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Kuala Lumpur, or simply called KL by locals, is the federal capital and the largest city
in Malaysia. Literally meaning muddy river confluence in Malay, Kuala Lumpur has grown
from a small sleepy Chinese tin-mining village to a bustling metropolis of around 6.5 million
in just 150 years.
Founded in 1857 under British rule, Kuala Lumpur is fairly new as far as Malaysian cities
go and lacks the rich history of Georgetown or Malacca. Today, Kuala Lumpur has become
a modern city, bristling with skyscrapers and with a modern transportation system. Despite
this, Kuala Lumpur has still kept some of its historical charm.
Kuala Lumpur is cultural melting pot with some of the world's cheapest 5-star hotels,
impressive shopping districts, even better food and some of nature's wonders just an
hour away, making this a dynamic city with much to offer. Kuala Lumpur is home to the
tallest twin buildings in the world, the Petronas Twin Towers, which have become an iconic symbol
of Malaysia's futuristic developments.
As in most of Malaysia's cities and towns, Malaysian Chinese form a majority of the population
in Kuala Lumpur. Malays and Malaysian Indians are also present in large numbers in the city,
and there are substantial numbers of more recent immigrants and workers from South and
Southeast Asia, Eurasians, and expatriates from Western countries and the Middle East.
The result is a mix of cultures that meld together to make Kuala Lumpur a modern and
diverse capital.
Kuala Lumpur is said to be locked in an unofficial rivalry with nearby city-state Singapore.
The ethnic Chinese-dominated Singapore was separated from the indigenous Malay-majority
Federation due primarily to irreconcilable ideological differences. Singapore strove
to become a viable independent state and spurred rapid development, which the Malaysians sought
to keep up with by investing in Kuala Lumpur.