are home to a number of fauna species, particularly monkeys, treeshrews, pygmy goats, budgerigars, squirrels and birds.

The view of Kuala Lumpur from Titiwangsa Lake Gardens

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Architecture of Kuala Lumpur

Architecture of Kuala Lumpur

The architecture of Kuala Lumpur is a blend of old colonial influences, Asian traditions, Malay Islamic inspirations, modern and post modern mix. Being a relatively young city, most of Kuala Lumpur's colonial buildings were built toward the end of 19th and early 20th century. These buildings have Mughal, Tudor, Neo-Gothic or Grecian-Spanish style or architecture. Most of the styling have been modified to cater to use local resources and the acclimatized to the local climate, which is hot and humid all year around.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu

Keretapi Tanah Melayu

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) or Malayan Railways Limited is the main rail operator in Peninsular Malaysia. The railway system dates back to the British colonial era, when it was first built to transport tin. Previously known as the Federated Malay States Railways (FMSR) and the Malayan Railway Administration (MRA), Keretapi Tanah Melayu acquired its current name in 1962. The organisation was corporatised in 1992, but remains wholly owned by the Malaysian government.

Colonialism

Colonialism

Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their religion, language, economics, and other cultural practices. The foreign administrators rule the territory in pursuit of their interests, seeking to benefit from the colonised region's people and resources. It is associated with but distinct from imperialism.

Modern architecture

Modern architecture

Modern architecture, or modernist architecture, was an architectural movement or architectural style based upon new and innovative technologies of construction, particularly the use of glass, steel, and reinforced concrete; the idea that form should follow function (functionalism); an embrace of minimalism; and a rejection of ornament. It emerged in the first half of the 20th century and became dominant after World War II until the 1980s, when it was gradually replaced as the principal style for institutional and corporate buildings by postmodern architecture. According to Le Corbusier the roots of the mouvement were to be found in the works of Eugène Viollet le duc.

Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated population of 10.539 million as of 2020, 15.3 percent of the country's population. Over 14 million people lived within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region at the 2010 census, making Bangkok an extreme primate city, dwarfing Thailand's other urban centres in both size and importance to the national economy.

Jakarta

Jakarta

Jakarta, officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta is the largest city in Southeast Asia and serves as the diplomatic capital of ASEAN.

Manila

Manila

Manila, officially City of Manila, is the capital of the Philippines and its second-most populous city. Manila is located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on the island of Luzon. It is highly urbanized and as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated city proper. Manila is considered to be a global city and is rated as an Alpha – City by Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC). It was the first chartered city in the country, and was designated as such by the Philippine Commission Act 183 of July 31, 1901. It became autonomous with the passage of Republic Act No. 409, "The Revised Charter of the City of Manila", on June 18, 1949. Manila is considered to be part of the world's original set of global cities because its commercial networks were the first to extend across the Pacific Ocean and connect Asia with the Spanish Americas through the galleon trade; when this was accomplished, it was the first time an uninterrupted chain of trade routes circling the planet had been established. Manila is among the most-populous and fastest-growing cities in Southeast Asia.

Mughal architecture

Mughal architecture

Mughal architecture is the type of Indo-Islamic architecture developed by the Mughals in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries throughout the ever-changing extent of their empire in the Indian subcontinent. It developed from the architectural styles of earlier Muslim dynasties in India and from Iranian and Central Asian architectural traditions, particularly Timurid architecture. It also further incorporated and syncretized influences from wider Indian architecture, especially during the reign of Akbar. Mughal buildings have a uniform pattern of structure and character, including large bulbous domes, slender minarets at the corners, massive halls, large vaulted gateways, and delicate ornamentation; examples of the style can be found in modern-day Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

Moorish Revival architecture

Moorish Revival architecture

Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of Romanticist Orientalism. It reached the height of its popularity after the mid-19th century, part of a widening vocabulary of articulated decorative ornament drawn from historical sources beyond familiar classical and Gothic modes. Neo-Moorish architecture drew on elements from classic Moorish architecture and, as a result, from the wider Islamic architecture.

Gothic Revival architecture

Gothic Revival architecture

Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the late 1840s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly serious and learned admirers of the neo-Gothic styles sought to revive medieval Gothic architecture, intending to complement or even supersede the neoclassical styles prevalent at the time. Gothic Revival draws upon features of medieval examples, including decorative patterns, finials, lancet windows, and hood moulds. By the middle of the 19th century, Gothic Revival had become the preeminent architectural style in the Western world, only to fall out of fashion in the 1880s and early 1890s.

Arthur Benison Hubback

Arthur Benison Hubback

Arthur Benison Hubback was an English architect and soldier who designed several important buildings in British Malaya, in both Indo-Saracenic architecture and European "Wrenaissance" styles. Major works credited to him include Kuala Lumpur railway station, Ubudiah Mosque, Jamek Mosque, National Textile Museum, Panggung Bandaraya DBKL, Ipoh railway station, and Kowloon railway station.

Jamek Mosque

Jamek Mosque

Jamek Mosque, officially Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak River and may be accessed via Jalan Tun Perak. The mosque was designed by Arthur Benison Hubback, and built in 1909.

According to government statistics, Kuala Lumpur has a literacy rate of 97.5% in 2000, the highest rate in any state or territory in Malaysia.^[151] In Malaysia, Malay is the language of instruction for most subjects while English is a compulsory subject, but as of 2012^[update], English was still the language of instruction for mathematics and the natural sciences for certain schools. Some schools provide instruction in Mandarin and Tamil for certain subjects.^[152]

Kuala Lumpur contains 14 tertiary education institutions, 79 high schools, 155 elementary schools and 136 kindergartens.^[153]

University of Malaya City View.

Kuala Lumpur is home to the University of Malaya (UM). Established in 1949, it is the oldest university in Malaysia, and one of the oldest in the region.^[154] It was ranked the best university in Malaysia, the 22nd-best in Asia, and third in Southeast Asia in QS World University Rankings 2019.^[155] In recent years, the number of international students at the University of Malaya has risen, as a result of increasing efforts made to attract them.^[156]

Other universities located in Kuala Lumpur include Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TARUC), UCSI University (UCSI), Taylor's University (TULC), International Medical University (IMU), Open University Malaysia (OUM), Kuala Lumpur University (UniKL), Perdana University (PU), Wawasan Open University (WOU), HELP University and the branch campus of the National University of Malaysia (UKM) and University of Technology Malaysia (UTM). The National Defence University of Malaysia is located at Sungai Besi Army Base, at the southern part of central Kuala Lumpur. It was established to be a major centre for military and defence technology studies. This institution covers studies for the army, navy, and air force.^[157]

Greater Kuala Lumpur covers an even more extensive selection of universities including several international branches such as Monash University Malaysia Campus, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus and Xiamen University Malaysia.

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Education in Malaysia

Education in Malaysia

Education in Malaysia is overseen by the Ministry of Education. Although education is the responsibility of the Federal Government, each state and federal territory has an Education Department to co-ordinate educational matters in its territory. The main legislation governing education is the Education Act 1996.

Literacy

Literacy

Literacy in its broadest sense describes "particular ways of thinking about and doing reading and writing" with the purpose of understanding or expressing thoughts or ideas in written form in some specific context of use. In other words, humans in literate societies have sets of practices for producing and consuming writing, and they also have beliefs about these practices. Reading, in this view, is always reading something for some purpose; writing is always writing something for someone for some particular ends. Beliefs about reading and writing and its value for society and for the individual always influence the ways literacy is taught, learned, and practiced over the lifespan.

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and north-west of mainland Australia which is part of Oceania. Southeast Asia is bordered to the north by East Asia, to the west by South Asia and the Bay of Bengal, to the east by Oceania and the Pacific Ocean, and to the south by Australia and the Indian Ocean. Apart from the British Indian Ocean Territory and two out of 26 atolls of Maldives in South Asia, Maritime Southeast Asia is the only other subregion of Asia that lies partly within the Southern Hemisphere. Mainland Southeast Asia is completely in the Northern Hemisphere. Timor-Leste and the southern portion of Indonesia are the only parts in Southeast Asia that are south of the Equator.

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman is a non-profit private research university in Malaysia. UTAR ranked top 100 in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2018 and top 600 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021, placing it 2nd overall in Malaysia only after University of Malaya. UTAR also ranked 13th in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022 for Graduate Employment Rate, 31st in UI GreenMetric Ranking Top 50 Under 50 2022, and 3rd in Malaysia for Nature Index Institution Research Output.

International Islamic University Malaysia

International Islamic University Malaysia

The International Islamic University Malaysia, also known as IIUM, is a public university in Malaysia. Headquartered in Gombak, Selangor, IIUM has six other campuses all over Malaysia: two medical-centric campuses and a Centre for Foundation Studies in Gambang, Pahang, two city campuses in Kuala Lumpur, and a language and tourism campus in Pagoh, Johor.

UCSI University

UCSI University

UCSI University is a private university in Malaysia.

Taylor's University

Taylor's University

Taylor's University is a private university in Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. It is often regarded as Malaysia's top private university in Malaysia based on the QS World University Rankings.

International Medical University

International Medical University

The International Medical University (IMU) is a private, English language, health sciences university in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was established in 1992, and is active in research and teaching within medicine and healthcare with a strong international orientation. IMU is a wholly owned subsidiary of Asia's largest private healthcare group IHH Healthcare, which is majority-owned by the Mitsui & Co. The current CEO of IMU is Abdul Aziz Baba.

Open University Malaysia

Open University Malaysia

Open University Malaysia, abbreviated as OUM, is the 7th Malaysian private university and it is owned by the Multimedia Technology Enhancement Operations (METEOR) Sdn. Bhd, a consortium of 11 Malaysian public universities. It leverages on the quality, prestige and capabilities of its consortium.

Perdana University

Perdana University

Perdana University (PU), is an emerging private university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia focusing on health science and data science programmes at foundation (pre-university), undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Perdana University was officially incorporated in 2011. In 2017, Perdana University was awarded Tier 4: Very Good in the Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education 2017 (SETARA) from the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia (MOHE).

HELP University

HELP University

HELP University is a private university in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was founded in 1986 by its president and vice-chancellor, Datuk Dr Paul Chan Tuck Hoong, and Group CEO Datin Chan-Low Kam Yoke. HELP Institute was awarded the University College status in 2004 by the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia and was awarded full university status in 2011. HELP is an acronym for Higher Education Learning Philosophy. HELP first offered the University of London External Programmes and the twinning programmes with the University of Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom, and the University of Southern Queensland, Australia. It has partnerships with universities in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, and in Europe. HELP University is a member of the HELP Education Group. The HELP Education Group consists of HELP University, HELP Academy, HELP International School, Crescendo-HELP International School, and Tunku Putra-HELP International School.

National University of Malaysia

National University of Malaysia

The National University of Malaysia is a public university located in Bandar Baru Bangi, Hulu Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia. Its teaching hospital, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC) is located in Cheras and also has a branch campus in Kuala Lumpur.

Arts

Frieze depicting Malaysian history at the National Museum.

Kuala Lumpur is a hub for cultural activities and events in Malaysia. Among the centres is the National Museum, which is situated along the Mahameru Highway. Its collection comprises artefacts and paintings collected throughout the country.^[158] The Islamic Arts Museum, which houses more than seven thousand Islamic artefacts including rare exhibits and a library of Islamic art books, is the largest Islamic arts collection in Southeast Asia.^[159] The museum's collection not only concentrates on works from the Middle East, but also includes work from elsewhere in Asia, such as China and Southeast Asia. Kuala Lumpur has a craft complex coupled with a museum that displays a variety of textile, ceramic, metal craft and weaved products. Information on the production process is portrayed in diorama format complete with historical facts, technique and traditionally engineered equipment. Among the processes shown are pottery making, intricate wood carving, silver-smithing, weaving songket cloth, stamping batik patterns on cloth, and boat-making.^[160]

The Saloma Link seen at dusk.

The premier performing arts venue is the Petronas Philharmonic Hall located underneath the Petronas Towers. The resident orchestra is the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), consisting of musicians from all over the world, and features regular concerts, chamber concerts and traditional cultural performances.^[161] The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) in Sentul West and Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPac) in Damansara Perdana are two of the most established centres in the country for the performing arts, notably theatre, plays, music, and film screening. It has housed many local productions and has been a supporter of local and regional independent performance artists.^[162] The Future Music Festival Asia has been held in the city since 2012, featuring local and international artists.^[163]

The National Art Gallery of Malaysia is located on Jalan Temerloh, off Jalan Tun Razak on a 5.67-hectare (14.0-acre) site neighbouring the National Theatre (Istana Budaya) and National Library. The architecture of the gallery incorporates elements of traditional Malay architecture, as well as contemporary modern architecture. The National Art Gallery serves as a centre of excellence and is a trustee of the national art heritage. The Ilham Tower Gallery near Ampang Park houses exhibitions of works by local and foreign artists.^[164]

Kuala Lumpur holds the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival annually.^[165] Another event hosted annually by the city is the Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week,^[166] which includes international brands and local designers. Also, Kuala Lumpur was designated as the World Book Capital for 2020 by UNESCO.^[167]

Sports and recreation

Bukit Jalil National Stadium is an all-seater multi-purpose stadium that was built in January 1995.

Kuala Lumpur has numerous parks, gardens and open spaces for recreational purposes. Total open space for recreational and sport facilities land use in the city has increased significantly by 169.6 percent from 5.86 square kilometres (1,450 acres) in 1984 to 15.8 square kilometres (3,900 acres) in 2000.^[168]

Kuala Lumpur was touted as one of the host cities for the Formula One World Championship from 1999 to 2017.^[169] The open-wheel auto racing A1 Grand Prix^[170] was held until the series folded in 2009. The Motorcycle Grand Prix^[171] races are held at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang in the neighbouring state of Selangor. The Formula One event contributed significantly to tourist arrivals and tourism income to Kuala Lumpur. This was evident during the Asian financial crisis in 1998. Despite cities around Asia suffering declining tourist arrivals, in Kuala Lumpur tourist arrivals increased from 6,210,900 in 1997 to 10,221,600 in 2000, or 64.6%.^[172] In 2015, the Kuala Lumpur Street Circuit was constructed to host the Kuala Lumpur City Grand Prix motor racing event.

Football is one of the most popular sports in Kuala Lumpur. The Merdeka Tournament is mainly held at Stadium Merdeka. The Stadium Negara is also located right next to it which is also one of the oldest indoor stadiums in the country. The city is also the home of Kuala Lumpur City, which plays in the Malaysia Super League. Kuala Lumpur hosted the official Asian Basketball Championship in 1965, 1977 and 1985. The city's basketball supporters cheered Malaysia's national basketball team to a Final Four finish in 1985, the team's best performance to date. Further, the city is home to the Kuala Lumpur Dragons, 2016 Champions of the ASEAN Basketball League.^[173] The team plays its home games in the MABA Stadium.

KL Grand Prix CSI 5*, a five-star international showjumping equestrian event, is held annually in the city.^[174] Other annual sport events hosted by the city include the KL Tower Run,^[175] the KL Tower International BASE Jump Merdeka Circuit and the Kuala Lumpur International Marathon. Kuala Lumpur is also one of the stages of the Tour de Langkawi cycling race.^[176] The annual Malaysia Open Super Series badminton tournament is held in Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur is also the birthplace of Hashing, which began in December 1938 when a group of British colonial officers and expatriates, some from the Selangor Club, began meeting on Monday evenings to run, in a fashion patterned after the traditional British Paper Chase or "Hare and Hounds".^[177]

Kuala Lumpur hosted the 128th IOC Session in 2015 where the IOC elected Beijing as the host city of the 2022 Winter Olympics^[178] and Lausanne as the host city of the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics.^[179]

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Culture of Malaysia

Culture of Malaysia

The culture of Malaysia draws on the varied cultures of the different people of Malaysia. The first people to live in the area were indigenous tribes that still remain; they were followed by the Malays, who moved there from mainland Asia in ancient times. Chinese and Indian cultural influences made their mark when trade began with those countries, and increased with immigration to Malaysia. Other cultures that heavily influenced that of Malaysia include Persian, Arabic, British. The many different ethnicities that currently exist in Malaysia have their own unique and distinctive cultural identities, with some crossover.

National Museum (Malaysia)

National Museum (Malaysia)

The National Museum is a museum located on Jalan Damansara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The museum is situated in close proximity to the Perdana Lake Gardens and it provides an overview of Malaysian history and culture. Its facade comprises elements of traditional Malay and modern features. It was inaugurated on 31 August 1963, and it serves as a repository of Malaysia's cultural and historical heritage.

Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1

Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1

Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 1 or the stretch of roads including Jalan Tun Razak, Lebuhraya Sultan Iskandar, Jalan Damansara, Jalan Istana and Jalan Lapangan Terbang is an urban and municipal main ring road in Kuala Lumpur. It is also known as Kuala Lumpur–Petaling Jaya Traffic Dispersal Scheme by the Malaysian Public Works Department (JKR). It is a busy ring road during rush hour time. This ring road is maintained by Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur or Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia

Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia

The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia is a museum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was officially opened on 12 December 1998. The museum is the largest museum of Islamic arts in South East Asia with more than seven thousands artifacts from the Islamic world.

Batik

Batik

Batik is an Indonesian technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to the whole cloth. This technique originated from the island of Java, Indonesia. Batik is made either by drawing dots and lines of the resist with a spouted tool called a canting, or by printing the resist with a copper stamp called a cap. The applied wax resists dyes and therefore allows the artisan to colour selectively by soaking the cloth in one colour, removing the wax with boiling water, and repeating if multiple colours are desired.

Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra

Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra

The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra is a Malaysian orchestra based in Kuala Lumpur. The orchestra is resident at the Petronas Philharmonic Hall. It is one of Asia's leading orchestras and is praised for its musical qualities.

Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre

Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre

The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre in Sentul Park, Kuala Lumpur is one of the established performing art centers in Malaysia. It is a non-profit company, aims to cultivate and sustain the performing arts for the Malaysian.

Damansara Perdana

Damansara Perdana

Damansara Perdana is an affluent township in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located 10 minutes away from the city of Kuala Lumpur.

Future Music Festival Asia

Future Music Festival Asia

Future Music Festival Asia, often abbreviated as FMFA, was an annual music festival featuring local and international artists held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The festival was a franchise of Future Entertainment's successful Future Music Festival that has been running in Australia since 2006. Future Music Festival Asia was inaugurated in 2012, and has been headlined by notable acts such as The Temper Trap, Chemical Brothers, Flo Rida, The Prodigy, Psy and Fun.

Istana Budaya

Istana Budaya

The Istana Budaya or also known as the Palace of Culture, is Malaysia's main venue for all types of theatre including musical theatre, operetta, classical concerts and opera from local and international performances. It is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur city, next to the National Art Gallery.

Ilham Tower

Ilham Tower

Ilham Tower, also known as Ilham Baru Tower and IB Tower is a 58-story, 274-meter-tall skyscraper in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is Malaysia's seventh tallest building. The Ilham Tower is the result of an extensive and careful form-finding process. Its diagonal exo-skeleton, comprising triangulated concrete frames and external trusses, is offset against the elegant glazing within the building's structural armor.

Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week

Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week

Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week, held in August in Kuala Lumpur, capital city of Malaysia, is a series of summer events where international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press and the general public.

The decorative relief wall portraying the Rukun Negara, the Malaysian national pledge, at the Upper Concourse Level of Merdeka MRT station.

As in most other Asian cities, driving is the main commuting choice in Kuala Lumpur.^[180] Every part of the city is well connected with highways. Kuala Lumpur has a comprehensive road network with more transportation development planned.^[181] Public transportation covers a variety of transport modes such as bus, rail and taxi. Despite efforts to promote public transport, utilisation rates are low, 16 percent of the population in 2006.^[180] However, public transport utilisation will increase with the expansion of the rail network,^[182] operated by Prasarana Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley via its subsidiaries Rapid Rail and Rapid Bus, using the Rapid KL brand name.^[183] Since the take over from Intrakota Komposit Sdn Bhd, Prasarana Malaysia has redrawn the entire bus network of Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley metropolitan area^[184] to increase passenger numbers and improve Kuala Lumpur's public transport system. Prasarana Malaysia has adopted the hub and spoke system to provide greater connectivity, and reduce the need for more buses.^[185][186] KL Sentral was added on 16 April 2001 and served as the new transport hub of the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System.

Urban rail

Major urban rail transportation in Kuala Lumpur. Left from top: MRT Kajang Line, MRT Putrajaya Line, LRT Ampang/Sri Petaling Line, LRT Kelana Jaya Line, KL Monorail Line and KTM Komuter

The KTM Komuter, a commuter rail service, was introduced in 1995 as the first rail transit system to provide local rail services in Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding Klang Valley suburban areas. Services were later expanded to other parts of Malaysia with the introduction of the Northern and Southern sectors.^[187] KTM Komuter's 175 km (109 mi) network in the Central Sector has 53 stations. It consists of two cross-city routes, namely the Port Klang Line (Tanjung Malim to Port Klang) and Seremban Line (Batu Caves to Pulau Sebang/Tampin). Transfers between the two main lines can be made at any of the four stations on the central core: KL Sentral, Kuala Lumpur, Bank Negara and Putra.

Light Rapid Transit (LRT) Malaysia is the medium-capacity rail lines in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The first LRT line was opened in 1996 and the system has since expanded to three lines, which opened in 1998 and 1999. Along with the MRT, the LRT is constructed and owned by the Prasarana, with operating concessions currently run by Rapid KL and Rapid Rail. In 2006, the government announced the Sri Petaling Line and Kelana Jaya line extension projects.^[188] Unlike the original line, which used the fixed-block signalling block system, the extension uses the communications-based train control (CBTC) signaling system.^[189][190]

Entrance A of the Tun Razak Exchange MRT station. The station is designed to look more business-friendly, located in and named after a new financial district under development, TRX.

Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Malaysia is a heavy rail rapid transit system that constitutes the bulk of the railway network in Kuala Lumpur and the rest of the Klang Valley. The first section of the MRT opened on 16 December 2016, and the network has since grown rapidly in accordance with Malaysia's aim of developing a comprehensive rail network as the backbone of the country's public transportation system. The network consists of three lines – the 13 MRT Circle Line, looping around Kuala Lumpur, the 9 MRT Kajang Line and the 12 MRT Putrajaya Line, covering a 20 km radius in the southeast–northwest direction from the city centre, will integrate the current rapid transit system and serve high-density areas which are currently not serviced by any rapid transit system. About 90 new stations are planned in this "wheel and spoke" concept, out of which 26 in the city centre will be underground. Ridership capacity will be 2 million passengers per day.^[191]

The KL Monorail opened on 31 August 2003 with 11 stations running 8.6 km (5 mi) on two parallel elevated tracks. The line is numbered 8 and coloured light green on official transit maps. It connects the KL Sentral transport hub in the south and Titiwangsa in the north with the "Golden Triangle", a commercial, shopping, and entertainment area comprising Bukit Bintang, Imbi, Sultan Ismail, and Raja Chulan.^[192]

Airport rail link in Kuala Lumpur: ERL (left) and Skypark Link (right)

Kuala Lumpur is served by two airports. The main airport, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang, Selangor, which is also the aviation hub of Malaysia, is located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of city. The other airport is Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, also known as Subang Skypark and served as the main international gateway to Kuala Lumpur from 1965 until KLIA opened in 1998.

KLIA connects the city with direct flights to destinations on six continents around the world,^[193] and is the main hub for the national carrier, Malaysia Airlines and low-cost carrier, AirAsia. KLIA can be reached using the KLIA Ekspres, an airport rail link service from KL Sentral, which takes twenty-eight minutes and costs RM 55 (roughly US$13.50),^[194] while travelling by car or bus via highway will take about an hour but cost a lot less. Direct buses from KLIA to the city centre are plentiful (every 10 to 15 minutes during peak hours), air-conditioned and comfortable with fares ranging from RM 11 (roughly US$2.70) to RM 15 (roughly US$3.70). Air Asia and other low-cost carrier flights do not fly out of KLIA main terminal, but from KLIA2, which is two kilometres from KLIA. KLIA2 is served by an extension of the KLIA Ekspres and by a free shuttle bus service from KLIA. As of 2018^[update], Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport is only used for chartered and turboprop flights by airlines such as Firefly and Malindo Air.^[195]

Buses

Double-deck buses crossing at Jalan Ampang

Bas Mini KL or Kuala Lumpur Mini-Bus Service was one of the oldest and popular Malaysia public bus service, having served Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley region. The buses were primarily painted pink with a white stripe on the sides, and had a capacity of only 20–30 passengers, due to their smaller size. The buses operated on a commission basis, with service operators paid according to the fares they collected. The mini-bus service was from 23 September 1975 and discontinued on 1 July 1998, to be replaced by the Intrakota bus service and later, Rapid Bus in 2005.^[196]

Rapid Bus began the first phase of the revamp of its bus network in January 2006, introducing 15 City Shuttle bus routes which serve major areas in the Central Business District (CBD) of Kuala Lumpur. In 2008, Rapid Bus operated 167 routes with 1,400 buses covering 980 residential areas with a ridership of about 400,000 per day.^[197] The buses run between four hubs at the edge of the central business district, namely KL Sentral, Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Maluri, and Medan Pasar in the city centre. These bus hubs also serve as rail interchanges, with the exception of Medan Pasar, although it is at a walking distance from Masjid Jamek LRT station. es On June 18, 2020, Rapid Bus released a new feature: real-time location of bus in Google Maps, via collaboration with Google Transit.^{[198][199][200][201]}

Effective 10 April 2019, all RapidKL buses are implementing fully cashless journey for all routes by stages, in which the bus accepts Touch n Go cards only for user convenience. These systems were fully implemented by May 27, 2019.^[202] Almost 170 RapidKL bus routes are covered with the real time feature, which was expanded to the MRT feeder bus service. Rapid Bus is however not the only bus operator in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley. Other bus operators are Selangor Omnibus, Setara Jaya bus, and Causeway Link.

Taxis

Typical public cab in Kuala Lumpur

In Kuala Lumpur, most taxis have distinctive white and red liveries. Many companies operate and maintain pools of different model of cars in their own brands. Before local car production began, the Mercedes-Benz 200, Mazda 323/Ford Laser, Toyota Mark II X80 series and the Opel Kadett were used.^[203] Most were scrapped and replaced by Protons, but there are still a large number of these models running the roads. Kuala Lumpur is one of the major ASEAN cities with taxis extensively running on natural gas. Taxis can be hailed from taxi stands or from the streets. Taxis may be flagged down at any time of the day along any public road outside of the Central Business District (CBD). However, increased usage of ridesharing services like Grab, MyCar and JomRides has resulted in a decrease in taxi use.^[204]

Nevertheless, the London-based website, LondonCabs.co.uk has claimed that taxis in the city charge passengers high rates, refusing to turn on their meters and offering instead over-priced flat-rate fares,^[205] although other passengers contradict such claims. The heads of some taxi associations came out and distanced themselves from taxi drivers who had given the taxi industry a bad name, promising the public that not all taxi drivers were like that.^[206]

Discover more about Transportation related topics

Klang Valley Integrated Transit System

Klang Valley Integrated Transit System

The Klang Valley Integrated Transit System is an integrated transport network that primarily serves the area of Klang Valley and Greater Kuala Lumpur. The system currently consists of 11 fully operating rail lines; two commuter rail lines, five rapid transit lines, one bus rapid transit line and two airport rail links to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and another one to the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport.

Rukun Negara

Rukun Negara

The Rukun Negara is the Malaysian declaration of national philosophy instituted by royal proclamation on Merdeka Day, 1970, in reaction to a serious race riot known as the 13 May Incident, which occurred in 1969. The incident proved at that time that Malaysian racial balance and stability was fragile. Immediately thereafter, the Malaysian government sought ways to foster unity among the various races in Malaysia. One of the methods used to encourage unity is the Rukun Negara.

Merdeka MRT station

Merdeka MRT station

The Merdeka MRT station is a mass rapid transit (MRT) underground station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is one of the stations of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line and serves as an interchange station with Plaza Rakyat LRT station for LRT Ampang and Sri Petaling lines. The station was opened on 17 July 2017 under Phase Two operations of the MRT line.

List of roads in Kuala Lumpur

List of roads in Kuala Lumpur

Like all other historical urban centres, the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, contains a number of current and old roads and streets across the city.

Bus

Bus

A bus is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for charter purposes, or through private ownership. Although the average bus carries between 30 and 100 passengers, some buses have a capacity of up to 300 passengers. The most common type is the single-deck rigid bus, with double-decker and articulated buses carrying larger loads, and midibuses and minibuses carrying smaller loads. Coaches are used for longer-distance services. Many types of buses, such as city transit buses and inter-city coaches, charge a fare. Other types, such as elementary or secondary school buses or shuttle buses within a post-secondary education campus, are free. In many jurisdictions, bus drivers require a special large vehicle licence above and beyond a regular driving licence.

Rail transport

Rail transport

Rail transport is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a prepared flat surface, rail vehicles are directionally guided by the tracks on which they run. Tracks usually consist of steel rails.

Prasarana Malaysia

Prasarana Malaysia

Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) (English: Malaysian Infrastructure Limited) is a 100% government-owned company which was set up by Ministry of Finance (Malaysia) as a corporate body established under the Minister of Finance (Incorporation) Act 1957 to own the assets of multi-modal public transport operator in Malaysia, under the government's move to restructure the city's public transport system. It is one of the largest public-transport companies in Malaysia other than Konsortium Transnasional Berhad. As a government-owned company since 1998, it operates stage bus and light metro services via several wholly owned subsidiaries.

Rapid Rail

Rapid Rail

Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd is the operator of the rapid transit (metro) system serving Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley area in Malaysia. A subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia, it is the sole operator of five rapid transit lines which collectively form the Rapid KL rapid transit system. The system currently consists of three light rapid transit (LRT) lines, two mass rapid transit (MRT) lines and a monorail line, with another MRT and LRT line currently under construction.

Rapid Bus

Rapid Bus

Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd is the largest bus operator in Malaysia operating mainly in urban areas of Klang Valley, Penang & Kuantan. As of February 2023, Rapid KL service brands unit of Rapid Bus, has operates 113 normal routes and also 69 MRT Feeder Bus routes, along with 8 Nadiputra routes in Putrajaya.

Rapid KL

Rapid KL

Rapid KL is a public transportation system owned by Prasarana Malaysia and operated by its subsidiaries Rapid Rail and Rapid Bus. With its coverage throughout Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley areas, it was followed by a federal government restructuring of public transport systems in Kuala Lumpur after the bankruptcy of STAR and PUTRA Light Rapid Transit operators, the precursors to the Ampang/Sri Petaling Lines and Kelana Jaya Line respectively. In 2003, it had inherited bus services and assets formerly operated and owned by Intrakota and Cityliner after being bailed out. Four years later, the Malaysian government had bailed out KL Infrastructure Group, the owner and operation concession holder for the Kuala Lumpur monorail, and had placed it under ownership of Prasarana.

Klang Valley

Klang Valley

Klang Valley is an urban conglomeration in Malaysia that is centered in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and includes its adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. It is conterminous with Greater Kuala Lumpur, although there are variations between the two.

Kuala Lumpur Sentral station

Kuala Lumpur Sentral station

Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station is a transit-oriented development that houses the main railway station of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. Opened on 16 April 2001, KL Sentral replaced the old Kuala Lumpur railway station as the city's main intercity railway station. KL Sentral is the largest railway station in Malaysia, and the second largest in Southeast Asia, behind Bang Sue Central in Bangkok, Thailand.

Isfahan street (formerly Jalan Selat, Straits Road) in Kuala Lumpur (above) and Kuala Lumpur avenue in Isfahan (below)

Kuala Lumpur is twinned with:

Discover more about Twin towns – sister cities related topics

List of twin towns and sister cities in Malaysia

List of twin towns and sister cities in Malaysia

This is a list of local governments in Malaysia which have standing links to local communities in other countries. In most cases, the association, especially when formalised by local government, is known as "town twinning" or "sister cities".

Isfahan

Isfahan

Isfahan, from its ancient designation Aspadana and, later, Spahan in middle Persian, rendered in English as Ispahan, is a major city in the Central District of the Isfahan Province of Iran. It is located 440 kilometres south of Tehran and is the capital of Isfahan Province. The city has a population of approximately 2,220,000, making it the second -largest city in Iran, after Tehran and the second-largest metropolitan area.

Sister city

Sister city

A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.

Ankara

Ankara

Ankara, historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and 5.7 million in Ankara Province, making it Turkey's second-largest city after Istanbul.

Casablanca

Casablanca

Casablanca, also known in Arabic as Dar al-Bayda is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business center. Located on the Atlantic coast of the Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a population of about 3.71 million in the urban area, and over 4.27 million in the Greater Casablanca, making it the most populous city in the Maghreb region, and the eighth-largest in the Arab world.

Chennai

Chennai

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. It is the state's primate city both in area and population and is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Chennai is the sixth-most populous city in India and forms the fourth-most populous urban agglomeration. The Greater Chennai Corporation is the civic body responsible for the city; it is the oldest city corporation of India, established in 1688—the second oldest in the world after London.

Dubai

Dubai

Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Established in the 18th century as a small fishing village, the city grew rapidly in the early 21st century with a focus on tourism and luxury, having the second most five-star hotels in the world, and the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, which is 828 metres (2,717 ft) tall.

Karachi

Karachi

Karachi is the largest city in Pakistan and 12th largest in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former capital of Pakistan and capital of the province of Sindh. Ranked as a beta-global city, it is Pakistan's premier industrial and financial centre, with an estimated GDP of over $200 billion (PPP) as of 2021. Karachi paid $9 billion as tax during fiscal year July 2021 to May 2022 according to FBR report. Karachi is Pakistan's most cosmopolitan city, linguistically, ethnically, and religiously diverse, as well as one of Pakistan's most socially liberal cities. Karachi serves as a transport hub, and contains Pakistan's two largest seaports, the Port of Karachi and Port Qasim, as well as Pakistan's busiest airport, Jinnah International Airport. Karachi is also a media center, home to news channels, film and fashion industry of Pakistan. Most of Pakistan's multinational companies and banks have their headquarters in Karachi. Karachi is also a tourism hub due to its scenic beaches, historic buildings and shopping malls.

London

London

London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a 50-mile (80 km) estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for two millennia. The City of London, its ancient core and financial centre, was founded by the Romans as Londinium and retains its medieval boundaries. The City of Westminster, to the west of the City of London, has for centuries hosted the national government and parliament. Since the 19th century, the name "London" has also referred to the metropolis around this core, historically split between the counties of Middlesex, Essex, Surrey, Kent, and Hertfordshire, which since 1965 has largely comprised Greater London, which is governed by 33 local authorities and the Greater London Authority.

Malacca City

Malacca City

Malacca City is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Malacca, in Melaka Tengah District. As of 2019 it has a population of 579,000. Malacca City is one of the cleanest cities in South East Asia, being awarded as National Winner of Asean Clean Tourist City Standard Award 2018–2020 recently. It is the oldest Malaysian city on the Straits of Malacca, having become a successful entrepôt in the era of the Malacca Sultanate. The present-day city was founded by Parameswara, a Sumatran prince who escaped to the Malay Peninsula when Srivijaya fell to the Majapahit. Following the establishment of the Malacca Sultanate, the city drew the attention of traders from the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia, as well as the Portuguese, who intended to dominate the trade route in Asia. After Malacca was conquered by Portugal, the city became an area of conflict when the sultanates of Aceh and Johor attempted to take control from the Portuguese.

Mashhad

Mashhad

Mashhad, also spelled Mashad, is the second-most-populous city in Iran, located in the relatively remote north-east of the country about 900 kilometres from Tehran. It serves as the capital of Razavi Khorasan Province and has a population about 3,400,000, which includes the areas of Mashhad Taman and Torqabeh.