Sunday, August 5, 2007

States Of Malaysia - Kedah

From Wikipedia & Malaysiana1.

Kedah Darul Aman (Peaceful Land) is located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia.

To its north are the state of Perlis and Thailand. To its south and southwest are the states of Perak and Penang respectively.

The state's capital is Alor Star. Other towns include Sungai Petani and Kulim on the mainland, and Kuah on Langkawi Island.

Kedah is divided into 11 districts namely Baling, Bandar Baru, Kota Star (Alor Star), Kuala Muda (Sungai Petani), Kubang Pasu (Jitra), Kulim, Langkawi (Kuah), Padang Terap (Kuala Nerang), Pendang, Sik and Yan.

Kedah’s population comprises 75 per cent indigenous Kedahans (Kanaks), 14 per cent Chinese, 8 per cent Indians and 3 per cent Thais.

A very ancient kingdom, Kedah initially ruled Perlis, Penang and Sumatra’s northern province of Aceh.

Kedah was a protectorate of the Johor Empire, but in the 1700s, it was occupied by an expansionist Thailand. In 1909, Britain made Kedah its protectorate and brought it back into Malaysia.

The state is the rice bowl of Malaysia and produces a third of Malaysia’s rice needs. Rubber, oil palm and tobacco and also grown in Kedah. Langkawi is a popular tourist destination.