Kuala Lumpur كوالا لومڤو?
Skyline of Kuala Lumpur
Flag Seal
Nickname: "KL"
Motto: Maju dan makmur (English: Progress and Prosper)'
Location in Malaysia Location in Malaysia
Coordinates:
Country	Malaysia
State	Federal Territory
Establishment	1857
Granted city status	1974
Government
- Mayor (Datuk Bandar)	Datuk Abdul Hakim Borhan From 14 December 2006
Area
- City	243.65 km  (95.18 sq mi)
Elevation	21.95 m (72 ft)
Population (2004)[1]
- City	1,800,674
- Density	7388/km (18,912/sq mi)
- Metro	6.9 million[1]
- Demonym	KL-ite / Kuala Lumpurian
Time zone	MST (UTC+8)
- Summer (DST)	MST (UTC+8)
Postal code	40xxx to 48xxx 62xxx to 64xxx
Mean solar time	UTC + 06:46:48
National calling code	03
License plate prefix	W (for all vehicles except taxis) HWx (for taxis only)
Website: [2]

Kuala Lumpur (IPA: /'kwɑlɑ lʊmpʊ/, /'kwɑlə lʊmpɒ/) is the capital and the largest city in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is one of the three Malaysian Federal Territories. It is an enclave within the state of Selangor, on the central west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Malaysians fondly refer to the city as KL. Residents of the city are commonly called KLites or Kuala Lumpurians. The city is home to the tallest twin buildings in the world, the iconic Petronas Twin Towers.

Kuala Lumpur is the seat of the Parliament of Malaysia, making it the country's legislative capital. The city was once home to the executive and judicial branches of the federal government, but they have since moved to Putrajaya for the most part. Some sections of the judiciary remain in the capital.

History

Main article: History of Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur has its origins in the 1850s, when the Malay Chief of Klang sent some Chinese upriver to open new and larger tin mines. They landed at the confluence of Sungai Gombak (previously known as Sungai Lumpur, which means muddy river) and Sungai Klang (Klang River), and hence derived the name Kuala Lumpur which literally means “muddy estuary” in Bahasa Malaysia, to open mines at Ampang. Later, tin mines were opened at Pudu and Batu.

This trading post was a wild frontier town plagued by floods, fires, disease and the Selangor Civil War. During this time, Kapitan Cina Yap Ah Loy emerged as a leader, responsible for the survival and growth of the town. In 1880, the state capital of Selangor was moved from Klang to the more strategically advantageous Kuala Lumpur.

After the fire and subsequent flood of 1881 destroyed the town's structures of wood and atap (thatch), Frank Swettenham, the British Resident of Selangor, required that buildings be constructed of brick and tile. A railway increased accessibility. Development intensified in the 1890s, leading to the creation of a Sanitary Board. In 1896, Kuala Lumpur was chosen as the capital of the newly formed Federated Malay States.

A multiracial community settled in various sections of town. The Chinese congregated around the commercial centre of Market Square, east of Sungai Klang, and south into Chinatown. To the north, across Java Street (now Jalan Tun Perak) were the Malays. Nearby, a number of Indian Chettiars (money-lenders), and in later years Indian Muslim traders, set up business. West of the river, the Padang (now Merdeka Square) was the focal point of the British administration.

Kuala Lumpur grew through two world wars, the rubber and tin commodity crash and the State of Emergency, during which Malaya was preoccupied with the communist insurgency. In 1957, the Federation of Malaya gained its independence from British rule. Kuala Lumpur remained the capital through the formation of Malaysia, achieving city status in 1972, and was established as a Federal Territory in 1974.

Demographics

Population

The estimated population of Kuala Lumpur is 1.8 million. The continuing decline in the birth rate for Kuala Lumpur has resulted in the decline in the proportion of young people below 15 years old from 33.0 percent in 1980 to slightly less than 27.0 percent in 2000. Commensurately, the working age group of 15-59 increased from 63.0 percent in 1980 to 67.0 percent in 2000. The old age group, 60 years old and above has increased from 4.0 percent in 1980 and 1991 to 6.0 percent in 2000.

Based on the census of the Department of Statistic, the percentage of Bumiputera population was around 38% in 2000 while the Chinese population comprised 43% and Indians 10%. A phenomenon has been the increase in the presence of foreign residents in Kuala Lumpur, who now constitute about 9.0 percent of the city’s population.

Kuala Lumpur when combined with the neighboring suburban areas in the Klang Valley region, notably Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, Ampang, Selayang, Putrajaya and Cyberjaya has a estimated total on 6.9 million residents.

Education

According to government statistics, Kuala Lumpur has a literacy rate of 97.5% in 2000. In Malaysia, Bahasa Malaysia is the language of instruction for most subjects, while English is a compulsory subject and is used as the language of instruction for mathematics and the natural sciences. There are also schools which provide Mandarin and Tamil as language of instructions for certain subjects.

There are several well known schools located in the city center namely St. John's Institution, Victoria Institution, Convent Bukit Nanas and Methodist Boy’s School.

The city is home to several universities namely University of Malaya, International Medical University, University of Technology Malaysia, Open University Malaysia and Wawasan Open University.

Language

Bahasa Malaysia is the official language but English is widely spoken in the city especially in business and is a compulsory subject in all schools. Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Hainan, Hakka, Hokkien and Mandarin) and some Indian languages (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Punjabi) as well as the languages of migrant workers (Indonesian, Filipino, Nepalese, Vietnamese etc) are also spoken in the city. For public signs on roads, buildings or public transports, most of them are written bilingually in Bahasa Malaysia and English.

Religion

The city has many places of worship catering to the multi religious population. Islam is practised primarily by the Malays and the Indian Muslim communities while other religions include Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism (mainly among Chinese), Hinduism (among Indians), Christianity. The main mosques, temples and churches in the city are:

• Masjid Negara (National Mosque)
• Jamek Mosque in the city center
• Asy-Syakirin Mosque in KLCC
• Federal Territory Mosque at Jalan Duta
• Thean Hou Temple in Robson Hill
• Sze Yah Taoism Temple at Chinatown
• Maha Vihara Buddhist Temple at Brickfields
• Sri Mahamariamman Hindu Temple near Chinatown
• Sri Subramaniam Temple in Batu Caves (the annual Thaipusam festival is held here)
• Gurdwara Tatt Khalsa Sikh Temple (this is the largest Sikh temple in South East Asia)at Jalan Raja Alang
• The Cathedral of St Mary the Virgin(Anglican) at Dataran Merdeka
• St. John’s Cathedal (Roman Catholic) at Bukit Nanas
• Wesley Church (Methodist) near Chinatown
• St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church on Jalan Raja Chulan

Culture

Kuala Lumpur is a multi cultural city comprising a mixture of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Eurasians as well as Kadazan, Iban and other indigenous races from East Malaysia. There are also significant Filipino, Indonesian, Nepalese, Burmese, Thai, Bangladeshi and Vietnamese communities as workers.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is located inland, at the confluence of Klang and Gombak River.

Climate

Protected by the Titiwangsa Mountains in the east and Indonesia's Sumatra Island in the west, Kuala Lumpur enjoys a year-round equatorial climate which is warm and sunny, along with plentiful rainfall, especially during the southwest monsoon from September to April. Dust particles from forest fires on nearby Sumatra Island sometimes create a phenomenon known as the haze. This usually lasts for 1 to 2 weeks.

Weather averages for Kuala Lumpur
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high C
Average low C
Precipitation mm
Average high F
Average low F
Precipitation inch
Source: National Environment Agency, Singapore [2] Jan 2007

Arts

Kuala Lumpur is a hub for cultural activities and events. Among the centres is the National Museum which is situated along the Mahameru Highway. It offers various types of collection such as artifacts and paintings collected throughout the country.

Kuala Lumpur also has an excellent Islamic Arts Museum which houses more than seven thousand artefacts as well as an exceptional library of Islamic-art books. It is located at Jalan Lembah Perdana next to the National Mosque.

The premier performing arts venue is the Petronas Philharmonic Hall. The resident orchestra is the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), consisting of musicians from all over the world and features regular concerts, chamber concerts and traditional cultural performances.

The National Art Gallery is located on Jalan Temerloh, off Jalan Tun Razak on a 5.67 hectare site neighboring the National Theater (Istana Budaya) and National Library. The unique architecture of the gallery incorporates elements of traditional Malay architecture, which combined with contemporary lines has distinguished the complex as one of the most modern art venues in the region. A short distance from the Kuala Lumpur City Centre, the gallery is a popular venue for visitors to the city. The National Art Gallery serves as a centre of excellence and trustee of the national art heritage.

Additionally, The Petronas Art Gallery which is also a centre for fine art, is situated in Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). The Galeri Tangsi near Dataran Merdeka houses exhibitions of works by local and foreign artists.

The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) in Sentul West is also a noted centre for the performing arts, notably theatre and music (it can also host film screening). It has housed many local productions and has been a supporter of local and regional independent performance artists. Amongst the highlights of the year so far was the KL Sing Song 2006 music fest which featured Malaysian singer-songwriters of various cultural backgrounds, through two days of performances and workshops.

Kuala Lumpur holds the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival annually. Another event hosted annually by the city is the Kuala Lumpur Fashion week, which includes international brands as well as local designers.

Open Space, Recreational and Sports Facilities

Total open space, recreational and sport facilities land use in the city has increased significantly by 169.6 percent from 586 hectares in 1984 to 1,580 hectares in 2000. Major parks and forest reserves in the city include:

• Taman Tasik Perdana (Royal Lake Gardens)
• The ASEAN Sculpture Garden
• Kuala Lumpur City Centre Park (KLCC)
• Titiwangsa Lake Gardens
• Metropolitan Lake Gardens in Kepong
• Forest Research Institute Malaysia’s park in Kepong
• Taman Tasik Permaisuri (Queen’s Lake Gardens) at Bandar Tun Razak
• Rimba Ilmu, a tropical botanical garden located within the University of Malaya
• Penchala comprising Bukit Kiara Botanical Gardens Bukit Kiara Equestrian Park and Kiara West Valley Park
• Bukit Jalil International Park

There are three forest reserves within the city namely the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve in the city center, the oldest gazetted forest reserve in the country (10.52 hectares), Bukit Sungai Putih Forest Reserve (7.41 hectares) and Bukit Sungai Besi Forest Reserve (42.11 hectares). Bukit Nanas, in the heart of the City Centre, is one of the oldest virgin forests in the region. These residual forest areas are home to a number of fauna species particularly monkeys, tree shrews, squirrels and birds.

Kuala Lumpur has a considerable array of sports facilities of international class following the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Many of these facilities including the main stadium (with running track and a football field), hockey stadium and swimming pools are 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. There are also soccer fields, local sports complexes, swimming pools and tennis courts scattered around the suburbs. Badminton and ‘takraw’ courts are usually included in community halls.

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.

The city also has numerous large private fitness centers run by California Fitness, Fitness First, Celebrity Gym, True Fitness and the major five star hotels.

Sport Events

Kuala Lumpur is one of the the host cities for the Formula One World Championship, the open-wheel auto racing A1 Grand Prix and the Motorcycle Grand Prix with races being held at Sepang International Circuit in the neighbouring state of Selangor, next to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

KL Grand Prix CSI 5* [3], a five-star international showjumping equestrian event is held annually in the city. This annual event draws the world’s top riders and their prized horses to Malaysia.

Other annual sport events hosted by the city include the KL Tower Run [4] and the KL Tower International BASE Jump Merdeka Circuit. Kuala Lumpur is also one of the stages of the Le Tour de Langkawi cycling race [5].

Architecture

The architecture of Kuala Lumpur is an interesting blend of old colonial influences, Asian traditions, Malay Islamic inspirations, modern and post modern mix.

Being a relatively young city, most of Kuala Lumpur's colonial buildings were built toward the end of 19th and early 20th century. These buildings have Moorish or European influences and some of them have been designed to adapt to the local climate. Some of the notable historical buildings in the City are:

Neo Moorish (Mughal) Architecture

• The Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Culture and Heritage complex, formerly High Court of Malaysia (Old Public Works Department) at Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Square), 1897
• Court of Appeal (Old Post Office) at Dataran Merdeka, 1907
• Bandaraya Theatre (Old City Hall) at Dataran Merdeka, 1904
• Old Kuala Lumpur High Court(Mahkamah Tinggi) at Dataran Merdeka, 1915
• Infokraft (Textile Museum; originally Federated Malay States Railway building) at Dataran Merdeka, 1905
• Kuala Lumpur Memorial Library (formerly the Government Printing Office) at Dataran Merdeka
• National History Museum (formerly the Chartered Bank) at Dataran Merdeka, 1909
• Sessions & Magistrates Courts (Old Surveys Department) at Dataran Merdeka, 1910
• Railway Administration Building (Bangunan KTM Berhad), 1917
• Kuala Lumpur Railway Station (Stesen Keretapi Kuala Lumpur), 1910
• Jamek Mosque at the city center, 1909

Tudor Influence

• The Royal Selangor Club, 1884
• Selangor Chinese Club, 1929

British Victorian Gothic and European Influence

• The Cathedral of St Mary the Virgin, 1884
• Former National Art Gallery (previously the Majestic Hotel)
• ACA Building (previously the Methodist Girls’ School), 1916
• Victoria Institution, 1929
• Methodist Boys’ School, 1898
• Convent Bukit Nanas, 1911
• The Malaysia Tourism Centre
• Central Market, 1888
• Industrial Court Building, 1905
• Bukit Nanas Community Center (Old St. John's Church), 1886
• St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 1918 and the Manse, 1921
• PAM Center (housing the Malaysian Institute of Architects), Jalan Tangsi (neo-classical ambience with touches of Straits Chinese), 1907
• Carcosa Seri Negara(former residence of the British Resident-General of the Federated Malay States), 1897
• Church of the Holy Rosary in Brickfields, 1903
• Old Victoria Institution Building, 1894
• Coliseum Theatre, 1920
• Former Majestic Hotel, opposite the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station

Grecian-Spanish Influence

• St. John’s Institution, 1907
• The Telecom Museum, 1928

Prior to the Second World War, many shophouses, usually two storey with functional shops on the ground floor and separate residential spaces upstairs, were built around the old city center. These shophouses drew inspiration from Straits Chinese and European traditions. Some of these shophouses have made way for new developments but there are still many standing today around Medan Pasar (Old Market Square), Chinatown, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Doraisamy, Bukit Bintang and Tengkat Tong Shin areas.

Kuala Lumpur today have many iconic modern yet interesting buildings which drew inspiration from Malay, Asian or Islamic architecture such as:

• The National Mosque
• The LUTH (Pilgrims Fund Board) building (in the form of a Malay drum)
• Telekom Tower (310 meter high), resembling a slanted cut of a bamboo trunk
• The Istana Budaya (Culture Palace)
• The National Library which is inspired by the Malay Head Dress
• Maybank Tower (in the shape of Keris, the Malay traditional sword)
• The National Palace
• Dayabumi Complex
• The Kuala Lumpur Tower
• Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur’s CBD today has shifted around the Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) where many new and tall buildings with modern and postmodern architecture fill the skyline. The 452 meter Petronas Twin Towers were designed to resemble motifs found in Islamic art.

Media

In Kuala Lumpur, there are several newspapers, including daily newspapers, business newspapers and also a digital newspaper. Daily newspapers include Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, Harian Metro, The Star, New Straits Times, The Sun, Malay Mail, as well as other language newspapers.

Kuala Lumpur is the headquarters for Malaysia's state broadcaster RTM and commercial station TV3. Programmes are broadcast in Malay, English, Chinese and Tamil.

The city is also home to the country's main pay-TV service, Astro, a satellite television service, which broadcasts local and global television channels such as CNN, BBC World, Star World and HBO.

Al-Jazeera, the Doha-based Arab news network has launched a new, English-speaking channel called Al-Jazeera English to boost its international viewership. One of its international broadcast centers has a base at the Petronas Twin Towers, in downtown Kuala Lumpur. Phoenix TV, a Hong Kong based television broadcaster has also announced plans to expand its regional business by setting up a representative office in Kuala Lumpur.

Channel V International, an international music channel chain, is based in Kuala Lumpur where most of its programmes are produced.

Transportation

Land

Kuala Lumpur has a road network leading to the rest of Peninsular Malaysia. Motorists may have a choice of paying cash, using stored value card Touch 'n Go or SmartTAG to pay at the toll booths while using the various highways/expressways. A recently-completed project, SMART Tunnel will allow motorists to enter the city, avoiding congestion by using an underground tunnel.

However, despite all this, Kuala Lumpur often has traffic problems, and peak hour traffic is generally from 7:00am to 9:00am, and from 5:00pm to 9:00pm.

Air

Kuala Lumpur is directly connected to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang via the KLIA Ekspres high-speed train service which takes only 28 minutes, while travelling by car via highway will take about an hour. The former international airport, Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang is now used for chartered flights.

Malaysia Airlines and all major international airlines to Malaysia land at KLIA. AirAsia makes use of the newly built Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCC-T) in Sepang. LCC-T is accessible to/from KL through a bus service from KL Sentral (transport hub).

Public transportation

Main article: Public transport in Kuala Lumpur

Public transport on Kuala Lumpur and the rest of the Klang Valley covers a variety of transport modes such as bus, rail and taxi. Unlike most other major Asian cities, utilisation rates are low as only 16 percent of the population uses public transportation.^[3]

In addition, there is the metro system consisting of 3 separate lines, which meet in the city and extend to the Western Suburbs of the state of Selangor. The metro system consists of a Monorail, an Elevated Metro, and an Automated Metro with underground stations in the city centre. Food, pets and drinks are strictly prohibited among trains; heavy penalties are charged upon violation. Commuter trains also exists to link commuters to the city. The main hub is KL Sentral facilitating as an interchange station for the main lines.

Economy

Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding urban areas form the most industrialised and economically the fastest growing region in Malaysia. Despite the relocation of federal government administration to Putrajaya, many of the government’s important machineries such Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank) [6], Companies Commission of Malaysia [7] and Securities Commission [8] as well as embassies and diplomatic missions have remained in the city.

In short the city remains the economic and business centre of the country. In fact the city is a center for finance, insurance, real estate, media and the arts in Malaysia. The infrastructure development in the surrounding areas such as the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at Sepang, the creation of the Multimedia Super Corridor and the expansion of Port Klang further reinforce the economic significance of the city.

Bursa Malaysia or the Malaysian Bourse [9] is based in the city and forms one of its core economic activities. As at end-June 2007, the market capitalisation stood at US$307 billion.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Kuala Lumpur is estimated at RM25,968 million in 2000 with an average annual growth rate of 4.2 percent. The per capita GDP for Kuala Lumpur is RM30,727, an average annual growth rate of 6.1 percent. The total employment in Kuala Lumpur is estimated at around 838,400. 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 percent of the total. The remaining 17 percent 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 has in recent years become a premier international Islamic financial centre. 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 countries’ largest companies have their headquarters based here.

The tourism sector also plays an important part in the city’s economy, providing income, employment and expanding business opportunities. As an extension of this, many large worldwide hotel chains have presence in the city. Kuala Lumpur has also developed into an international shopping destination with a wide variety of shopping centres and mega malls which carry well known global and local brands. Conference tourism has also expanded in recent years and is becoming a very important component of the industry.

Other important economic activites in the city are education and health services. Kuala Lumpur also has advantages stemming from the high concentration of educational institutions located within its boundaries, providing a wide range of courses. Such public institutions include the University of Malaya, the University of Technology Malaysia, International Medical University and the Medical Faculty of the University Kebangsaan Malaysia. There are also a large number of private colleges, including the University Tun Abdul Razak and Tunku Abdul Rahman College, in and around Kuala Lumpur providing a wide range of courses which attract students from all over Malaysia as well as from other countries. There are numerous public and private medical specialist centres and hospitals in the city which offer general health services and a wide range of specialist surgery and treatment catering to locals and tourists. There has been growing emphasis to expand the economic scope of the city into other service activities such as research and development which supports the rest of the economy of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur has been home for years to important research centers such as the Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia, the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia and the Institute of Medical Research [10] and more research centers are expected to be established in the coming years.

Places of interest

See Also: Visit Malaysia Year There are popular tourist locations in and around Kuala Lumpur.

Within Kuala Lumpur

• The Petronas Twin Towers are the world's tallest twin towers and second and third-tallest singular towers, standing adjacent to one of the busiest shopping malls in Malaysia, Suria KLCC.
• The Golden Triangle, the commercial hub of the city, contains the Petronas Twin Towers and has a distinctive nightlife.
• The Menara Kuala Lumpur, currently the world's fifth tallest telecommunication tower, is located on the Bukit Nanas hill beside Convent Bukit Nanas. Its observation deck on the top floor provides great city views, and you'll be a few meters higher than the Twin Towers since the tower is built on a hill.
• Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) is the first convention and exhibition centre in Malaysia.
• Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (also known as KLCC) is another convention and exhibition centre in Kuala Lumpur. It is situated in the Petronas Twin Towers and Suria KLCC area. A gigantic aquarium called Aquaria KLCC recently opened here, housing more than 5,000 varieties of tropical fishes. It has an underwater tunnel, various exhibits of flora and fauna, and multimedia kiosks.
• Dayabumi a major landmark located near Masjid Negara. It is an office building.
• Kuala Lumpur General Post Office is located next to Dayabumi.
• Lake Gardens, a 920,000 square metre manicured garden near the Malaysian Parliament building, was once home to a British colonial official. They include a Butterfly Park, Deer Park, Orchid Garden, Hibiscus Garden and South-East Asia's largest Bird Park. (Bird park pics)
• Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium), was initially erected for the country's declaration of independence on August 31, 1957.
• Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square/Merdeka Square), was the site of the lowering of the Union Jack flag and hoisting of the Malayan flag on the start of August 31, 1957. The square itself has historic association with its surroundings, namely the Royal Selangor Club, National History Museum and the architecturally Victorian-Moorish or 'Raj' influenced Sultan Abdul Samad Building.
• Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, a Victorian-Moorish railway station, was completed in 1911, and superseded by KL Sentral in 2001; it currently serves commuter trains only.
• The Muzium Negara (National Museum) incorporates neo traditionalism into its architectural design.
• The Masjid Negara (National Mosque), a post modernist mosque, was completed in 1965 and Makam Pahlawan (Heroes Mausoleum) the mausoleum of Malaysian leaders.
• The Parliament House, a Malaysian federal government legislative building, was completed on 1963.
• The Tugu Negara (National Monument) commemorates those who died in Malaysia's struggles for freedom (principally against the Japanese occupation and during the Malayan Emergency of).
• The Istana Negara, official residence of Their Majesties the King and Queen. Visitors can witness the changing of the guards daily from the main gate.
• The National Science Centre, located in Bukit Damansara.
• The Federal Territory Mosque located along Jalan Duta.
• Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, a gazetted small tropical forest located on the centre of Kuala Lumpur City.
• Many of the largest celebrations of Chinese cultural festivals are held at the Thean Hou Temple on Robson Hill.
• The Chinese Night Market area (Chinatown), Petaling Street, has recently undergone a makeover; the most notable feature is the new covered walkway.
• Kuala Lumpur's Central Market, which was once the city's wet market, offers an assortment of arts and craft merchandise, varying from antiques and paintings to souvenirs and clothing. It is also known as Pasar Seni in Malay.
• Trendy nightclubs, bars and lounges, such as Hard Rock Cafe, Zouk, Thai Club, Beach Club (voted Best Bar in Asia), Luna Bar, Rum Jungle, Nuovo, Espanda and many others are located within and around Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Ampang.
• Brickfields, Jalan Masjid India and Lebuh Ampang are 'Little India's spread around KL showing Indian presence in KL.
• Hindu temples such as Sri Mahamariamman Temple near Central Market and Sri Kandaswamy Kovil in Brickfields
• Istana Budaya, the national theatre located at Titiwangsa Lake Gardens.
• Eye on Malaysia, the tallest Ferris Wheel in Malaysia located at Titiwangsa Lake Gardens.
• Taman Connaught Pasar Malam is the longest night market in Malaysia.
• St John's Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur, a Roman Catholic Church.
• St John's Institution, with its famous imposing red and white brick Grecian-Spanish architecture, is a school that was set up by the Lasallian brothers. The school buildings are now declared a heritage building by the Government of Malaysia.

Around the Kuala Lumpur area

• Batu Caves is a limestone hill in the north of Kuala Lumpur which has a series of caves and cave temples. It is a sacred place for Hindus in Malaysia and home to a 42.7m high statue of Lord Murugan. There are 272 steps, which will lead to the temple in the cave. Once a year, millions of Hindu devotees and other visitors throng the caves to celebrate the Thaipusam festival. On the other side of Batu Caves, there are few spots for rock climbing.^[4]
• Zoo Negara, located near Taman Melawati on the north-east of Kuala Lumpur, is the national zoo of Malaysia.
• About 25 kilometres west of Kuala Lumpur is the city of Shah Alam, site of the famous Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque, and 10 kilometres away from Shah Alam (35 kilometres away from Kuala Lumpur) is the town of Klang, famed for its seafood and Bah Kut Teh.
• Genting Highlands is a hill top resort near Kuala Lumpur, famous for its casino, and Theme Parks. This is visible from Kuala Lumpur downtown on a clear day and as well on most nights. Dubbed the "Ciy of Entertainment", it is one of Malaysia's most visited tourist attraction.
• Putrajaya, new federal administration centre. This is a modern futuristic looking township that houses all government ministries. The administrative buildings have been built on either side of a long road - in a manner stated to be modelled after the National Mall in Washington DC. At one end of this driveway is the Prime Minister's office and at the other end is a convention centre.
• Sepang International Circuit is a racing circuit located in the outskirts of the city, near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). It has been hosting Formula One's Malaysian Grand Prix since 1999.
• National Sports Complex, Bukit Jalil was the venue for the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Shopping Malls within and around Kuala Lumpur

Shopping is one of the favourite activities amongst the locals and tourists in KL. There are numerous modern and large malls located within and around the city.

• Suria KLCC, one of the busiest shopping malls in Malaysia due to its location beneath the Petronas Twin Towers
• Mid Valley Megamall and The Gardens at Mid Valley is one of the most popular and largest shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur (situated near Bangsar).
• Bukit Bintang area, the ultimate shopping and entertainment experience in the Golden Triangle, consists of several malls including Sungai Wang Plaza, Bukit Bintang Plaza, Lot Ten, Star Hill and Pavillion KL.
• Berjaya Times Square, a newly built gargantuan ten-story shopping mall that is the largest shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, and among the world's top ten largest malls. It houses the world's largest Borders bookstore, Malaysian department store Metrojaya, the Cosmo's World theme park plus a huge IMAX theater.
• 1 Utama, The Curve, Tesco, Ikano Center and Ikea are amongst the most popular destinations during the weekends. They are located near the Bandar Utama suburb in neighbouring Petaling Jaya/Damansara.

Mayors of Kuala Lumpur

Since Kuala Lumpur became a Federal Territory of Malaysia on February 1, 1974, the city has been led by eight mayors. They are:

1. Tan Sri Dato' Lokman Yusof (1972)
2. Tan Sri Yaakob Latiff (1973 - 1983)
3. Tan Sri Dato' Elyas Omar (1983 - 1992)
4. Dato' Dr. Mazlan Ahmad (1992 - 1995)
5. Tan Sri Dato' Kamaruzzaman Shariff (1995 - 2001)
6. Datuk Mohmad Shaid Mohd Taufek (2001 - 2004)
7. Datuk Ruslin Hasan (2004 - 2006)
8. Datuk Abdul Hakim Borhan (2006 - current)^[5]
   
   As local government elections in Malaysia have been suspended since 1970, mayors are appointed by the Federal Territories Minister.^[6]

   Sister cities

   • Ankara, Turkey^[7]
   • Isfahan, Iran^[8]
   • Mashhad, Iran^[9]
   • Malacca, Malaysia
   • Kuantan, Malaysia

   Kuala Lumpur in popular culture

   .

   Movies

   • Entrapment starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones
   • Children of Men, (starring Clive Owen) where the Petronas Twin Towers were depicted in flames for a few seconds.

   Books

   • KL 24/7 by Ida M Rahim, Shireen Zainudin and Rizal Zainudin
   • Democracy by Joan Didion

   Music

   • 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. by Vandal
   • Kuala Lumpur by Poetic Ammo
   • Anak Dara by Azmyl Yunor
   • KL by [Too Phat]

   Television series

   • The Amazing Race Asia

   Computer and Video Games

   • Three levels of the game are set in Kuala Lumpur.
   • Two levels of the playstation 2 game Burnout Dominator are set in Kuala Lumpur

   Gallery

   
   
   

   Bird's eye view of Kuala Lumpur	A perspective of Kuala Lumpur from Setapak showing the skyscrapers that dominate the city center.	Pre-war shoplots refurbished into restaurants and bars along Tengkat Tong Shin.	A shot of the park behind the Petronas Towers
   One of the many KL Monorail trains with a taxi beneath it.	Handcraft and souvenir shops within Central Market.	A pedestrian mall adjacent to Central Market.	Petronas Twin Towers (left/middle) and Maxis Tower (right) at dusk.
   Interior of Luna Bar, located on the 34th floor of the Pacific Regency Hotel.	The Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway at the eastern fringes of the city.	Berjaya Times Square.	KLCC Park in the foreground with the city's skyline as the backdrop.
   A view from outside Sungei Wang showing the Bukit Bintang monorail station and Lot 10.	The Railway Station is the bright colored building while the darker structure is the Malayan Railway headquarters.	Traffic jam leading to Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown on Petaling Street.	Looking down Petaling Street market.
   A view of the city and surrounding landscape from Bangsar.	Brickfields, KL's 'Little India'	Sultan Abdul Samad building and the white Dayabumi building.	The national monument of Malaysia.
   The Eye on Malaysia.	View from Ampang. Petronas Twin Tower in the middle, KL Tower on the left.	The wading pool in KLCC Park.

   
   
   

   References

   1. ^ [11]
   2. ^ THE CLIMATE OF MALAYSIA (English). Retrieved on Jan 12, 2007.
   3. ^ "Prasarana to buy trains worth RM1.2bil", The Star, October 13, 2006. Retrieved on October 22, 2006. (English) 
   4. ^ (31 October 2006). "New Bouldering Wall @ Summit Climbing Gym".Xes
   5. ^ (2 December 2006)

"Pengenalan".Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur
6. ^ "Malaysia's towns and cities are governed by appointed mayors", 2006. Retrieved on October 9, 2006. (English) 
7. ^ Lam, Edwin Chong Wai (24 June 2006). "Kuala Lumpur: the Scent of a City". Chessbase News
8. ^ (2005). "Sisterhoods".Isfahan Islamic Council
9. ^ (3 October 2006). "Mashad-Kuala Lumpur Become Sister cities".Kuala Lumpur News