Kedah (Jawi:قدح, pop. 1,778,188) is a state of Malaysia, located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of 9,425 km², and consists mostly of flat areas growing rice, plus the island of Langkawi.

The state's capital and royal seat is Alor Star. Other major towns include Sungai Petani, and Kulim on the mainland, and Kuah on Pulau Langkawi. Kedah is divided into 11 districts:- Baling, Bandar Baharu, Kota Setar, Kuala Muda, Kubang Pasu, Kulim, Pulau Langkawi, Padang Terap, Pendang, Sik, and Yan.

The Arabic honorific of Kedah is Darul Aman ("Abode of Peace").

The state's

History

Kedah has a long history; the Bujang Valley has remains of a Hindu-Buddhist kingdom that dates back to the 4th century AD, making it the oldest civilization of Peninsular Malaysia. The current royal family can trace its line directly back to this time. In the 7th and 8th centuries, Kedah was under the domination of Srivijaya, and was later under Siam, until the rise of the Malay sultanate of Melaka in the 15th century. In the 17th century, Kedah was attacked by the Portuguese after their conquest of Melaka, and by Aceh. In the hope that Great Britain would protect what remained of Kedah from Siam, the sultan handed over Penang and then Province Wellesley, to the British at the end of the 18th century. The Siamese still conquered Kedah in 1821, and it remained under Siamese control until transferred to the British by the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909.

In World War II, Kedah (along with Kelantan) was

Since 1958, the hereditary Sultan of Kedah has been Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah. The Kedah Sultanate began when the 9th Kedah Maharaja Derbar Raja (1136-1179 AD) converted to Islam and changed his name to Sultan Muzaffar Shah. Since then there have been 27 Sultans who ruled Kedah. The Chief Minister or Menteri Besar is currently Dato' Seri Syed Razak Syed Zain Barakbah of Barisan Nasional, a former schoolteacher.

Economy

Kedah is considered the "rice bowl" of Malaysia, producing one third of Malaysia's total production of rice. Other agricultural products, including rubber, oil palm and tobacco are also important. Tourism, particularly on the island of Langkawi is of growing importance.

More recently Kedah has forged its economy towards the automotive and aerospace industy with Modenas and Asian Composites setting up base here. One of the main advantages is the low labour costs and the infrastructe in place with the highway and Penang International Airport on its door step.In 1996, The Kulim Hi-Tech Park (KHTP) which was officially opened and became the first high technology industrial park in Malaysia. The Park situated in Kulim comprises total land area of approximately 1,450 hectares (approximately 3,600 acres). Many local and foreign companies (such as Intel, Fuji Electric,Showa Denko,SilTerra etc.)has moved into the site since then.