Langkawi is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of Malaysia's Kedah state, but are adjacent to the Thai border. By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi with a population of some 45,000, the only other inhabited island being nearby Pulau Tuba. Langkawi is a duty-free island. The Mergui Archipelago The Archipelago Sea, situated between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, the largest archipelago in the world by the number of islands. ... The Andaman Sea (Burmese: ; IPA: ) is a body of water to the southeast of the Bay of Bengal, south of Myanmar, west of Thailand and east of the Andaman Islands; it is part of the Indian Ocean. ... State anthem: Allah Selamatkan Sultan Mahkota Capital Alor Star Royal capital Anak Bukit Ruling party Barisan Nasional  - Sultan Tuanku Abdul Halim  - Menteri Besar Mahdzir Khalid History    - British control 1909   - Japanese occupation 1942   - Accession into Federation of Malaya 1948  Area  - Total 9,426 km² Population  - 2003 estimate 1,778,188  - Density...

Geography

Map of Langkawi and environs

Langkawi lies north of the Straits of Malacca in the southern Andaman Sea near the border between Malaysia and Thailand. Only a few kilometres to the north lies the neighbouring Thai island of Ko Tarutao. The island group's main town, on the main island, is Kuah. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (809x523, 16 KB)[edit] Summary Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia and nearby areas in Malaysia and Thailand. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (809x523, 16 KB)[edit] Summary Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia and nearby areas in Malaysia and Thailand. ... The Straits of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water between Peninsular Malaysia (West Malaysia) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. ... Ko Yang Tarutao National Marine Park consists of 51 islands in the Satun Province of Southern Thailand. ... Kuah is a town and district capital of Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. ...

Langkawi's highest point is Gunung Raya, rising to 890 m above sea level in the main island's central-eastern area.[1]

The Isles of Langkawi consists of 104 islands with a total land area of about 528 sq km (204 sq m).

History

The name "Langkawi" is believed to be related to the kingdom of Langkasuka, centred in modern-day Kedah. The historical record is sparse, but a Chinese Liang Dynasty record (c. 500 AD) refers to the kingdom of "Langgasu" as being founded in the 1st century AD. 'Langkawi' means Eagle Island, it may be noted, and indeed there is a great abundance of eagles in the area. In Kuah, the capital, there is a huge eagle monument in Eagle Square which commemorates the origin of Langkawi's name. Langkasuka (-langkha Sanskrit for resplendent land -sukkha of bliss) was apparently the oldest kingdom on the Malay peninsula. ... State anthem: Allah Selamatkan Sultan Mahkota Capital Alor Star Royal capital Anak Bukit Ruling party Barisan Nasional  - Sultan Tuanku Abdul Halim  - Menteri Besar Mahdzir Khalid History    - British control 1909   - Japanese occupation 1942   - Accession into Federation of Malaya 1948  Area  - Total 9,426 km² Population  - 2003 estimate 1,778,188  - Density... Liang Dynasty (梁朝 (Pinyin: Liáng cháo)) (502-557), also known as Southern Liang Dynasty (南梁), was the third of Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Chen Dynasty. ... Kuah is a town and district capital of Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. ...

Langkawi eventually came under the influence of the Sultanate of Kedah, but Kedah was conquered in 1821 by Siam and Langkawi along with it. The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 transferred power to the British, who held the state until independence, except for a brief period of Thai rule under the Japanese occupation of Malaya during World War II. Thai influences remain visible in the culture and food of Langkawi, while Thai language is still understood by many on the island. For the country formerly called Siam see Thailand SIAM is an acronym for Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. ... The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1906 (in which the Malays were not represented) effectively dissected the northern Malay states into two parts: Pattani, Narathiwat, Songkhla, Satun and Yala remained under Siam, but Siam relinquished its claims to sovereignty over Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu to Great Britain. ... Map of Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia (Malay: Semenanjung Malaysia) is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with Thailand in the north. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Langkawi was the site of the Langkawi Declaration, issued by the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations and making environmental sustainability one of the priorities of the Commonwealth. The Langkawi Declaration on the Environment was a declaration issued by the assembled Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations on the issue of environmental sustainability. ... The leaders of the nations with membership in the Commonwealth of Nations (or British Commonwealth) are collectively known as the Commonwealth Heads of Government. ... The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2006 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders  -  Queen Elizabeth II  -  Secretary-General Don McKinnon (since 1 April 2000) Establishment  -  Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926   -  Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931   -  London Declaration 28 April 1949  Area  -  Total... The Earth Day flag includes a NASA photo. ...

Transportation

From the Kuah jetty, there are high-speed ferry connections to Satun in southern Thailand, Pulau Payar, Penang, Kuala Kedah and to Kuala Perlis in the mainland of Peninsular Malaysia. Star Cruises ships dock at the Awana Porto Malai harbour on the west coast of the island. Malaysia Airlines has daily flights to Langkawi whilst AirAsia flies from Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu. SilkAir flies to Langkawi from Singapore and there is a Penang-Langkawi flight route operated by Firefly airline. The Langkawi island has a well developed road network. Taxis and car rentals are available at the Langkawi International Airport. Satun (Thai: สตูล) is a town in southern Thailand, capital of the Satun province. ... State motto: Bersatu dan Setia (United and Loyal) (formerly Let Penang Lead) State anthem: Untuk Negeri Kita (For Our State) Capital George Town Ruling party Barisan Nasional  - Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Tuan Yang Terutama Abdul Rahman bin Haji Abbas  - Ketua Menteri Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon History    - Ceded by... Kuala Kedah is a town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Kuala Perlis is the second largest town and the main port of Perlis in Malaysia. ... Star Cruises largest ship, SuperStar Virgo, lying at anchor near Phuket, Thailand Star Pisces at Ocean Terminal, Hong Kong harbour Star Cruises is the third-largest cruise line in the world behind Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean, and dominates the Asia-Pacific market. ... Malaysia Airlines (Abbreviated: MAS,马航 ; Malay: Penerbangan Malaysia; Chinese: 马来西亚航空公司; Hanyu Pinyin: MálaixÄ«ya Hángkōng GōngsÄ«) is the national airline of Malaysia, operating scheduled services to over 100 destinations worldwide. ... SilkAir (Singapore) Private Limited is an airline based in Singapore. ... Langkawi International Airport (IATA: LGK, ICAO: WMKL), is an airport situated in the island of Langkawi in Kedah, Malaysia. ...

Tourism

Langkawi Island has recently been re-branded to "LANGKAWI GEOPARK" to better reflect the island's recognition by UNESCO as a World Geopark (on June 1, 2007). Three of its main Geopark components are Mt. Machincang Cambrian Geoforest Park, Kilim Geoforest Park and Pulau Tasik Dayang Bunting (Island of the Pregnant Maiden Lake).

Sheltered by the mountainous backbone of Peninsular Malaysia, Langkawi escapes the northeastern winter monsoon entirely and enjoys sunny skies when the eastern provinces are flooded. Coupled with natural white sand beaches, lush jungle foliage and craggy mountain peaks – but hampered by inaccessibility – the island was at one time touted as "Malaysia's best-kept secret". Map of Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia (or Semenanjung Malaysia in the Malay language) is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with Thailand in the north. ...

Langkawi remained a sleepy backwater until 1987, when the island was granted tax-free status with the intention of promoting tourism. Subsequently the island's airport was upgraded and ferry links were increased. “Tourist” redirects here. ...

Today, Langkawi competes with nearby Penang for the title of Malaysia's largest tourist draw. Resorts and 5-star hotels line the beaches and, in the winter high season, direct flights land from as far as Europe and Japan. State motto: Bersatu dan Setia (United and Loyal) (formerly Let Penang Lead) State anthem: Untuk Negeri Kita (For Our State) Capital George Town Ruling party Barisan Nasional  - Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Tuan Yang Terutama Abdul Rahman bin Haji Abbas  - Ketua Menteri Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon History    - Ceded by... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ...

Besides being tax-free, the beach and eagle, another attraction in Langkawi is the Cable Car to the tops of Gunung Mat Cincang at 705m above sea level. Galeria Perdana a collection of over 2500 gift to the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad. A cable car is any of a variety of transportation systems relying on cables to pull vehicles along or lower them at a steady rate, or a vehicle on these systems. ... Mahathir bin Mohamad (born December 20, 1925 in Alor Star, Kedah) was the Prime Minister of Malaysia from July 16, 1981 to 2003. ...

Langkawi is affected by the milder western monsoon (May-September), and while diving is possible at Pulau Payar, water clarity tends to be poor. For other uses, see Dive. ... Pulau Payar is one of the main islands in Kedah, next to Langkawi in Malaysia. ...

Image gallery

Cenang beach Life Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...	The giant eagle statue in Eagle Square, Kuah viewed from behind Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1377x1412, 353 KB)[edit] Summary Eagle Statue, Eagle Square, Kuah, Langkawi, Malaysia Taken by Dave Sumpner [edit] Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...	The same eagle viewed from front Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 690 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)The giant eagle statue in Langkawi viewed from the front. ...	Paddy fields in Langkawi Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2272x1704, 1608 KB)[edit] Summary Paddy fields in Langkawi, Malaysia Picture taken by Dave Sumpner [edit] Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...
Cenang Beach Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2592x1944, 985 KB)Pantai Cenang in Langkawi, Malaysia. ...	View of the northern Langkawi area from the cable car station. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 1. ...	Tapak Beras Terbakar (Site of the Burnt Rice) in Langkawi. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...	Cable Car Station view from hill Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 907 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) taken by me I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms...

External links

• Langkawi bars
• Langkawi resource page
• Langkawi travel guide from Wikitravel
• LangkawiGuide.com
• Myths and Legends of Langkawi Islands
• Langkawi-Beaches.com
• Langkawi maps

v • d • e Kedah Darul Aman
Districts	Baling • Bandar Baharu • Kota Setar • Kuala Muda • Kubang Pasu • Kulim • Langkawi • Padang Terap • Pendang • Sik • Yan
City	Alor Star (capital)
Towns	Anak Bukit • Baling • Bandar Baharu • Bedong • Bukit Kayu Hitam • Changlun • Guar Chempedak • Gurun • Jeniang • Jitra • Kodiang • Kota Sarang Semut • Kuah • Kuala Kedah • Kuala Ketil • Kuala Nerang • Kulim • Langgar • Lunas • Merbok • Padang Matsirat • Padang Serai • Pendang • Pokok Sena • Sik • Sintok • Sungai Petani • Tokai • Yan
Islands	Pulau Langkawi • Pulau Payar

v • d • e Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER)
NCER Perlis	Padang Besar • Kangar • Perlis Seed Centre
NCER Kedah	Langkawi • Bukit Kayu Hitam • Universiti Utara Malaysia • Sultan Abdul Halim Airport • Menara Alor Star • Paddy Museum • Gurun • Sungai Petani Halal Hub • Kulim Hi-Tech Park
NCER Penang	Butterworth Outer Ring Road • Jelutong Expressway • KOMTAR • Penang Ferry Service • Penang Port • Penang Monorail • Penang Bridge • Penang Second Bridge • Penang Sentral • Penang International Airport • Penang Global City Centre • Penang Outer Ring Road • RapidPenang • Universiti Sains Malaysia
NCER Perak	Universiti Teknologi Petronas

Coordinates: 6°21′N, 99°48′E Wikitravel is a project to create an open content, complete, up-to-date, and reliable world-wide travel guide. ... Image File history File links Kedah_Flag. ... State anthem: Allah Selamatkan Sultan Mahkota Capital Alor Star Royal capital Anak Bukit Ruling party Barisan Nasional  - Sultan Tuanku Abdul Halim  - Menteri Besar Mahdzir Khalid History    - British control 1909   - Japanese occupation 1942   - Accession into Federation of Malaya 1948  Area  - Total 9,426 km² Population  - 2003 estimate 1,778,188  - Density... Also see bale. ... Bandar Baharu is a major town and district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Kota Setar is a district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Kuala Muda is a district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Kubang Pasu is a district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Kulim is a major town and district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Padang Terap is a district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Pendang is a major town and district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Sik is a major town and district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Alor Stars City Emblem Menara Alor Star, the start-of-art communication tower Alor Star (Traditional Chinese: 亞羅士打, Simplified Chinese: 亚罗士打, Pinyin: yàluóshìdÇŽ), City of Rice Bowl of Malaysia(Chinese: 米都), formally known as Alor Setar, with a colourful past that spanned over more than 250 years. ... Anak Bukit is a royal town near Alor Star, Kedah, Malaysia. ... Also see bale. ... Bandar Baharu is a major town and district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Bukit Kayu Hitam is a Kedahs main border town of Malaysia-Thailand Border near the town is Sadao, Thailand. ... Changlun is a main border town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Guar Chempedak is a small town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Gurun is a small town and a major industrial park situated within the parliamentary district of Jerai in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Jeniang is a town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Jitra is an area of Malaya in north Kedah. ... Kodiang is a town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Kota Sarang Semut is a small town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Kuah is a town and district capital of Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. ... Kuala Kedah is a town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Kuala Ketil is a small town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Kuala Nerang is the town and district capital of Pendang district, Kedah, Malaysia. ... Kulim is a major town and district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Langgar is a town near Alor Star, Kedah, Malaysia. ... Lunas is a town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Merbok is a small town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Padang Matsirat is a town in Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. ... Padang Serai is a small town in Kulim district, Kedah, Malaysia. ... Pendang is a major town and district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Pokok Sena is a town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Sik is a major town and district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Sintok is a small town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Sungai Petani (abbreviated or SP) is a town in the state of Kedah, in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia[1]. Sungai Petani is the second largest town in Kedah after Alor Star. ... Tokai is a big town in Kedah, Malaysia. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Pulau Payar is one of the main islands in Kedah, next to Langkawi in Malaysia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Perlis. ... Image File history File links Kedah_Flag. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Penang_(Malaysia). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Perak. ... Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER) (Malay: Wilayah Ekonomi Koridor Utara) is a new economic development corridor in Malaysia. ... State motto: no State motto Capital Kangar Royal Capital Arau Raja Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Regent Syed Faizuddin Putra Chief Minister Shahidan Kassim Area 810 km² Population  - Est year 2000 198335 State anthem Amin amin ya Rabaljalil Perlis (Jawi ڨرليس) in full Perlis Indera Kayangan, is the smallest state in Malaysia. ... Padang Besar is a town in the state of Perlis in Malaysia. ... Kangar is a town in Malaysia, with a population of 48,898 and is the state capital of Perlis. ... State anthem: Allah Selamatkan Sultan Mahkota Capital Alor Star Royal capital Anak Bukit Ruling party Barisan Nasional  - Sultan Tuanku Abdul Halim  - Menteri Besar Mahdzir Khalid History    - British control 1909   - Japanese occupation 1942   - Accession into Federation of Malaya 1948  Area  - Total 9,426 km² Population  - 2003 estimate 1,778,188  - Density... Bukit Kayu Hitam is a Kedahs main border town of Malaysia-Thailand Border near the town is Sadao, Thailand. ... Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), is a public university located in the northern Malaysian state of Kedah. ... Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (IATA: AOR, ICAO: WMKA) is an airport that serves Alor Star in Malaysia. ... The Menara Alor Star is a 165. ... Gurun is a small town and a major industrial park situated within the parliamentary district of Jerai in Kedah, Malaysia. ... Sungai Petani (abbreviated or SP) is a town in the state of Kedah, in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia[1]. Sungai Petani is the second largest town in Kedah after Alor Star. ... Kulim is a major town and district in Kedah, Malaysia. ... State motto: Bersatu dan Setia (United and Loyal) (formerly Let Penang Lead) State anthem: Untuk Negeri Kita (For Our State) Capital George Town Ruling party Barisan Nasional  - Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Tuan Yang Terutama Abdul Rahman bin Haji Abbas  - Ketua Menteri Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon History    - Ceded by... Butterworth Outer Ring Road or BORR is an expressway in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia. ... Jelutong Expressway, or Lebuhraya Jelutong in Malay is an extension of Penang Bridge which connects Georgetown, Penang to Bayan Lepas. ... KOMTAR (Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak) is Penangs tallest building. ... Penang Ferry Service is the oldest ferry service in Malaysia. ... Penang Monorail is currently being proposed under the 9th Malaysian Plan. ... The 13. ... The Penang Second Bridge is a new bridge being planned in Penang, Malaysia. ... Penang International Airport (IATA: PEN, ICAO: WMKP), previously known as Bayan Lepas International Airport, is situated in the Bayan Lepas area of Penang, Malaysia. ... The Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) is a project in Penang that will consist of two five-star hotels, a performing arts centre, high-end retail outlets, two iconic towers, residential properties and a world-class meeting and convention centre. ... Penang Outer Ring Road E-- is a new expressway in George Town Penang. ... RapidPenang, an abbreviation for Rapid Penang Sendirian Berhad, is a government-owned company set up to operate bus services in Penang state in Malaysia. ... Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) (马来西亚理科大学,理大) is a public university with a main campus in Penang, Malaysia. ... State anthem: Allah Lanjutkan Usia Sultan Capital Ipoh Royal capital Kuala Kangsar Ruling party Barisan Nasional  - Sultan Sultan Azlan Shah  - Menteri Besar Tajol Rosli Mohd Ghazali History    - Pangkor treaty 1874   - Federated into FMS 1895   - Japanese occupation 1942   - Accession into Federation of Malaya 1948  Area  - Total 21,006 km² Population  - 2005... Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (Abbreviation: UTP; English: PETRONAS University of Technology; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) was established on 10 January 1997 when PETRONAS was invited by the Government of Malaysia to set up a university. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...