With economic development, old buildings such as Bok House have been razed to make way for new ones. [118], 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. [56], During World War II, Kuala Lumpur was captured by the Imperial Japanese Army on 11 January 1942. The Carigali Tower, Petronas Twin Towers, Maxis Tower and Four Seasons Place KL from left. 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 10.52ha or 26.0 acres, Bukit Sungai Putih Forest Reserve (7.41ha or 18.3 acres) and Bukit Sungai Besi Forest Reserve (42.11ha or 104.1 acres).
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. [57] They occupied the city until 15 August 1945, when the commander in chief of the Japanese Seventh Area Army in Singapore and Malaysia, Seishir Itagaki, surrendered to the British administration following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. [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. Kuala Lumpur ceded from 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. There were said to be 1,000 Chinese and 700 Malays in the town in this period. The National Defence University of Malaysia is located at Sungai Besi Army Base, at the southern part of central Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur also has advantages stemming from the high concentration of educational institutions that provide a wide-ranging of courses. The Chinese mainly settled around the commercial centre of Market Square. Kuala Lumpur is the most populous city in Malaysia, with a population of 1.98million in the city proper as of 2020[update]. [72][73] 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. Empire of Japan 19421945 Another notable trend is the increased presence of budget hotels in the city. Bursa Malaysia, or the Malaysia Exchange, is based in the city and forms one of its core economic activities. [43], 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). Residents of the city can also travel to other parts of Malaysia through KL Sentral. [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. The premier performing arts venue is the Petronas Philharmonic Hall located underneath the Petronas Towers. Kuala Lumpur first developed around 1857 as a town serving the tin mines of the region and served as the capital of Selangor from 1880 until 1978. Government offices and a new police headquarters were built on Bukit Aman, and the Padang initially created for police training. [69] The administrative and judicial functions of the government were shifted from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya. It has housed many local productions and has been a supporter of local and regional independent performance artists. [114][115], Since 2000, the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism introduced a mega sale event for shopping in Malaysia.
[28] As development intensified in the 1880s, putting pressure on sanitation, waste disposal and other health measures. 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. In 2006, the government announced the Sri Petaling Line and Kelana Jaya line extension projects. Kuala Lumpur has several golf courses including the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) and the Malaysia Civil Service Golf Club in Kiara and the Berjaya Golf Course at Bukit Jalil. Between 1947 and 1957 the population of Malays in Kuala Lumpur increased from 12.5 to 15%, while the proportion of Chinese dropped. [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. [104] 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). Changkat Bukit Bintang, an upmarket gastronomy area and red light district in Kuala Lumpur at night. 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. Law reforms were implemented and new legal measures introduced to the assembly. 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. The 70-acre development will be situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and will serve international finance and business opportunities. [16][17], Kuala Lumpur means "muddy confluence" in Malay; Kuala is the point where two rivers join or an estuary, and lumpur means "mud". Movies set in Kuala Lumpur include Police Story 3: Super Cop (starring Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh) and Entrapment (starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones), in which the Petronas Towers were depicted in flames for a few seconds. [27], Important Malay figures of early Kuala Lumpur also included Haji Mohamed Tahir, who became the Dato Dagang ("chief of traders"). [151] It was ranked the best university in Malaysia, the 22nd-best in Asia, and third in Southeast Asia in QS World University Rankings 2019. [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. [71], From the 1990s onwards, major urban developments in the Klang Valley extended the Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area. The entertainment hub 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 as well as Kuala Lumpur's largest nightlife and entertainment hotspot, TREC KL. The Ilham Tower Gallery near Ampang Park houses exhibitions of works by local and foreign artists. Chinatown features many pre-independence buildings with Straits Chinese and colonial architectural influences. Kuala Lumpur had seen a number of civil disturbances over the years. [181] Public transportation covers a variety of transport modes such as bus, rail and taxi. [122] 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 2300, many of whom brought their families. The AFC Housecurrent headquarters of the Asian Football Confederationis built on a 4-acre (1.6ha) complex in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Bukit Jalil. Trendy nightclubs, bars and lounges, such as Marini's on 57, Skybar at Traders Hotel, the Beach Club, Espanda, the Hakka Republic Wine Bar & Restaurant, Hard Rock Cafe, the Luna Bar, Nuovo, Rum Jungle, No Black Tie, the Thai Club, Zion Club, Zouk KL, Club Ky, Dragonfly KL and many others are located here. 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". Some schools provide instruction in Mandarin and Tamil for certain subjects. The Petronas Art Gallery, another centre for fine art, is situated in Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). Buildings with all-glass shells exist throughout the city, with the most prominent examples being the Petronas Towers and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Rapid Bus is however not the only bus operator in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley. 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.[110]. [126] 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%. [135] It has a strong presence, especially in business, and is taught as a compulsory language in schools. Prasarana Malaysia has adopted the hub and spoke system to provide greater connectivity, and reduce the need for more buses. [96] Average monthly household income is RM9,073 (~$2,200) as of 2016, growing at a pace of approximately 6% a year. Kuala Lumpur is the headquarters for Malaysia's state broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (Angkasapuri), state news agency Bernama (Wisma Bernama), state religious TV Company Alhijrah Media Corporation (Islamic Centre Complex), principal telecommunication service provider Telekom Malaysia (Telekom Tower), Media Prima Berhad's newspaper division New Straits Times Press (Balai Berita), the country's main pay satellite television service Astro (All Asia Broadcast Centre) and newspaper companies such as: China Press, Malaysia Nanban and Makkal Osai. Television series set in Kuala Lumpur include A Tale of 2 Cities (starring Rui En and Joanne Peh). [23] The name may also be a corrupted form of an earlier forgotten name. It was established to be a major centre for military and defence technology studies. Kuala Lumpur hosted the official Asian Basketball Championship in 1965, 1977 and 1985. [203] Most were scrapped and replaced by Protons, but there are still a large number of these models running the roads. Many large worldwide hotel chains have a presence in the city. [188] Unlike the original line, which used the fixed-block signalling block system, the extension uses the communications-based train control (CBTC) signaling system. 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. Kuala Lumpur was the founding capital of the Federation of Malaya and its successor Malaysia, and the city remained the seat of the executive and judicial branches of the Malaysian federal government until these were relocated to Putrajaya in early 1999. [15] Kuala Lumpur was named World Book Capital 2020 by UNESCO. The line is numbered 8 and coloured light green on official transit maps. [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. 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%. [83], 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). Kuala Lumpur remained the capital after the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Kuala Lumpur is served by two airports. [173], Kuala Lumpur hosted the 128th IOC Session in 2015 where the IOC elected Beijing as the host city of the 2022 Winter Olympics[174] and Lausanne as the host city of the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics.[175]. 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]. 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. [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. Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism are practised mainly among the Chinese. 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 20km radius in the southeastnorthwest 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. KL Grand Prix CSI 5*,[170] a five-star international showjumping equestrian event, is held annually in the city. [13], Kuala Lumpur ranks 70th in the world and second in Southeast Asia for Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Ranking[14] and ninth in ASPAC and second in Southeast Asia for KPMG's Leading Technology Innovation Hub 2021. [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). [22] Another theory says that it was initially a Cantonese word, lam-pa, meaning 'flooded jungle' or 'decayed jungle'.
Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. Kuala Lumpur is a hub for cultural activities and events in Malaysia. [99][119], 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. Kuala Lumpur is a Malay term that translates to "muddy confluence" and is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers. Services were later expanded to other parts of Malaysia with the introduction of the Northern and Southern sectors. Kuala Lumpur has a craft complex coupled with a museum that displays a variety of textile, ceramic, metal craft and weaved products. Kuala Lumpur is home to the University of Malaya (UM). 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 (Kppen 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. Kuala Lumpur is mentioned in many songs by local Malaysian artists, such as "Keroncong Kuala Lumpur'" by P. Ramlee, "Kuala Lumpur, Ibu Kota" by Saloma, "Chow Kit Road" by Sudirman Arshad, "Senyumlah Kuala Lumpur" by Alleycats, "Streets of Kuala Lumpur" by Murkyway, "K.L." Its collection comprises artefacts and paintings collected throughout the country. 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. [4] It is among the fastest growing metropolitan regions in Southeast Asia, both in population and economic development. 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.[145]. Many of these facilities, including the main stadium (with running track and a football field), hockey stadium and swimming pools located in the National Sports Complex at Bukit Jalil while a velodrome and more swimming pools are located in Bandar Tun Razak, next to the Taman Tasik Permaisuri Lake Gardens. Further, the city is home to the Kuala Lumpur Dragons, 2016 Champions of the ASEAN Basketball League. It also suffered from a constant threat of flooding due to its location. 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. 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. [96] The per capita GDP for Kuala Lumpur in 2013 was RM79,752 with an average annual growth rate of 5.6 percent,[97] and RM94,722 in 2015. [94][95] By 2015, the GDP had reached RM160,388million, representing 15.1% of the total GDP of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur (Malaysian pronunciation:[kual, -a lumpo(r), -(r)]), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (Malay: Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur) and colloquially referred to as KL, is a federal territory and the capital city of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is also one of the stages of the Tour de Langkawi cycling race.[172]. As in most other Asian cities, driving is the main commuting choice in Kuala Lumpur. [107] 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. [206], Federal territory and capital city of Malaysia, Capital city and Federal territory in Malaysia, Major urban rail transportation in Kuala Lumpur. There are also football fields, local sports complexes, swimming pools and tennis courts scattered around the suburbs. By the time it became a municipality in 1948 it had expanded to 93km2 (36sqmi), and then to 243km2 (94sqmi) in 1974 as a Federal Territory. [156] 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. [87], The local administration is carried out by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, an agency under the Federal Territories Ministry of Malaysia. 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. Kuala Lumpur is at the forefront of the convergence of media, art, culture and communications. This resulted in a distinct eclectic shop house architecture typical to this region. Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur's retail cluster. 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. Before local car production began, the Mercedes-Benz 200, Mazda 323/Ford Laser, Toyota Mark II X80 series and the Opel Kadett were used. Kuala Lumpur is one of the major ASEAN cities with taxis extensively running on natural gas. In 1980 the population of Kuala Lumpur had reached over a million,[55] with 52% Chinese, 33% Malay, and 15% Indian. [99] The remaining 17 percent comes from manufacturing and construction. [29][30] The miners landed at Kuala Lumpur and continued on foot to Ampang, where they opened the first mine. [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. [125] 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. Among the processes shown are pottery making, intricate wood carving, silver-smithing, weaving songket cloth, stamping batik patterns on cloth, and boat-making. [142] 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. 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. [76], 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. It has a population density of 8,157 inhabitants per square kilometre (21,130/sqmi), and is the most densely populated administrative district in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur has a comprehensive road network with more transportation development planned.
[147] These residual forest areas are home to a number of fauna species, particularly monkeys, treeshrews, pygmy goats, budgerigars, squirrels and birds. [99] The elderly age group, 60 years old and above has increased from 4% in 1980 and 1991 to 6% in 2000. [102] 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. Executive power lies with the mayor in the city hall, who is appointed for three years by the Federal Territories Minister. [140] 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. [54], Kuala Lumpur expanded considerably in the 20th century. [25] The population of Kuala Lumpur had increased to around three thousand in 1880 when it was made the capital of Selangor. [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 refute such claims.
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. [57] They occupied the city until 15 August 1945, when the commander in chief of the Japanese Seventh Area Army in Singapore and Malaysia, Seishir Itagaki, surrendered to the British administration following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. [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. Kuala Lumpur ceded from 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. There were said to be 1,000 Chinese and 700 Malays in the town in this period. The National Defence University of Malaysia is located at Sungai Besi Army Base, at the southern part of central Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur also has advantages stemming from the high concentration of educational institutions that provide a wide-ranging of courses. The Chinese mainly settled around the commercial centre of Market Square. Kuala Lumpur is the most populous city in Malaysia, with a population of 1.98million in the city proper as of 2020[update]. [72][73] 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. Empire of Japan 19421945 Another notable trend is the increased presence of budget hotels in the city. Bursa Malaysia, or the Malaysia Exchange, is based in the city and forms one of its core economic activities. [43], 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). Residents of the city can also travel to other parts of Malaysia through KL Sentral. [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. The premier performing arts venue is the Petronas Philharmonic Hall located underneath the Petronas Towers. Kuala Lumpur first developed around 1857 as a town serving the tin mines of the region and served as the capital of Selangor from 1880 until 1978. Government offices and a new police headquarters were built on Bukit Aman, and the Padang initially created for police training. [69] The administrative and judicial functions of the government were shifted from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya. It has housed many local productions and has been a supporter of local and regional independent performance artists. [114][115], Since 2000, the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism introduced a mega sale event for shopping in Malaysia.
[28] As development intensified in the 1880s, putting pressure on sanitation, waste disposal and other health measures. 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. In 2006, the government announced the Sri Petaling Line and Kelana Jaya line extension projects. Kuala Lumpur has several golf courses including the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club (KLGCC) and the Malaysia Civil Service Golf Club in Kiara and the Berjaya Golf Course at Bukit Jalil. Between 1947 and 1957 the population of Malays in Kuala Lumpur increased from 12.5 to 15%, while the proportion of Chinese dropped. [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. [104] 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). Changkat Bukit Bintang, an upmarket gastronomy area and red light district in Kuala Lumpur at night. 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. Law reforms were implemented and new legal measures introduced to the assembly. 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. The 70-acre development will be situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and will serve international finance and business opportunities. [16][17], Kuala Lumpur means "muddy confluence" in Malay; Kuala is the point where two rivers join or an estuary, and lumpur means "mud". Movies set in Kuala Lumpur include Police Story 3: Super Cop (starring Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh) and Entrapment (starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones), in which the Petronas Towers were depicted in flames for a few seconds. [27], Important Malay figures of early Kuala Lumpur also included Haji Mohamed Tahir, who became the Dato Dagang ("chief of traders"). [151] It was ranked the best university in Malaysia, the 22nd-best in Asia, and third in Southeast Asia in QS World University Rankings 2019. [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. [71], From the 1990s onwards, major urban developments in the Klang Valley extended the Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area. The entertainment hub 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 as well as Kuala Lumpur's largest nightlife and entertainment hotspot, TREC KL. The Ilham Tower Gallery near Ampang Park houses exhibitions of works by local and foreign artists. Chinatown features many pre-independence buildings with Straits Chinese and colonial architectural influences. Kuala Lumpur had seen a number of civil disturbances over the years. [181] Public transportation covers a variety of transport modes such as bus, rail and taxi. [122] 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 2300, many of whom brought their families. The AFC Housecurrent headquarters of the Asian Football Confederationis built on a 4-acre (1.6ha) complex in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Bukit Jalil. Trendy nightclubs, bars and lounges, such as Marini's on 57, Skybar at Traders Hotel, the Beach Club, Espanda, the Hakka Republic Wine Bar & Restaurant, Hard Rock Cafe, the Luna Bar, Nuovo, Rum Jungle, No Black Tie, the Thai Club, Zion Club, Zouk KL, Club Ky, Dragonfly KL and many others are located here. 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". Some schools provide instruction in Mandarin and Tamil for certain subjects. The Petronas Art Gallery, another centre for fine art, is situated in Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). Buildings with all-glass shells exist throughout the city, with the most prominent examples being the Petronas Towers and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Rapid Bus is however not the only bus operator in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley. 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.[110]. [126] 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%. [135] It has a strong presence, especially in business, and is taught as a compulsory language in schools. Prasarana Malaysia has adopted the hub and spoke system to provide greater connectivity, and reduce the need for more buses. [96] Average monthly household income is RM9,073 (~$2,200) as of 2016, growing at a pace of approximately 6% a year. Kuala Lumpur is the headquarters for Malaysia's state broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (Angkasapuri), state news agency Bernama (Wisma Bernama), state religious TV Company Alhijrah Media Corporation (Islamic Centre Complex), principal telecommunication service provider Telekom Malaysia (Telekom Tower), Media Prima Berhad's newspaper division New Straits Times Press (Balai Berita), the country's main pay satellite television service Astro (All Asia Broadcast Centre) and newspaper companies such as: China Press, Malaysia Nanban and Makkal Osai. Television series set in Kuala Lumpur include A Tale of 2 Cities (starring Rui En and Joanne Peh). [23] The name may also be a corrupted form of an earlier forgotten name. It was established to be a major centre for military and defence technology studies. Kuala Lumpur hosted the official Asian Basketball Championship in 1965, 1977 and 1985. [203] Most were scrapped and replaced by Protons, but there are still a large number of these models running the roads. Many large worldwide hotel chains have a presence in the city. [188] Unlike the original line, which used the fixed-block signalling block system, the extension uses the communications-based train control (CBTC) signaling system. 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. Kuala Lumpur was the founding capital of the Federation of Malaya and its successor Malaysia, and the city remained the seat of the executive and judicial branches of the Malaysian federal government until these were relocated to Putrajaya in early 1999. [15] Kuala Lumpur was named World Book Capital 2020 by UNESCO. The line is numbered 8 and coloured light green on official transit maps. [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. 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%. [83], 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). Kuala Lumpur remained the capital after the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Kuala Lumpur is served by two airports. [173], Kuala Lumpur hosted the 128th IOC Session in 2015 where the IOC elected Beijing as the host city of the 2022 Winter Olympics[174] and Lausanne as the host city of the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics.[175]. 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]. 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. [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. Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism are practised mainly among the Chinese. 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 20km radius in the southeastnorthwest 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. KL Grand Prix CSI 5*,[170] a five-star international showjumping equestrian event, is held annually in the city. [13], Kuala Lumpur ranks 70th in the world and second in Southeast Asia for Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Ranking[14] and ninth in ASPAC and second in Southeast Asia for KPMG's Leading Technology Innovation Hub 2021. [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). [22] Another theory says that it was initially a Cantonese word, lam-pa, meaning 'flooded jungle' or 'decayed jungle'. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. Kuala Lumpur is a hub for cultural activities and events in Malaysia. [99][119], 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. Kuala Lumpur is a Malay term that translates to "muddy confluence" and is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers. Services were later expanded to other parts of Malaysia with the introduction of the Northern and Southern sectors. Kuala Lumpur has a craft complex coupled with a museum that displays a variety of textile, ceramic, metal craft and weaved products. Kuala Lumpur is home to the University of Malaya (UM). 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 (Kppen 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. Kuala Lumpur is mentioned in many songs by local Malaysian artists, such as "Keroncong Kuala Lumpur'" by P. Ramlee, "Kuala Lumpur, Ibu Kota" by Saloma, "Chow Kit Road" by Sudirman Arshad, "Senyumlah Kuala Lumpur" by Alleycats, "Streets of Kuala Lumpur" by Murkyway, "K.L." Its collection comprises artefacts and paintings collected throughout the country. 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. [4] It is among the fastest growing metropolitan regions in Southeast Asia, both in population and economic development. 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.[145]. Many of these facilities, including the main stadium (with running track and a football field), hockey stadium and swimming pools located in the National Sports Complex at Bukit Jalil while a velodrome and more swimming pools are located in Bandar Tun Razak, next to the Taman Tasik Permaisuri Lake Gardens. Further, the city is home to the Kuala Lumpur Dragons, 2016 Champions of the ASEAN Basketball League. It also suffered from a constant threat of flooding due to its location. 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. 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. [96] The per capita GDP for Kuala Lumpur in 2013 was RM79,752 with an average annual growth rate of 5.6 percent,[97] and RM94,722 in 2015. [94][95] By 2015, the GDP had reached RM160,388million, representing 15.1% of the total GDP of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur (Malaysian pronunciation:[kual, -a lumpo(r), -(r)]), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (Malay: Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur) and colloquially referred to as KL, is a federal territory and the capital city of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is also one of the stages of the Tour de Langkawi cycling race.[172]. As in most other Asian cities, driving is the main commuting choice in Kuala Lumpur. [107] 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. [206], Federal territory and capital city of Malaysia, Capital city and Federal territory in Malaysia, Major urban rail transportation in Kuala Lumpur. There are also football fields, local sports complexes, swimming pools and tennis courts scattered around the suburbs. By the time it became a municipality in 1948 it had expanded to 93km2 (36sqmi), and then to 243km2 (94sqmi) in 1974 as a Federal Territory. [156] 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. [87], The local administration is carried out by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, an agency under the Federal Territories Ministry of Malaysia. 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. Kuala Lumpur is at the forefront of the convergence of media, art, culture and communications. This resulted in a distinct eclectic shop house architecture typical to this region. Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur's retail cluster. 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. Before local car production began, the Mercedes-Benz 200, Mazda 323/Ford Laser, Toyota Mark II X80 series and the Opel Kadett were used. Kuala Lumpur is one of the major ASEAN cities with taxis extensively running on natural gas. In 1980 the population of Kuala Lumpur had reached over a million,[55] with 52% Chinese, 33% Malay, and 15% Indian. [99] The remaining 17 percent comes from manufacturing and construction. [29][30] The miners landed at Kuala Lumpur and continued on foot to Ampang, where they opened the first mine. [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. [125] 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. Among the processes shown are pottery making, intricate wood carving, silver-smithing, weaving songket cloth, stamping batik patterns on cloth, and boat-making. [142] 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. 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. [76], 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. It has a population density of 8,157 inhabitants per square kilometre (21,130/sqmi), and is the most densely populated administrative district in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur has a comprehensive road network with more transportation development planned.
[147] These residual forest areas are home to a number of fauna species, particularly monkeys, treeshrews, pygmy goats, budgerigars, squirrels and birds. [99] The elderly age group, 60 years old and above has increased from 4% in 1980 and 1991 to 6% in 2000. [102] 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. Executive power lies with the mayor in the city hall, who is appointed for three years by the Federal Territories Minister. [140] 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. [54], Kuala Lumpur expanded considerably in the 20th century. [25] The population of Kuala Lumpur had increased to around three thousand in 1880 when it was made the capital of Selangor. [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 refute such claims.