Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, lies at the junction of the Klang and Gombak rivers in the south-west of the Malay Peninsula and has a population (1991) of 1,145,000. Founded in 1857 by Chinese tin miners, it became capital of the Federated Malay States in 1896. It is a major transportation and commercial city at the centre of a rubber-growing and tin-mining region.

Government Building, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The skybridge linking the 88-story Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia reached its final position at levels 41and 42 in August 1995. The bridge, 170 metres above street level, was mechanically raised by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on 7 August, 1995.

Kota Bahru
Kota Baharu is the capital of the state of Kelantan, on the north-east coast of the Malay Peninsula near the mouth of the Kelantan River; pop. (1991) 219,200. It is the centre of Malay arts and crafts.

Kota Bahru: As the 'dalang', or puppeteer, manipulates his 'wayang kulit' (shadow puppets) in front of a light source, their shadows are thrown onto the screen at the front of the stage. The audience sees only the shadow, never the puppets' bright colours. This form of puppetry is traditional in Malaysia and parts of Indonesia.

Melaka (formerly Malacca)
Malacca (or Melaka), a Malayan port commanding the strait connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It was founded by a refugee Hindu prince from Srivijaya in 1402; he was later converted to Islam and took the title Iskandar Shah. Following visits by the Chinese admiral Zheng He it became a Chinese vassal, thus securing itself against Thai and Javanese attacks. By 1500 it was an entrepot where merchants traded in spices from the Moluccas, Chinese silk and porcelain, camphor from Borneo, teak from Burma, Indian cloths, and woollens from Europe. During the 16th century the merchants of Malacca greatly assisted the spread of Islam in south-east Asia. It was captured by Albuquerque in 1511 and the Portuguese repulsed attacks from Acheh, Johore, and Java. In 1641 it fell to the Dutch, aided by Johore, but with their headquarters in Java, the Dutch regarded it as of little importance.

Melbourne
Melbourne - the capital of Victoria, south-east Australia, on the Bass Strait opposite Tasmania; pop. (1991) 2,762,000. Founded in 1835 and named after the British Prime Minister William Melbourne, it became state capital in 1851 and was capital of Australia from 1901 until 1927. Situated on Port Philip Bay, it is a major port, financial, commercial, and industrial centre, and the second-largest city in Australia. The Melbourne Cup horse-racing event is held annually in November. Melbourne has two universities: Monash (1958) and La Trobe (1964) and a famous Botanical Gardens (1845).

Adelaide
Adelaide - the capital and chief port of South Australia, at the mouth of the Torrens River, between the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Gulf of St. Vincent; pop. (1991) 957,480. Founded in 1836, Adelaide was named after the wife of William IV. It is the oldest city in the state and was in 1840 the first Australian settlement to be incorporated into a municipal government. Its historic buildings include its Town Hall, Government House, and Parliament House and since 1960 there has been a biennial Festival of the Arts. Its principal industries are vehicle assembly, railway workshops, and electrical and household appliances.

The Olgas
The Olgas are a range of mountains in Northern Territory, central Australia, comprising 36 red rock domes made of boulders and pebbles. The tallest dome is Mount Olga (550 m., 1,800 ft.) which is the highest point in the Uluru National Park.

Ayers Rock
Ayers Rock (in Aboriginal, U luru), is an inselberg or rock mound in Northern Territory, Australia, rising 348 m (1,143 feet) in isolation above the flat, sandy desert. It has a long, rounded summit and measures over 8 km (5 miles) round the base. The Rock is composed of conglomerate interbedded with layers of red sandstone, both tilted vertically. Parallel gutters show the erosional characteristics of the different rocks. It is between 400 and 600 million years old and is one of the largest rock mounds in the world. To several of the country's Aboriginal tribes it is a sacred place.

Ayers Rock, Northern Territory, Australia

Coral Sea
Coral Sea - part of the south-western Pacific Ocean, lying in a basin between the coast of Queensland, Australia, and an island arc comprising New Guinea, the Solomons, and Tuvalu. It has a mean depth of 2,390 m (7,850 feet) and contains many coral islets and reefs; the Great Barrier Reef runs along the Queensland coast. Its deeper northern part is known as the Solomon Sea.

The famous barrier reef off the northeast coast of Australia extends for about 1,930 km (l,200 miles). The reef is separated from the mainland by a lagoon too deep in most areas to permit coral growth.

The Great Barrier Reef, off Australia's north-east coast, is the largest single system of coral reefs and the largest living structure in the world. Stretching southward for 1,930 km (over 1,200 miles) from the Torres Strait to Swain Reefs, the 2,500 reefs are concentrated in a band 50-60 km (30-37 miles) wide along the margin of the continental shelf. Over the years it has suffered considerable damage from increased numbers of the crown of thorns starfish. There are many channels through the Reef, which is pounded by surf on its outer edge. A broad and sheltered but shallow channel twists between the reefs and islets a few miles off shore.

Hervey Bay
Hervey Bay - a city on the east coast of Queensland, Australia, situated on Hervey Bay between Rockhampton and Brisbane; pop. (1991) 22,205. It comprises the resorts of Gatakers Bay, Pialba, Scarness, Torquay, Urangan, Burrum Heads, Toogoom, Howard, and Torbanlea.

Cairns
Cairns is a resort town on the north-east coast of Queensland, Australia, on Trinity Bay; pop. (1991) 64,430. An embarkation point for tours of the Barrier Reef, it is also a trading centre for agricultural produce, sugar, timber, fish, and minerals.

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