Kuala Lumpur is a federal territory of Malaysia. The territory includes the capital
city, Kuala Lumpur, which gives the territory its name. The territory lies
inland, surrounded by the state of Selangor. It occupies the central part of
the Kelang Valley, at the junction of the Kelang and Gombek rivers, about 40
kilometres from the Strait of Malacca.
Half the people of the territory are
Chinese. About a third are Malays. There are smaller numbers of Indians and
other ethnic groups.
The federal territory is the seat of the
federal government and the official residence of the yang di-pertuan agong (paramount ruler
or king) of the country. The territory is administered by the prime minister's
department. It has a mayor called the datuk
bandar.
The federal territory is the national
headquarters of administration, education, and cultural life, and the centre
of Malaysia's industrial, commercial, and transport activities.
One-fifth of the workforce work for the government. The retail trade,
factories, finance, insurance, and property sales also provide employment.
The federal territory is an international
centre for trade in rubber, palm oil, and tin. Tin mining was an important
industry from the mid-1800's to the mid-1900’s, but most of the mines are now
closed. Some of the abandoned mining areas have been turned into recreational
water parks.
Rubber plantations occupy land in rural
areas around the city of Kuala Lumpur. Fruit and vegetables are grown in some
areas.
Kuala Lumpur is hot and humid throughout
the year. The average temperature at Kuala Lumpur is 27° C. Differences in
temperatures from month to month are small, but those between day and night are
much higher. Temperatures may reach 32° C at noon, but at night may drop to 24°
C. Rainfall is high and varies between 230 and 350 centimetres a year. The
wettest months are from April to November.
Kuala Lumpur began as a mining settlement
by the Kelang River in the mid-1800's. The territory developed into a modern
settlement with Malay inhabitants and Chinese people who established tin mines
and other businesses.
When Selangor became a British
protectorate, Kuala Lumpur was made the administrative headquarters of the
British resident (government
administrator) in 1879.
In the following year, it became the
capital of the state. The Federation of Malay States, consisting of Selangor,
Perak, Negeri Sembilan, and Pahang, came into existence in 1896. Kuala Lumpur
became the federal capital, a role it has played ever since.
When the rubber industry expanded in the
1890s and 1900's, Kuala Lumpur became the rubber-trading centre. It handled the
export of rubber and the dispatch of supplies to the new industry. When the
road and railway links connected the states on the west coast, Kuala Lumpur
became the focus of communication. Its population grew from 30,000 in 1900 to
316,200 in 1957.
Kuala Lumpur became a city in 1972. Its
status was changed to that of a federal territory in 1974. In the process of
this change its area was enlarged from 94 square kilometres to 245 square
kilometres by incorporating several nearby townships and villages. See also
Kuala Lumpur (city); Malaysia; History of Malaysia,
Kuala Lumpur (pop. 919,610) is the largest city and capital of Malaysia. It is also
the country's most important commercial centre.
The city of Kuala Lumpur occupies just
over one-third of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. It lies in the Kelang
Valley, midway between George Town and Singapore. For the location of the city
of Kuala Lumpur, see Malaysia (map)
The city. The Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area includes several old settlements
such as Kepong, Gom- bek, Ampang, and Sungai Besi. All of these former towns
now have new housing estates.
The rapid growth of the city has caused
several problems, including population pressure on land and roads, inadequate
housing and public transport, and shortage of recreational space.
Parliament House and government ministries
are west of the Kelang River. Skyscrapers in the northern and western sections
of the city house the headquarters of major Malaysian companies and banks as
well as those of multinational corporations and international hotels. There are
several universities and colleges in and around the city.
The city has many places of worship for
people of various religions. Malays are Muslims and the National Mosque can
accommodate many thousands of people. There are also many Christian churches
and Hindu and Buddhist temples.
Kuala Lumpur is a medium-size capital city
which blends its colonial past with traditional shops and modern skyscrapers.
Petaling Street is the Chinatown of Kuala Lumpur. It is atypical Chinese business
district with traditional covered footways and shophouses, which have shops on the ground floor and family
homes upstairs. The shops and street stalls offer a variety of goods, food,
fruit, and souvenirs. The street becomes a pedestrian area at sunset, crowded
with shoppers and tourists looking for bargains. Many types of traditional
products, such as batik,
pewterware, and handicrafts, are also available in these shops and night
markets (see Batik). There
is a handicraft centre containing traditional Malay houses which present and
sell the crafts of each of the Malaysian states.
To the west of Kuala Lumpur is Petaling
Jaya, the first new town
(specially planned town) of Malaysia and a sprawling residential industrial and
commercial centre. Its middle-class community commutes daily to work in the
city. Petaling Jaya is now the fifth largest town in the country, with a
population of more than 200,000.
Places of interest. Along Jalan Sultan Hishamudin are several of the
city's most distinctive architectural landmarks. Three buildings feature
Moorish architectural styles with curving arches, domes, or minarets. These
buildings include the old city hall, which was completed in 1897. The railway
station and the Malayan Railway Administration Building date from the early
1900s. The Sultan Abdul Samad Building, where the state secretariat was
formerly housed, was completed in1897. It
has a 43-metre copper-sheathed clock tower.
The National Museum is a striking building
based on old Malay-style architecture. It has displays relating to Malaysian
arts and crafts and history as well as the country's birds and mammals.
The National Monument is located in the
Lake Gardens. This bronze sculpture commemorates the triumph of democracy over
the Communist terrorism which had led to the proclamation of a state of
emergency in 1948.
The six-tiered Theau Hou Temple, on a hill
slope just outside the city centre, is one of the biggest Chinese temples in
Southeast Asia.
The National Zoo has about 200 species of
mammals, birds, and reptiles, from Malaysia and other countries. It also has an
aquarium with more than 80 species of aquatic animals.
People. The population of Kuala Lumpur
consists of Chinese, 320,000 Malays, 140,000 Indians, and others. The
population has increased to more than three times its level at the time of
Malayan independence in 1957. The food of Kuala Lumpur reflects the variety
of the multiracial population. In roadside shops and in hotels, dishes
available include food from Malays, Chinese, Indians, and other ethnic groups.
History. Kuala Lumpur, means "muddy
river mouth."
It derives its name from its location at
the meeting place of the Kelang and Gombek rivers. Founded as a tin mining
settlement in 1859, it became the capital of Selangor in 1887 and of the
Federated Malay States of Selangor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, and Pahang in 1896.
Prosperity developed from the success of
mining and rubber planting. Kuala Lumpur became a centre of commerce and
transport, and acquired its cosmopolitan character with Malay settlers, Chinese
shopkeepers, Indian labourers, British administrators, and Arab traders.
Kuala Lumpur progressed from a town
council in 1898 to a municipality in 1948. It became the capital of the
Federation of Malaya in 1957 and of Malaysia in 1963. In 1972, it was
proclaimed a city and in 1974 it formed the core city of the Federal Territory
of Kuala Lumpur.
See also Kuala Lumpur (federal territory);
Malaysia.
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