WELCOME TO PERAK DARUL RIDZUAN
The Silver Splendour...


Perak Darul Ridzuan, the silver state, has the unmistakable ring of wealth and prosperity befitting the state where the tin-rich Kinta Valley is located.

Situated on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, with a land area of approximately 21,000 sq.km the state boundary stretches right up north to share a common boarder with Thailand. Mountain ranges run in the central region from north to south with flat alluvial plains along the coastal region. Its rich mineral resources such as tin, limestone, marble and clay have made distinct contributions to the state's economy, history and social environs.

Perak's agriculture plays a dominant role in the economy with vast plantations under rubber, oil plam, coconut and cocoa. Orchards and farms are also growing as produce such as pomeloes, groundnuts, guava, "taugeh" (bean sprouts) are finding new export markets.

Perak is divided into nine districts and its major towns include Ipoh, Kuala Kangsar, Taiping, Teluk Intan and Lumut. Kuala Kangsar in the royal town of Perak. Ipoh, the state-capital, is the administration centre of the state. It has modern infra-struture and is also noted for its beautiful greenery. Among the many attractions of Ipoh are its limestone caverns, Chinese gourmet squares, pomelo groves and crunchy groundnuts.

Warm sunny weather prevails throughout the year with temperatures ranging around 30°C. Rainfall ranges from 70-120ins (1778-3048mm) per annum.

In the early days, the Malay Peninsular was well-known for its rich resources, especially tin and gold. It is for this reason that the Peninsular was named The Golden Chersonese by the Greeks. One of the minerals, tin, was found in abundance in Perak. It is popularly believed that this state was called Perak because of the silver colour (perak in the Malay language) of the tin ore.

The mineral wealth played an important role in determining the historical and economic growth of Perak. Perak's tin resources attracted such foreign powers as the Portuguese, Achinese, Bugis, Siamese, Dutch and finally the British who left in 1957 when Malaya achieved Independence.

The discovery of tin by Long Jaafar brought about an influx of Chinese immigrants to Perak. Today, Perak Darul Ridzuan has developed into a multi-racial society characterised by a diversity of language, culture and religion.

Today, the state of Perak has a multi-racial population of more than 2 millions comprising mainly of the Malays, Chinese and Indians.

Perak is steeped in history as is evident in Taiping, Pangkor, Pasir Salak, Kuala Kangsar, as well as rich in varied natural attractions such as Bukit Larut (Maxwell Hill), Ipoh Caves & Gua Tempurung, Temples, beaches, islands and exotic tropical rainforests.


Ipoh - A City Built on Tin


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