Malacca

Malacca, or Melaka in Malay, is a state of Malaysia, located in the southern part of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. The state's capital is also called Melaka or Malacca.

Malacca was a Malay Sultanate founded by Parameswara in 1396. What started as a fishing village then grew into the most important port in the region, serving as a stopping point for China-India trade during the two monsoon periods.

The cultural result of the vibrant trade was the Peranakan people, who spread to other major settlements in the region.

Malacca was occupied by the Portuguese and the Dutch before it was ceded to the United Kingdom in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824. There is still an Eurasian minority of Portuguese origin and Catholic denomination, which speaks an ancient Portuguese dialect called Cristao.

From 1826 to 1946, Malacca (as it was called then) was governed by the British East India Company as part of the Straits Settlements, together with Singapore and Penang. After the dissolution of this crown colony, Malacca and Penang became part of the Malayan Union, which later became Malaysia.

Table of contents

1 Geography 2 Transport 3 External link

Geography

Land area 1650 sq km
Population (2001) 648,500
State Capital Melaka Town

Transport

Tampin train station, 30km north of Malacca city, is the nearest station that serves Malacca.

External link

Official Melaka website