Kuala Lumpur (KL),[a] officially theFederal Territory of Kuala Lumpur,[b] is thecapital city and afederal territory ofMalaysia. It is the most populous city in the country, covering an area of 243 km2 (94 sq mi) with a census population of 2,075,600 as of 2024[update].[8]Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as theKlang Valley, is anurban agglomeration of 8.8 million people as of 2024. It is among the fastest growing metropolitan regions inSoutheast Asia, both in population and economic development.
The city serves as the cultural, financial, tourism, political and economic centre of Malaysia. It is also home to theMalaysian parliament (consisting of theDewan Rakyat and theDewan Negara) and theIstana Negara, the official residence of themonarch (Yang di-Pertuan Agong). Kuala Lumpur was first developed around 1857 as a town serving thetin mines of the region, and important figures such asYap Ah Loy andFrank Swettenham were instrumental in the early development of the city during the late 19th century. It served as the capital ofSelangor from 1880 until 1978. Kuala Lumpur was the founding capital of theFederation of Malaya and its successor, Malaysia. The city remained the seat of the executive and judicial branches of theMalaysian federal government until these were relocated toPutrajaya in early 1999.[9] However, some sections of the political bodies still remain in Kuala Lumpur. The city is one of the threeFederal Territories of Malaysia,[10]enclaved within the state ofSelangor, on the central west coast ofPeninsular Malaysia.[11]
Kuala Lumpur was ranked the 6th most-visited city in the world on the Mastercard Destination Cities Index in 2019.[12] The city houses three of the world's ten largest shopping malls.[13] Kuala Lumpur ranks 70th in the world and the second in Southeast Asia afterSingapore for theEconomist Intelligence Unit'sGlobal Liveability Ranking[14] and ninth in ASPAC and second in Southeast Asia after Singapore forKPMG's Leading Technology Innovation Hub 2021.[15] Kuala Lumpur was namedWorld Book Capital 2020 byUNESCO.[16][17] In 2025, Kuala Lumpur was ranked second for the best outstanding city in Southeast Asia, after Singapore, and 79th in the world by theOxford Economic Papers' Global Cities Index.[18]
Jamek Mosque at the confluence of theGombak (left) andKlang 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" inMalay:kuala is the point where two rivers join, or anestuary, andlumpur means "mud".[19][20][21] One suggestion is that it was named after Sungai Lumpur ("muddy river"); in the 1820s, a place namedSungei Lumpoor was said to be the most important tin-producing settlement on theKlang River.[22] However, Kuala Lumpur lies at the confluence of theGombak and Klang rivers and therefore should be called Kuala Gombak, since thekuala is typically named after the river that joins a larger river or the sea.[23] Some have argued that Sungai Lumpur extended to the confluence, therefore, the point where it joined the Klang River would be Kuala Lumpur,[24] 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 theBatu Caves area.[23]
It has also been proposed that Kuala Lumpur was originally named Pengkalan Lumpur ("muddy landing place"), in the same way thatKlang was once called Pengkalan Batu ("stone landing place"), but became corrupted into Kuala Lumpur.[24] Another theory says that it was initially aCantonese word,lam-pa, meaning "flooded jungle" or "decayed jungle". There is no firm contemporary evidence for these suggestions other than anecdotes, however.[25] The name may also be a corrupted form of an earlier forgotten name.[23]
Official account considers Kuala Lumpur to have been founded by the Malay Chief ofKlang, Raja Abdullah, who sentChinese miners into the region to open tin mines in 1857,[26][27] although it is unclear who the first settlers were since there were likely settlements at the Gombak-Klang river confluence before that in the 1820s.[28] Chinese miners were known to be involved in tin mining up theSelangor River in the 1840s about 16 kilometres (10 miles) north of present-day Kuala Lumpur,[29] andMandailing Sumatrans led byRaja Asal [ms] and Sutan Puasa were also involved in tin mining and trade in theUlu 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.[24][30][31][28] Kuala Lumpur was originally a small hamlet of just a few houses and shops at the confluence of theSungai Gombak and Sungai Klang (Klang River). Kuala Lumpur became established as a townc. 1857,[32] when Raja Abdullah bin Raja Jaafar, aided by his brother Raja Juma'at ofLukut, raised funds fromMalaccan Chinese businessmen to hire Chinese miners fromLukut to open newtin mines there.[33][34] The miners landed at Kuala Lumpur and continued on foot toAmpang, where they opened the first mine.[35] 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.[36][32]
KapitanYap 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 themalarial conditions of the jungle, the Ampang mines succeeded and exported the first tin in 1859.[36] 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.[37][38] The town, spurred on by tin-mining, started to develop around Old Market Square (Medan Pasar), with roads radiating out towards Ampang as well asPudu andBatu (the destinations became the names of these roads:Ampang Road,Pudu Road, andBatu Road), where miners had also begun to settle in, andPetaling andDamansara.[39] The miners formed gangs[40] and the gangs frequently fought in this period, particularly factions of Kuala Lumpur and Kanching, mainly over control of the best tin mines.[41] Leaders of the Chinese community were conferred the title ofKapitan Cina (Chinese headman) by the Malay chief, and Hiu Siew, the early Chinese trader, became the first Kapitan of Kuala Lumpur.[42] The third Chinese Kapitan of Kuala Lumpur,Yap Ah Loy, was appointed in 1868.[28]
After the mines were opened, Raja Abdullah then sent a garrison under the command of a Bugis lieutenant to man astockade built atBukit Nanas.[30] Important Malay figures of early Kuala Lumpur also included Haji Mohamed Tahir, who became the Dato Dagang ("chief of traders").[30] TheMinangkabaus of Sumatra became another important group whotraded and established tobacco plantations in the area.[43] Notable Minangkabaus included their headman, Dato' Sati, Utsman Abdullah,[44] andHaji Mohamed Taib, who was involved in the early development ofKampung Baru.[45][46] The Minangkabaus were also significant socio-religious figures, for example Utsman bin Abdullah was the firstkadi of Kuala Lumpur, as well as Muhammad Nur bin Ismail.[47]
Part of a panoramic view of Kuala Lumpurc. 1884. To the left is thePadang. The buildings were mostly constructed of wood andatap 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 mostly made of wood and 'atap' (palm frondthatching). 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 theSelangor Civil War in part over control of revenue from the tin mines. Yap Ah Loy allied himself withTengku Kudin [ms] and theHai San secret society, they fought against a rival secret society,Ghee Hin, who allied themselves with Raja Mahdi.[48] 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 fromPahang.[41] The war and other setbacks, such as dropping tin prices, led to a slump. A major outbreak ofcholera caused many to flee. The slump lasted until late 1879, when rising prices for tin allowed the town to recover.[32] 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.[49][50] Yap, together withFrank Swettenham who was appointed theResident 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.[51]
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 IndianChettiars and Muslims, resided in the Java Street area, nowJalan Tun Perak. In 1880, the colonial administration moved the state capital of Selangor from Klang to the more strategically advantageous Kuala Lumpur, and British ResidentWilliam Bloomfield Douglas decided to locate the government buildings and living quarters to the west of the river. Government offices and a newpolice headquarters were built onBukit Aman, and the Padang was initially created for police training.[52] The Padang, now known asIndependence Square, would later become the centre of the British administrative offices when the colonial government offices moved to theSultan Abdul Samad Building in 1897.[50]
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.[51][53]Kapitan Yap Ah Loy bought a sprawling piece of real estate to set up a brick factory for the rebuilding of Kuala Lumpur, theeponymousBrickfields.[54] Demolishedatap 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 eclecticshop 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 presentAmpang Road,Pudu Road andPetaling Street.[55] As Chinese Kapitan, he held wide powers on a par withMalay community leaders. Law reforms were implemented and new legal measures were introduced to the assembly. Yap also presided over asmall 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 inPetaling Street, in which the Selangor'sSultan Abdul Samad held an interest.[56]
Arailway 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.[32] 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 theKuala Lumpur Municipal Council in 1948.[57] In 1896, Kuala Lumpur was chosen as the capital of the newly formedFederated Malay States.[58]
An arcade ofshophouses 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, and to 52 km2 (20 sq mi) by 1924. 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.[59][60]
Until 1974, Kuala Lumpur was one of the seven districts of Selangor (six before 1960).[61] The Kuala Lumpur district comprises eight (later nine) mukims –Sungai Buloh,Batu,Petaling,Ampang,Ulu Klang, Kuala Lumpur (city and suburban),Setapak and (since 1953)Petaling Jaya.[62]
The development of arubber industry inSelangor fuelled 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.[63] The commercial activities of Kuala Lumpur had been run to a large extent by Chinese businessmen such asLoke 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.[63]
Japanese troops advancing up High Street (nowJalan Tun H S Lee) in Kuala Lumpur in December 1941 during World War II.
DuringWorld War II, Kuala Lumpur wascaptured by theImperial Japanese Army on 11 January 1942. Despite suffering little damage during 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 asforced labour to work on theBurma Railway where many died.[64] They occupied the city until 15 August 1945, when the commander in chief of theJapanese Seventh Area Army in Singapore and Malaysia,Seishirō Itagaki,surrendered to the British administration following theatomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.[65] Kuala Lumpur grew during the war, and continued after the war during theMalayan Emergency (1948–1960), during which Malaya was preoccupied with acommunist insurgency andNew Villages were established on the outskirts of the city.[51]
Map of Kuala Lumpur in 1951
The first municipal election in Kuala Lumpur was held on 16 February 1952. Anad hoc alliance between the MalayUMNO and ChineseMCA party candidates won a majority of the seats, and this led to the formation of theAlliance Party (later theBarisan Nasional).[66] On 31 August 1957, the Federation of Malaya gained its independence from British rule.[67] The British flag was lowered and the Malayan flag raised for the first time at the Padang at midnight on 30 August 1957,[68] and on the morning of 31 August, the ceremony for theDeclaration of Independence was held at theMerdeka Stadium by the first Prime Minister of Malaya,Tunku Abdul Rahman. Kuala Lumpur remained the capital after theformation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. TheMalaysian Houses of Parliament were completed at the edge of theLake Gardens in 1963.[69] The population of Kuala Lumpur expanded considerably from 1960 to 2018, doubling in size every 13 years.[70]
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 has seen several civil disturbances over the years. A riot in 1897 was a relatively minor affair that began with the confiscation of faultydacing (a scale used by traders), and in 1912, a more serious disturbance called thetauchang riot began during theChinese New Year with the cutting of pigtails and ended with rioting and factional fighting lasting several days.[71] The worst rioting on record in Malaysia, however, occurred on 13 May 1969, when race riots broke out in Kuala Lumpur.[72] The so-called13 May Incident included violent conflicts between members of theMalay and theChinese communities, the result of Malays' dissatisfaction with their socio-political status. The riots caused the deaths of 196 people, according to official figures,[72] and led to major changes in the country's economic policy to promote and prioritise Malay economic development over that of other ethnicities.
Kuala Lumpur achievedcity status on 1 February 1972,[74][75] becoming the first settlement in Malaysia to be granted the status after independence. Later, on 1 February 1974, Kuala Lumpur became afederal territory.[76] The territory of Kuala Lumpur expanded to 96 square miles by absorbing the surrounding areas. Kuala Lumpur was ceded bySelangor to be directly controlled by thecentral government, and it ceased to be capital of Selangor in 1978 after the city ofShah Alam was declared the new state capital.[77]
On 14 May 1990, Kuala Lumpur celebrated the centennial of the local council. The new federal territoryKuala 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.[78] The administrative and judicial functions of the government were shifted from Kuala Lumpur toPutrajaya. Kuala Lumpur however still retained itslegislative function,[79] and remained the home of theYang di-Pertuan Agong (Constitutional King).[80]
From the 1990s onwards, major urban developments in theKlang Valley extended the Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area.[81][82] This area, known asGreater Kuala Lumpur, extends from the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur westward toPort Klang, east to the edge of theTitiwangsa 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,[83][84] and is served by theKlang Valley Integrated Transit System. Notable projects undertaken within Kuala Lumpur itself included the development of a newKuala Lumpur City Centre aroundJalan Ampang and the Petronas Towers, once the world's tallest buildings.[85] The Petronas Towers has since been superseded as the tallest buildings in Kuala Lumpur byThe Exchange 106 andMerdeka 118, which is the second tallest building in the world after theBurj Khalifa inDubai.[86]
The geography of Kuala Lumpur is characterised by the hugeKlang Valley, bordered by theTitiwangsa Mountains in the east, several minor ranges in the north and the south, and theStrait of Malacca in the west. Kuala Lumpur is aMalay term that translates to "muddy confluence" and is located at theconfluence of theKlang andGombak rivers which flow into the Selangor River.[87]
The BritishRed Arrows flying 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 firstFederal Territory governed directly by the Malaysian federal government. Its location in the most developed state on the west coast ofpeninsular Malaysia, which has a wider stretch of flat land than the east coast, has helped it develop faster than other cities in Malaysia.[88] The municipality covers an area of 243 km2 (94 sq mi),[2] with an average elevation of 81.95 m (268 ft 10 in) highest point beingBukit Nanas at 94 meters above sea level.[89]
Protected by theTitiwangsa Range in the east and Indonesia'sSumatra Island in the west, Kuala Lumpur is sheltered from strong winds and has atropical rainforest climate (Köppen climate classificationAf), hot, humid and sunny, with abundant rainfall, especially during thenortheast 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).[90][91] 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. Kuala Lumpur is highly prone to severe thunderstorms and lightning strikes. TheKlang Valley, including Kuala Lumpur, is one of the places where thunderstorms are most frequently observed on Earth.
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.[92] Smoke from forest fires in nearbySumatra andKalimantan sometimes casts ahaze over the region, and is a major source of pollution, along with open burning, motor vehicle emissions, and construction.[93]
Kuala Lumpur was administered by acorporation sole called the Federal Capital Commissioner from 1 April 1961, until it was awarded city status in 1972, after which executive power transferred to theLord Mayor (Datuk Bandar).[98] 15 mayors have been appointed since then. The current mayor isMaimunah Mohd Sharif, who has been in office since 15 August 2024.[99]
The local administration is carried out by theKuala Lumpur City Hall, an agency under theFederal Territories Ministry of Malaysia.[98] 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 themayor 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.[100]
Kuala Lumpur's elevenparliamentary constituencies, with 2020 population, area, density and percentage of the total are congruent with administrative subdivisions under the authority of theKuala Lumpur City Hall authority.[101]
Kuala Lumpur is home to theParliament of Malaysia. The federal Constitution stipulates the three branches of the Malaysian government: the Executive, Judiciary and Legislative branches. The Parliament consists of theDewan Negara (Upper House / House of Senate) andDewan Rakyat (Lower House / House of Representatives).[10]
List of Kuala Lumpur representatives in the Federal Parliament (Dewan Rakyat)
Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding urban areas form the most industrialised and economically, the fastest-growing region in Malaysia.[102]
Despite the relocation of federal government administration toPutrajaya, certain government institutions such asBank 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.[103] 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 onlyglobal city in Malaysia, according to the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC).[104]
TheMerdeka 118 is the tallest building in Southeast Asia; it is also the second-tallest building in the world, after theBurj 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.[105]Thegross domestic product (GDP) for Kuala Lumpur is estimated at RM73,536 million in 2008 with an average annual growth rate of 5.9 per cent.[106][107] By 2015, the GDP had reached RM160,388 million, representing 15.1% of the total GDP of Malaysia.[108] The per capita GDP for Kuala Lumpur in 2013 was RM79,752 with an average annual growth rate of 5.6 per cent,[109] and RM94,722 in 2015.[108] Average monthly household income is RM9,073 (~$2,200) as of 2016, growing at a pace of approximately 6% a year.[110] 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 per cent of the total.[111] The remaining 17 per cent 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[112] 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, theAl-Rajhi Bank[113] andKuwait Finance House. Apart from that, theDow 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.[114] 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 excludingPetronas, there are 14 companies that are listed inForbes 2000 based in Kuala Lumpur.[115]
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 theRubber Research Institute of Malaysia, theForest Research Institute Malaysia and the Institute of Medical Research.[116] A newfinancial district for Kuala Lumpur is currently under construction: theTun Razak Exchange (TRX), formerly known as Kuala Lumpur International Financial District (KLIFD). The TRX's landmark and prominent building isThe 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'sEconomic Transformation Programme (ETP), an initiative by theMalaysian government to turn Malaysia into ahigh income economy nation.
Tourism here is driven by the city's cultural diversity, relatively low costs, and widegastronomic and shopping variety.MICE tourism, which mainly encompassesconventions— has expanded in recent years to become a vital component of the industry, and is expected to grow further once the Malaysian government'sEconomic Transformation Programme kicks in, and with the completion of a new 93,000 square meter-sizeMATRADE Centre in 2014.[119] TheMATRADE agency is also the owner of theMalaysia International Trade And Exhibition Centre (MITEC), the largest trade and exhibition centre ofMalaysia, which is a component of the largerKL Metropolis development situated in the suburb ofSegambut. Another notable trend is the increased presence ofbudget hotels in the city.
Kuala Lumpur alone has 66 shopping malls and is the retail and fashion hub of both Malaysia andSoutheast Asia.[124] Shopping in Malaysia contributed RM7.7 billion (US$2.26 billion) or 20.8 per cent of the RM31.9 billion tourism receipts in 2006.[125]
Apart from shopping complexes, Kuala Lumpur has designated numerous zones in the city to market locally manufactured products such astextiles,fabrics andhandicrafts especially atJalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. Traditional clothing of ethnic Malays such asbaju Kurung andbaju kebaya can be found here. The Chinatown of Kuala Lumpur, commonly known asPetaling Street, is one of them. Chinatown features many pre-independence buildings withStraits Chinese and colonial architectural influences.[127][128]
Since 2000, theMalaysian 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 inAsia which has been maintained until present with new mega sales.[129]
Gallery
Changkat Bukit Bintang, an upmarket gastronomy area and red light district in Kuala Lumpur at night.
Population by percentage excluding non-citizens which form 10.5% of KL's population
Kuala Lumpur is the most populous city in Malaysia, with a population of 2.076 million in thecity proper as of 2024[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 asKLites.[131] Kuala Lumpur is also the centre of the widerKlang Valley metropolitan area coveringPetaling Jaya,Klang,Subang Jaya,Puchong,Shah Alam, andGombak, with an estimated metropolitan population of 7.25 million as of 2017[update].[citation needed]
Kuala Lumpur's heterogeneous populace includes the country's three major ethnic groups: theMalays, theChinese, and theIndians, although the city also has a mix of different cultures including Eurasians,Kadazans,Ibans and other Indigenous races from around Malaysia.[111][132]
Kuala Lumpur expanded as a Federal Territory in 1974 Source:[133][134][32]
Historically Kuala Lumpur was a predominantly Chinese city, although more recently theBumiputera 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 Malaystockade already existed atBukit Nanas at that time.[30]
By 1875, after participation in theSelangor 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.[30] The population of Kuala Lumpur had increased to around three thousand in 1880 when it was made the capital of Selangor.[135] A significant component of the Malay population in Kuala Lumpur of this period consisted of Malays recruited by the British in 1880, mostly from ruralMalacca, to establish a police force of 2–300, many of whom brought their families.[136] Many of the Malays were originally from the other islands ofMalay Archipelago i.e. Sumatra and Java. TheMandailings, theMinangkabaus,Javanese, andBuginese began arriving in Kuala Lumpur in the 19th century, while theAcehnese arrived in the late 20th century.[137] 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 andKlang.[32]
A census in 1891 of uncertain accuracy gave a figure of 43,796 inhabitants, 79% of whom were Chinese (71% of the Chinese wereHakka, but possibly over-counted), 14% Malay, and 6% Indian.[135] Another perhaps more accurate survey put the population of Kuala Lumpur in 1891 at around 19,000, with 73% Chinese and 12% each for both Malays and Indians.[138] 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.[63]
In 1931, 61% of Kuala Lumpur's 111,418 inhabitants were Chinese,[134] 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.[139] The process continued after Malayan independence with the growth of a largely Malay civil service, and later the implementation of theNew Economic Policy which encouraged Malay participation in urban industries and business. In 1980 the population of Kuala Lumpur had reached over a million,[59] with 52% Chinese, 33% Malay, and 15% Indian.[140] 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%.[111][74] 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%.[141] In the 2020 census, the percentage of theBumiputera population in Kuala Lumpur had reached around 47.7%, with the Chinese population at 41.6% and Indians 10.0%.[130]
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.[111][141][130] These figures also do not include a significant number ofillegal immigrants.[142] Kuala Lumpur's rapid development has triggered a huge influx of low-skilledforeign workers fromIndonesia,Nepal,Myanmar,Thailand,Bangladesh,India,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Philippines,Vietnam,Laos andCambodia into Malaysia, many of whom enter the country illegally or without proper permits.[143][144]
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.[111] On the other hand, the working age group of 15–59 increased from 63% in 1980 to 67% in 2000.[111] The elderly age group, 60 years old and above has increased from 4% in 1980 and 1991 to 6% in 2000.[111]
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 andTaoism are practised mainly among the Chinese. Indians traditionally adhere to Hinduism. Some Chinese and Indians also subscribe toChristianity.[145] Kuala Lumpur is one of the three states where less than 50% of the population are self-identified Muslims, the other two beingPenang andSarawak. 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.[130]
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 identifies as Hindus (81.1%), with significant minorities of identifying as Christians (7.8%), Muslims (4.9%) and Buddhists (2.1%). The non-Malaybumiputera community are predominantly Christians (44.9%), with significant minorities identifying as Muslims (31.2%) and Buddhists (13.5%). All bumiputera Malays are Muslim[146] due to the criterion in thedefinition of a Malay in the Malaysian constitution that they should adhere to Islam.[147]
Bahasa Malaysia is the principal language in Kuala Lumpur. Majority of local Malays speak Selangor dialect (read asJohor-Riau dialect) but Malays from other parts of the state such asKedah,Kelantan andTerengganu, as well asSarawak and alsoBrunei Malay that was spoken by those from Sabah/Labuan, are significantly using their respective dialect varieties of Malay.
Kuala Lumpur residents are generally literate in English, with a large proportion adopting it as their first language, especially among younger and certain adult generations.Malaysian English is widely used.[148] It has a strong presence, especially in business, and is taught as a compulsory language in schools.[132]
In addition, theCantonese dialect group forms the majority among the localChinese population,Hokkien andMandarin are prominent, as they are also widely spoken among the Chinese communities.[149] Another major Chinese dialect spoken isHakka.
The architecture of Kuala Lumpur is a mixture of oldcolonial influences, Asian traditions, Malay Islamic inspirations,modern, andpostmodern architecture.[152] A relatively young city compared with other Southeast Asian capitals such asBangkok,Jakarta andManila, 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.[153] 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 isArthur Benison Hubback who designed a number of the colonial-era buildings including theKuala Lumpur Railway Station andJamek Mosque.
Before the World War II, manyshophouses, 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 fromStraits Chinese and European traditions.[127][128] Some of these shophouses have made way for new developments but there are still many standing today in theMedan 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 oldestmosques 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 around the city. Many of these buildings derive their design from traditional Malay items such as thesongkok and thekeris. Some of these buildings have Islamic geometric motifs integrated into the designs of the building, due to Islamic restrictions on imitating nature through drawings.[154] Examples of these buildings areTelekom Tower,Maybank Tower,Dayabumi Complex, and the Islamic Centre.[155] Some buildings such as the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia andNational Planetarium have been built to masquerade as a place of worship, complete withdome andminaret, 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 were the tallest buildings in the country until being surpassed by The Exchange 106 by 1.7 meters in 2019.[156] They were designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art.[157]
Late modern and postmodern architecture began to appear in the late-1990s and early-2000s. With economic development, old buildings such asBok 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 andKuala 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 theCouncil 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.[158]
KLCC Park is a 50-acre urban park located in the city centre.
ThePerdana 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, andCarcosa Seri Negara, which was once the official residence of the British colonial administration, is also sited here. The park includes a butterfly park, deer park, orchid garden, a hibiscus garden, and theKuala Lumpur Bird Park, which is the world's largest aviary bird park.[159] Other parks in the city include theASEAN Sculpture Garden,KLCC Park,Titiwangsa Lake Gardens, Metropolitan Lake Gardens inKepong, Taman Tasik Permaisuri (Queen's Lake Gardens),Bukit Kiara Botanical Gardens, the equestrian park and West Valley Park nearTaman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), and Bukit Jalil International Park.
There are three forest reserves within the city, theBukit 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.[160] These residual forest areas are home to a number offauna species, particularly monkeys,treeshrews,pygmy goats,budgerigars, squirrels and birds.
According to government statistics, Kuala Lumpur had aliteracy rate of 97.5% in 2000, the highest rate in any state or territory in Malaysia.[161] 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.[162]
Kuala Lumpur contains 14 tertiary education institutions, 79 high schools, 155 elementary schools, and 136 kindergartens.[163]
Kuala Lumpur is home to theUniversity of Malaya (UM). Established in 1949, it is the oldest university in Malaysia, and one of the oldest in the region.[164] It was ranked the best university in Malaysia, the 22nd-best in Asia, and third inSoutheast Asia in QS World University Rankings 2019.[165] In recent years, the number ofinternational students at the University of Malaya has risen, as a result of increasing efforts made to attract them.[166]
Kuala Lumpur is a hub for cultural activities and events in Malaysia. Among the centres is theNational Museum, which is situated along theMahameru Highway. Its collection comprises artefacts and paintings collected throughout the country.[168] TheIslamic Arts Museum, which houses more than seven thousand Islamic artefacts including rare exhibits and a library of Islamic art books, is the largest Islamic art collection in Southeast Asia.[169] 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, techniques, and traditionally engineered equipment. Among the processes shown are pottery making, intricate wood carving, silver-smithing, weavingsongket cloth, stampingbatik patterns on cloth, and boat-making.[170]
The premier performing arts venue is thePetronas Philharmonic Hall located underneath the Petronas Towers. The resident orchestra is theMalaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), consisting of musicians from all over the world, and features regular concerts, chamber concerts, and traditional cultural performances.[171] TheKuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) in Sentul West and Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPac) inDamansara 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.[172] TheFuture Music Festival Asia has been held in the city since 2012, featuring local and international artists.[173]
TheNational 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. TheIlham Tower Gallery nearAmpang Park houses exhibitions of works by local and foreign artists.[174]
Kuala Lumpur holds the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival annually.[175] Another event hosted annually by the city is theKuala Lumpur Fashion Week,[176] which includes international brands and local designers. Also, Kuala Lumpur was designated as theWorld Book Capital for 2020 byUNESCO.[177]
Kuala Lumpur has numerous parks, gardens and open spaces for recreational purposes. Total open space for recreational and sports facilities land use in the city has increased significantly by 169.6 per cent from 5.86 square kilometres (1,450 acres) in 1984 to 15.8 square kilometres (3,900 acres) in 2000.[178]
Kuala Lumpur was touted as one of the host cities for theFormula One World Championship from 1999 to 2017.[179] The open-wheel auto racingA1 Grand Prix[180] was held until the series folded in 2009. TheMotorcycle Grand Prix[181] races are held at theSepang International Circuit inSepang in the neighbouring state ofSelangor. The Formula One event contributed significantly to tourist arrivals and tourism income to Kuala Lumpur. This was evident during theAsian 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%.[182] In 2015, theKuala Lumpur Street Circuit was constructed to host theKuala Lumpur City Grand Prix motor racing event.
KL Grand Prix CSI 5*, a five-star international showjumping equestrian event, is held annually in the city.[184] Other annual sport events hosted by the city include the KL Tower Run,[185] the KL Tower International BASE Jump Merdeka Circuit and the Kuala Lumpur International Marathon. Kuala Lumpur is also one of the stages of theTour de Langkawi cycling race.[186] The annualMalaysia Open Super Series badminton tournament is held in Kuala Lumpur.
Kuala Lumpur is also the birthplace ofHashing, which began in December 1938 when a group of British colonial officers and expatriates, some from theSelangor Club, began meeting on Monday evenings to run, in a fashion patterned after the traditional BritishPaper Chase or "Hare and Hounds".[187]
The decorative relief wall portraying theRukun Negara, the Malaysian national pledge, at the Upper Concourse Level ofMerdeka MRT station.
Road traffic of Jalan Kuching, Kuala Lumpur during noon
As in most other Asian cities, driving is the main commuting choice in Kuala Lumpur.[190] Every part of the city is well connected with highways. Kuala Lumpur has a comprehensiveroad network with more transportation development planned.[191] Public transportation covers a variety oftransport modes such asbus,rail andtaxi. Despite efforts to promote public transport, utilisation rates are low, 16 per cent of the population in 2006.[190] However, public transport utilisation will increase with the expansion of the rail network,[192] operated byPrasarana Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley via its subsidiariesRapid Rail andRapid Bus, using theRapid KL brand name.[193] Since the take over from Intrakota Komposit Sdn Bhd,Prasarana Malaysia has redrawn the entire bus network of Kuala Lumpur and theKlang Valley metropolitan area[194] to increase passenger numbers and improve Kuala Lumpur's public transport system.Prasarana Malaysia has adopted thehub and spoke system to provide greater connectivity, and reduce the need for more buses.[195][196]KL Sentral was added on 16 April 2001 and served as the new transport hub of theKlang Valley Integrated Transit System.
TheKTM Komuter, acommuter rail service, was introduced in 1995 as the first rail transit system to provide local rail services in Kuala Lumpur and the surroundingKlang Valley suburban areas. Services were later expanded to other parts of Malaysia with the introduction of theNorthern and Southern sectors.[197] KTM Komuter's 175 km (109 mi) network in the Central Sector has 53 stations. It consists of two cross-city routes, namely thePort Klang Line (Tanjung Malim toPort Klang) andSeremban Line (Batu Caves toPulau 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 andPutra.
Light Rapid Transit (LRT) Malaysia is themedium-capacity rail lines in theKlang 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 theSri Petaling Line andKelana Jaya line extension projects.[198] Unlike the original line, which used the fixed-blocksignalling block system, the extension uses thecommunications-based train control (CBTC) signalling system.[199][200]
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 theKlang Valley. The first section of the MRT opened on 16 December 2016, and the network has since grown rapidly following 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 – the13MRT Circle Line, looping around Kuala Lumpur, the9MRT Kajang Line and the12MRT Putrajaya Line, covering a 20 km radius in the southeast–northwest direction from the city centre, will integrate the currentrapid 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 two million passengers per day.[201]
TheKL Monorail opened on 31 August 2003 with 11 stations running 8.6 km (5 mi) on two parallel elevated tracks. The line is numbered8 and coloured light green on official transit maps. It connects theKL Sentral transport hub in the south andTitiwangsa in the north with the "Golden Triangle", a commercial, shopping, and entertainment area comprisingBukit Bintang, Imbi, Sultan Ismail, and Raja Chulan.[202]
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 isSultan 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 four continents around the world,[203] and is the main hub for the national carrier,Malaysia Airlines and low-cost carrier,AirAsia. KLIA can be reached using theKLIA Ekspres, anairport rail link service fromKL Sentral, which takes twenty-eight minutes and costsRM 55 (roughly US$13.50),[204] 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 fromKLIA2, 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 asFirefly andMalindo Air.[205]
Bas Mini KL or Kuala Lumpur Mini-Bus Service was one of the oldest and most popularMalaysiapublic bus service, having served Kuala Lumpur and theKlang 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.[206]
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.[207] The buses run between four hubs at the edge of the central business district, namelyKL Sentral,Titiwangsa,Kuala Lumpur City Centre,Maluri, andMedan 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 fromMasjid Jamek LRT station. On 18 June 2020,Rapid Bus released a new feature: real-time location of bus inGoogle Maps, via collaboration withGoogle Transit.[208][209][210][211]
Effective 10 April 2019, all RapidKL buses are implementing a fully cashless journey for all routes by stages, in which the bus acceptsTouch n Go cards only for user convenience. These systems were fully implemented by 27 May 2019.[212] 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.
In Kuala Lumpur, most taxis have distinctive white and red liveries. Many companies operate and maintain pools of different model of cars in their brands. Before local car production began, theMercedes-Benz 200,Mazda 323/Ford Laser,Toyota Mark II X80 series and theOpel Kadett were used.[213] Most were scrapped and replaced byProtons, but there are still a large number of these models running the roads. Kuala Lumpur is one of the majorASEAN cities with taxis extensively running onnatural gas. Taxis can be hailed fromtaxi 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 likeGrab, MyCar and JomRides has resulted in a decrease in taxi use.[214]
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,[215] 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.[216]
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