Kedah
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| State motto: no State motto | |||||
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| Capital | Alor Star | ||||
| Royal Capital | Anak Bukit | ||||
| Sultan | Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah | ||||
| Chief Minister | Syed Razak Syed Zain Barakbah | ||||
| Area | 9,426 km2 | ||||
| Population - Est year 2000 | 1 572 107 | ||||
| State anthem | Allah Selamatkan Sultan Mahkota | ||||
Kedah (Jawi:قدح, pop. 1,572,107) is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of 9,425 km², and consists mostly of flat areas growing rice, plus the island of Langkawi.
The state's capital and royal seat is Alor Star. Other major towns include Sungai Petani and Kuala Kedah on the mainland, and Kuah on Pulau Langkawi. Kedah is divided into 11 administrative divisions.
The Arabic honorific of Kedah is Darul Aman ("Abode of Peace").
The state's ethnic composition in 1995 was estimated as: Malay (1,079,300 or 72%), Chinese (235,500 or 19%), Indian (105,800 or 8%), Other (24,200), Other Bumiputra (1,500).
History
Kedah has a long history; the Bujang Valley has remains of a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom that dates back to the 4th century AD, making it the oldest civilization of Peninsular Malaysia. The current royal family can trace its line directly back to this time. In the 7th and 8th centuries, Kedah was under the domination of Srivijaya, and was later under Siam, until the rise of the Malay sultanate of Melaka in the 15th century. In the 17th century, Kedah was attacked by the Portuguese after their conquest of Melaka, and by Aceh. In the hope that Great Britain would protect what remained of Kedah from Siam, the sultan handed over Penang and then Province Wellesley, to the British at the end of the 18th century. The Siamese still conquered Kedah in 1821, and it remained under Siamese control until transferred to the British by the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909.
In World War II, Kedah (along with Kelantan) was the first part of Malaya to be invaded by Japan. The Japanese returned Kedah to their Siamese allies, but it returned to British rule after the end of the war. Kedah was a reluctant addition to the Federation of Malaya in 1948.
Since 1958, the hereditary Sultan of Kedah has been Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah. The Kedah Sultanate began when the 9th Kedah Maharaja Derbar Raja (1136-1179 AD) converted to Islam and changed his name to Sultan Muzaffar Shah. Since then there have been 27 Sultans who ruled Kedah. The Chief Minister or Menteri Besar is currently Dato' Seri Syed Razak Syed Zain Barakbah of Barisan Nasional, a former schoolteacher.
Economy
Kedah is considered the "rice bowl" of Malaysia, producing half of Malaysia's total production of rice. Other agricultural products, including rubber, oil palm and tobacco are also important. Tourism, particularly on the island of Langkawi is of growing importance.
External links
- Malaysia Travel Guide: Kedah (http://www.cuti.com.my/?f=guide_kedah.htm)
| States and Federal Territories of Malaysia | 
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