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Kuala Lumpur is the most populous city in Malaysia, with a population of 1.98 million in the city proper as of 2020. 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]
- 1 February 1972
- 50000 to 60000
- 63 m (207 ft)
- Malaysia
Private Half-Day Batu Caves and Cutural Tour in Kuala Lumpur. 728. Luxury Car Tours. from. $35. per adult (price varies by group size) Batu Caves, Waterfalls, Hotspring, Batik & Pewter Tour with Lunch. 53. Bus Tours.
- Overview
- History
- The contemporary city
Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia. The city is located in west-central Peninsular (West) Malaysia, midway along the west coast tin and rubber belt and about 25 miles (40 km) east of its ocean port, Port Kelang, on the Strait of Malacca. It is the country’s largest urban area and its cultural, commercial, and transportation centre. In 1972 Kuala Lumpur was designated a municipality, and in 1974 this entity and adjacent portions of surrounding Selangor state became a federal territory.
Kuala Lumpur lies in hilly country astride the confluence of the Kelang and Gombak rivers; its name in Malay means “muddy estuary.” Malaysia’s Main Range rises nearby to the north, east, and southeast. The climate is equatorial, with high temperatures and humidity that vary little throughout the year. The area receives about 95 inches (2,400 mm) of rain annually; June and July are the driest months. Area federal territory, 94 square miles (243 square km). Pop. (2009 est.) city, 1,493,000; (2020) federal territory, 1,982,112.
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The origin of Kuala Lumpur dates to 1857, when a group of 87 Chinese tin miners founded a settlement at what is now the suburb of Ampang. Strategically commanding both river valleys, the community flourished as a tin-collecting centre despite its malaria-infested jungle location. In 1880 Kuala Lumpur superseded Klang (now Kelang) as the state capital, and its rapid growth thereafter has been attributed to Sir Frank Swettenham, British resident after 1882. He initiated construction on the Klang–Kuala Lumpur Railway and encouraged the use of brick and tile in buildings as a precaution against fire and as an aid to better health. The city’s central position led to its choice as capital of the Federated Malay States (1895).
The city was occupied by the Japanese (1942–45) in World War II. Its population greatly increased in the postwar years during a long (1948–60) communist-led guerrilla insurgency, and under a resettlement program new villages were established on the city’s outskirts. Kuala Lumpur became the capital of the independent Federation of Malaya in 1957 and of Malaysia in 1963. Growth continued, spurred by industrial development; the population reached a half million in the mid-1960s and passed one million in the early 1980s. Population growth brought increased congestion, however, which, with Malaysian government offices scattered across the city, hampered administration. Consequently, many of the federal offices were moved to the new city of Putrajaya, about 15 miles (25 km) south of Kuala Lumpur, about the turn of the 21st century. Putrajaya subsequently became the country’s administrative centre, while Kuala Lumpur remained the capital.
The city comprises a mixture of modern and traditional architecture; such structures as glass-and-concrete skyscrapers, elegant mosques, Chinese shop-houses (family-operated shops with the business on the ground floor and the family’s living space upstairs), squatters’ huts, and Malay stilt kampungs (“villages”) betray Western, Middle Eastern, East Asian, and local influences. While its centre along the embanked Kelang is heavily congested, its municipal area and suburbs are well planned. The commercial quarter, called the Golden Triangle, is concentrated on the river’s east side. Among its sleek high-rise buildings are two of the world’s tallest buildings: the 1,483-foot (452-metre) Petronas Twin Towers, designed by Argentine-American architect Cesar Pelli; and one of the tallest broadcasting and telecommunications masts, the 1,381-foot (421-metre) Kuala Lumpur Tower. Government buildings and the notable railway station (all influenced by Moorish design) are on the river’s hilly west bank. This nucleus is surrounded by a zone of Chinese two-story wooden shop-houses and mixed residential areas of Malay kampungs, modern bungalows, and middle-income brick flats. The exclusive Bukit Tunku (or Kenny Hills) sector is a showcase for upscale dwellings and other structures that blend multiple architectural styles.
Malays, who are Muslim, are the city’s largest ethnic group. Despite the prevalence of domes and minarets associated with Islamic architecture, however, the non-Muslim Chinese dominate the city and its economy. The mostly Hindu Indian minority, connected historically with nearby rubber estates, also is substantial. Many Malays are employed in government service, and Kampung Baru is one of the city’s few concentrated Malay residential sections.
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The industrial suburb of Sungai Besi (“Iron River”) has iron foundries and engineering works and factories that process food and soap. The Sentul and Ipoh Road area is the site of railway (assembly and construction) and engineering workshops and sawmills, and cement is manufactured at Rawang to the north. While Kuala Lumpur has diversified manufacturing, the focus of industrial planning is in the adjacent suburbs of Petaling Jaya and Batu Tiga, notably in the high-technology sector. Kuala Lumpur is the country’s centre of banking and finance; activities related to these and other services, including tourism, have become increasingly important. The local Batu Arang coalfield and the Connaught Bridge thermal electric power station near Kelang are the main sources, respectively, of the city’s fuel supply and power.
Kuala Lumpur, with its central position in Peninsular Malaysia, is the hub of the peninsula’s transportation system, and rail lines and major roads radiate from it. Air service is largely through Kuala Lumpur International Airport, located about 30 miles (50 km) south at Sepang. The city itself has an extensive network of multilane roads and express highways, although these are inadequate for the growing number of cars and trucks. A light-rail public transit system—inaugurated in 1996 and now consisting of three interconnected lines—has eased traffic congestion somewhat.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Discover the best things to do, see and eat in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. Explore its diverse attractions, from the iconic Petronas Towers to the colorful Chinatown, and get tips from Lonely Planet experts.
- Go on a culinary escapade at Lot 10 Hutong. It’s not an exaggeration – KLites live to eat. Malaysian food is a beautiful amalgamation of Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine that offers endless variety, all delicious.
- Shop the season’s styles at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. Where does one go to escape Kuala Lumpur’s sizzling heat and torrential rains? To the mall, of course.
- Stand at the pinnacle of Kuala Lumpur: the Petronas Twin Towers. No trip to Kuala Lumpur is complete without stopping to see the Petronas Twin Towers, once the tallest buildings in the world.
- Experience the local art scene at the city’s independent galleries. See how traditional folk art meets modern design, find that one-of-a-kind memento to take home with you, chat with local artists, watch a performance, or get hands-on at a workshop – the KL art scene is meant to be experienced intimately.
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Kuala Lumpur. Wandering the streets of Kuala Lumpur can mean dipping in and out of an urban present into an ancient past. The city is visually defined by the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, which, at 88 stories high, are the tallest twin buildings in the world and a vision of modern architecture. On the flip side, the Sri Mahamariamman is the ...
Kuala Lumpur, officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and colloquially referred to as KL, is a federal territory and the capital city of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of 243 km2 (94 sq mi) with a census population of 2,163,000 as of 2022.
