Alor Setar
Alor Setar (Jawi: الور ستار, Kedahan: Loqstaq) is the state capital of Kedah, Malaysia. It is the second-largest city in the state after Sungai Petani and one of the most-important cities on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It is home to the third-tallest telecommunication tower in Malaysia, the Alor Setar Tower.
Alor Setar
Loqstaq | |
|---|---|
| City of Alor Setar Bandaraya Alor Setar | |
| Other transcription(s) | |
| • Jawi | الور ستار |
| • Chinese | 亚罗士打 (Simplified) 亞羅士打 (Traditional) Yàluó Shìdǎ (Hanyu Pinyin) |
| • Tamil | அலோர் சேதார் Alōr Cētār (Transliteration) |
| • Thai | อาโลร์เซอตาร์, เมืองไทร Mueang Sai |
From top, left to right: City skyline, Alor Setar Tower, Balai Nobat (Nobat Tower), the Anak Bukit Palace, Kedah State Art Gallery, Pekan Rabu, Zahir Mosque, Kuala Kedah Marina | |
|
Flag Seal | |
| Motto(s): Bandaraya Berdayahuni 2035 "Livable City by 2035" | |
Location of Alor Setar in Kedah | |
Alor Setar Alor Setar Alor Setar (Malaysia) Alor Setar Alor Setar (Southeast Asia) Alor Setar Alor Setar (Asia) | |
| Coordinates: 06°07′06″N 100°22′10″E | |
| Country | Malaysia |
| State | Kedah |
| District | Kota Setar |
| Establishment | 1735 |
| Establishment of the local government | 1905 |
| Establishment of the town board | 1958 |
| Establishment of the town council | 1970 |
| Establishment of the local government district council | 1976 |
| Municipality status | 1 February 1978 |
| City status | 21 December 2003 |
| Founded by | Sultan Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin II |
| Government | |
| • Type | City council |
| • Body | Alor Setar City Council |
| • Mayor | Dato' Haji Mohd Yusri Haji Md Daud (since August 2022) |
| Area | |
| • State capital city and district capital | 424 km2 (257.14 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 57 m (187 ft) |
| Highest elevation (Mount Keriang) | 99 m (325 ft) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • State capital city and district capital | 417,800 |
| • Density | 982.00/km2 (2,543.4/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 839,400 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | Not observed |
| Postal code | 05xxx |
| International dialling code prefix | +6047 (landline only) |
| Website | mbas.gov.my |
Its location along the main travel corridor from Malaysia to Thailand has long made it a major transportation hub in the northern Malay Peninsula. Alor Setar sits along the country's longest expressway, located 430 km (270 mi) from Kuala Lumpur and 79 km (49 mi) north of George Town, Penang. From Thailand, the city is easily accessible via the Padang Besar–Sadao Highway, it is 51.8 km (32.2 mi) from Sadao and 106 km (66 mi) from Hat Yai.
The city was originally founded as Kota Setar in 1785. Owing to the long status as the capital of Kedah, Alor Setar is regarded as one of the core cultural centres for the Kedahan Malays. It is also among the key pioneer in the Malayan transportation history, the railway station is commissioned in 1915 followed by its airport in 1929.
Alor Setar is home to the Central State Administration Centre and is the administrative centre of Kota Setar District. At present, the city covers a land area of 666 km2 (257 sq mi), which is occupied by more than 400,000 inhabitants (as per the 2020 census). At the local-government level, Alor Setar is administered by the Alor Setar City Council.
It is the birthplace of two pivotal prime ministers of Malaysia; namely Tunku Abdul Rahman, the founding father of the nation (in office from 1957 to 1970) and Mahathir bin Mohamad, the country's longest-serving prime minister of 24 years (in office from 1981 to 2003, from 2018 to 2020).