Kedah
336694
223264309
2008-07-03T09:09:59Z
Lightbot
7178666
Units/dates/other
{{Subdivisions of Malaysia
|native_name=قدح دارالأمن
|conventional_long_name=Kedah Darul Aman
|image_flag=Flag of Kedah.svg
|image_coat=Coat of arms of Kedah.jpg
|state_motto=
|state_anthem=''[[Allah Selamatkan Sultan Mahkota]]'' <br>(''English:''"God Save the Crowned Sultan")
|image_map=Kedah state locator.PNG
|common_name=Kedah
|capital=[[Alor Star]]
|royal_capital=[[Anak Bukit]]
|entryFederationdate=1957
|ruling_party=[[Pakatan Rakyat]] (People's Pact)
|leader_title1=Sultan
|leader_name1=[[Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah|Tuanku Abdul Halim]]
|leader_title2=[[Menteri Besar]]
|leader_name2=Ustaz Hj [[Azizan Abdul Razak]]
|sovereignty_type=History
|established_event1=British control
|established_date1=1909
|established_event2=[[Japanese occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak|Japanese occupation]]
|established_date2=1942
|established_event3=Accession into Federation of Malaya
|established_date3=1948
|area=9,426
|population_estimate=1,818,188
|population_estimate_year=2007
|population_estimate_rank=1
|population_density=188.7
|population_density_rank=1
|HDI=0.735
|HDI_year=2000
|HDI_category= <font color="#fc0">medium</font>
|national_calling_code=04
|national_postal_code=02xxx</br>05xxx to 09xxx
|license_plate=K<sup>1</sup> </br>KV<sup>2</sup>
|website=http://www.kedah.gov.my
|footnotes=<sup>1</sup>Mainland Kedah </br><sup>2</sup>[[Langkawi]] Island
}}
'''Kedah''' ([[Jawi script|Jawi]]: قدح, pop. 1,778,188) 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]]. It was called '''[[Syburi]]''' ([[Thai language|Thai]] : ไทรบุรี) by the Siamese when it was under their influence.
To the north are the state of [[Perlis]] and the international boundary with [[Songkhla Province|Songkhla]] and [[Yala Province|Yala]] Provinces of [[Thailand]], to the south and southwest are [[Perak]] and [[Penang]] respectively.
The state's capital and royal seat is [[Alor Star]]. Other major towns include [[Sungai Petani]], and Kulim on the mainland, and Kuah on Pulau Langkawi. Kedah is divided into 12 districts:- [[Baling]], Bandar Baharu, Kota Setar, Pokok Sena, Kuala Muda, Kubang Pasu, [[Kulim]], Pulau [[Langkawi]], Padang Terap, Pendang, Sik, and Yan.
The Arabic honorific of Kedah is '''Darul Aman''' which have the same meaning as Brunei's honorific, Darussalam (Abode of Peace).
The state's population by ethnic group in 2003 was estimated as: Malay (1,336,352), Chinese (252,987), Indian (122,911), Non citizens (35,293), Others (27,532).
[[Pedu Lake]] is the largest man-made lake in the state.
== History ==
{{see|British Malaya}} and ''[[Early history of Kedah]]''
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 their ancestry from this time. According to [[Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa]] or the Kedah Annals, Kedah was founded by a [[Hindu]] king named [[Merong Mahawangsa]]. According to the text further, the [[Sultanate of Kedah]] started in year 1136 when the 9th King Phra Ong Mahawangsa converted to Islam and adopted the name Sultan Mudzafar Shah.
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 [[Portugal|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 nevertheless conquered Kedah in 1811, and it remained under Siamese control until transferred to the British by the [[Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909]].
[[Image:candi2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|'''Bujang Valley''' (''Lembah Bujang'')]]
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 Thai allies who had it renamed [[Syburi]], 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 [[Tunku Abdul Halim|Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah]]. The Kedah Sultanate began when the 9th Kedah Maharaja Derbar Raja AD) converted to Islam and changed his name to Sultan Muzaffar Shah. Since then there have been 27 Sultans who ruled Kedah. The [[Menteri Besar]] (Chief Minister) is currently [[Azizan Abdul Razak|Ustaz Azizan Abdul Razak]]. He is a member of the [[PAS (political party)|Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party]] (PAS), a part of the [[Pakatan Rakyat]].
==Constitution==
Kedah's Constitution was promulgated by its Ruler in July of 1950 and its full title in English is;
* The Laws of the Constitution of Kedah.
The various provisions lay down the rules that govern succession to the throne. The role and powers of the Monarch, the State Parliament and the State's Civil Service.
==The Sultan of Kedah==
The Sultan of Kedah is the constitutional ruler of the State. His position is hereditary and he holds office for life. The Ruler is the head of the religion of Islam in the State, the Executive power of the state government is vested in him and he is the Fountain of Justice and also the Fountain of Honour.
== Economy ==
[[Image:Padi fields kedah.jpg|Right|250px|thumb|A [[paddy field]] in Kedah.]]
Kedah is considered the "rice bowl" of Malaysia, accounting for one third 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.
More recently, Kedah has forged its economy towards the automotive and aerospace industry with Modenas and Asian Composites setting up bases here. One of the main advantages is the low labour costs and the infrastructure in place with the highway and Penang International Airport on its door step. In 1996, the Kulim [[Hi-Tech Park]] (KHTP) which was officially opened and became the first high technology industrial park in Malaysia. The Park situated in Kulim comprises a total land area of approximately 14.5 square kilometres (5.6 mi²). Many local and foreign companies (such as [[Intel]], [[Fuji Electric]], [[Showa Denko]], [[SilTerra]] etc.) have moved to the site since then.
According to the [[Ninth Malaysia Plan]], all this economic area is referred to as the [[Northern Corridor Economic Region]] (NCER). The [[Northern Corridor Economic Region]] is one of three development regions formed in Peninsular Malaysia, other development regions being the [[South Johor Economic Region]] (SJER) or [[Iskandar Development Region]] (IDR) and the East Coast Development Region. The [[Northern Corridor Economic Region]] (NCER) encompasses [[Penang]] (Penang Island and Seberang Prai), [[Kedah]] ([[Alor Star]], [[Sungai Petani]], Tikam Batu and [[Kulim]]) and northern [[Perak]].
== Bibliography ==
*[[James C. Scott]], ''Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance'' (1985)
== See also ==
* [[2005 Malaysian haze]]
* [[Flag of Kedah]]
* [[Kedah FA]]
*[[State_Seats_Representatives,_12th_Malaysian_General_Election#Kedah|Breakdown of State Seats Representatives elected 2008]]''
== External links ==
* [http://www.kedah.gov.my Kedah State Official Website]
* [http://www.virtualmalaysia.com/destination/kedah-Malaysia.html Kedah page on virtual malaysia portal]
* [http://2be.net/malaysia_parliment.php?state=Kedah Malaysia Parlimentary Seats from Kedah (Dewan Rakyat)]
* [http://2be.net/malaysia_states_assembly.php?state=Kedah Kedah State Assembly Seats (DUN)]
{{Kedah}}
{{States and Federal Territories of Malaysia}}
{{coor title dms|6|07|42|N|100|21|46|E|region:MY_type:adm1st}}
[[Category:Kedah|*]]
[[ar:قدح دار الأمان]]
[[ca:Kedah]]
[[da:Kedah]]
[[de:Kedah]]
[[es:Kedah]]
[[fa:قدح (ایالت)]]
[[fr:Kedah]]
[[gl:Kedah]]
[[id:Kedah]]
[[it:Kedah]]
[[lt:Kedahas]]
[[mk:Кедах]]
[[ms:Kedah]]
[[nl:Kedah]]
[[ja:クダ州]]
[[no:Kedah]]
[[pms:Kedah]]
[[pl:Kedah]]
[[fi:Kedah]]
[[th:รัฐเกดะห์]]
[[tr:Kedah]]
[[uk:Кедах]]
[[zh:吉打]]