Visitor Guide To Malaysia: Malaysia Hotels, Malaysian, Travel

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The city of Kuala Lumpur, or KL as it is better known, the heartbeat of the nation buzzes with vitality. This vibrant city is the centre of entertainment, shopping, commerce, culture and most activities of import to the nation. A charming mix of old and new with towering skyscrapers sharing elbow space with charming, colonial structures Kuala Lumpur has a unique character. The people, a heady multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious blend, make the concoction of Kuala Lumpur even more striking. As the commercial hub Kuala Lumpur has excellent comprehensive offerings for business and MICE activities. Kuala Lumpur is truly the gateway to a world of action, excitement and discoveries with great shopping, dining, places of interest and entertainment opportunities. What more could a visitor ask for?

 

Geography
Kuala Lumpur which covers a total area of approximately 243 km² (95.18 sq mi) is an enclave within the state of Selangor. It is located on the central west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers. It is approximately 35 km from the coast. It has a strategic location in the middle of Peninsular Malaysia's transportation network.

Kuala Lumpur is the largest city in the nation, and has a estimated population of over 1.3mil comprising a mix of all races. A huge proportion of the population are migrants from other states who have now call KL their home. It is thus an annual phenomenon to see hordes of city dwellers heading out of the city in droves during festival celebrations returning to their 'kampung' (hometowns) to celebrate alongside their extended families.

History
The confluence of the Gombak and Klang rivers is where it all began. The settlement was first conceived around 1857 when Raja Abdullah, a member of the Selangor royal family, opened up the Klang Valley to tin prospectors. Chinese prospectors began prospecting in the Ampang area, establishing the beginnings of a thriving tin mine. Merchants and traders set up shop at the confluence providing basic provisions to the miners in return for some of the tin and thus, the early beginnings of a city. The name adopted for the settlement was 'Kuala Lumpur' which literally means 'muddy confluence'.

As the town grew, the British, decided to appoint a headman (Chinese Kapitan, or Captain of the Chinese) to administer the settlement and ensure law and order. The third Kapitan appointed was Yap Ah Loy, who oversaw the rise of Kuala Lumpur from a sleepy little mining town to become the foremost city of Selangor. While in the early years Kuala Lumpur was embroiled in civil conflicts due to the revenue from the mines within the royalty and for control of the settlement among the Chinese settlers. The conflicts ended with Yap Ah Loy and his backer Tengku Kudin emerging victorious. Kapitan Yap went on to guide Kuala Lumpur's growth into one of Selangor's largest townships and the centre of commerce. It was subsequently made the capital of Selangor in 1880. Around the same time Sir Frank Swettenham was appointed Resident of Selangor. He was responsible for making Kuala Lumpur the seat of administration of Selangor and ensuring continued progress after the death of Kapitan Yap. When the Federated Malay States were incorporated in 1896, Kuala Lumpur was made the capital.

During World War II Japanese forces captured and occupied Kuala Lumpur for 44 months. After the War and the Independence of the nation in 1957, Kuala Lumpur was made the capital of the Federation of Malaya and subsequently the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. On 1 February 1972 Kuala Lumpur seceded from Selangor and the city became a Federal Territory (Wilayah Persekutuan).