Perak

Perak, state in the north-western part of West Malaysia, bordering Thailand and the states of Kedah, Pinang, Kelantan, Pahang, and Selangor, and fronting the Strait of Malacca. The provincial capital is Ipoh. Its area is 35,965 sq km (13,886 sq mi).

The state's name means “tin” and there were once rich deposits in the Kinta Valley area. Agriculture in the state includes rice, pineapples, palm oil, rubber, and timber. The decline of tin production meant the economic focus shifted towards industrial growth and tourism. The North-South Highway runs through the state, and Ipoh is an important transport centre.

Perak's development began after the capture of the Kingdom of Malacca by the Portuguese in 1511, though its prosperity also made it subject to the ambitions of the Achinese (effective overlords from 1575 to 1675), the Dutch, and the British. An 1826 treaty ceded Pangkor Island and the Dindings coastal strip to Britain as bases for the suppression of piracy and, under the Pangkor Engagement of 1874, the state accepted a British Resident. Resistance to administrative reforms provoked the Perak War of 1874-1876 but subsequent Residents collaborated with local rulers. In 1896 Perak became one of the Federated Malay States and in 1948 became part of the Federation of Malaya, the foreunner of modern Malaysia. Population 1,239,000 (1997 estimate).