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Kuala Lumpur Facts & Worksheets

Kuala Lumpur (KL) is the capital of Malaysia. Its modern skyline is dominated by the 451m-tall Petronas Twin Towers.

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Kuala Lumpur (KL) is the capital of Malaysia. Its modern skyline is dominated by the 451m-tall Petronas Twin Towers, a pair of glass-and-steel-clad skyscrapers with Islamic motifs. The towers also offer a public skybridge and observation deck.

See the fact file below for more information on the Kuala Lumpur or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Kuala Lumpur worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

  • In the 19th century, the area where KL now lies was an important settlement for the tin industry. Because of the important work of Yap Ah Loy, the city grew from a settlement into a real city.
  • The end of the 19th century was harsh on Kuala Lumpur. The city was tormented by disasters and adversity. Diseases, epidemics, fires and floods were common. During this time, people started to build stone houses instead of wooden ones.
  • This was also when the first railroad was constructed. Some people believe that Raja Abdullah was the founder of Kuala Lumpur and not Yap Ah Loy, since Raja Abdullah had sent tin miners to look for tin years before Yap Ah Loy arrived in the area now called KL.

FEDERATED MALAY STATE

  • In 1887, Kuala Lumpur became the capital of Selangor province. At the time, the city was already named Kuala Lumpur, which means ‘muddy confluence’.
  • This comes from the intersection of the rivers Gombak and Klang.
  • These rivers were the major gateways to the city.
  • In 1896, Kuala Lumpur became the capital of the newly formed ‘Federated Malay States’. From then on, the city developed quickly.
  • The new capital attracted people of many different cultures and soon became a melting pot of Asian cultures. Special areas were erected in the city, and a different cultural group occupied each one.
  • For instance, even at that time, there was a Chinese district, an Indian district, a district in which primarily Europeans (especially the English) lived, and a district in which the local Malay lived.

COLONIAL TIMES

  • Between 1913 and 1957, the city fell under British authority. The British wanted the city to develop rapidly and therefore constructed a good road system, railroads, and other infrastructure.
  • Furthermore, typical colonial buildings were erected everywhere in the city. During the Second World War, Kuala Lumpur suffered under Japanese forces.
  • When the Japanese forces left and the British returned to the city, the habitants of KL were fed up with all the oppression.
  • Slowly, the British lost their influence in both KL and the whole country.
  • Malaysia was now open to new influences and this happened during the rise of communism. Even though the British got their authority back after a few years, it was already too late.
  • The people wanted to regulate themselves and wanted independence. Thus, in 1957, they demanded independence and got it, and the British agreed with their demands and left the country.
  • Kuala Lumpur remained the capital of the country, even though the city did not have its own administration and rights. It was not until 1972 that the city became independent and got its own government.

THE CITY TODAY

  • In 1957, Malaysia gained independence from the British and this was announced and declared in Kuala Lumpur, making it a historically significant city.
  • Finally, in 1974, Kuala Lumpur was formally removed from the jurisdiction of Selangor state and made a Federal Territory, as Malaysia’s booming economic capital.
  • Over time, Kuala Lumpur has become one of Southeast Asia’s most prominent, modern and sophisticated cities, attracting visitors from the across the world.

VISION 2020

  • From 1981 onwards, the city developed even faster than before. This was partly due to the work of the Prime Minister at that time, Dr. Mahathir. With his ‘Vision 2020’, he transformed Malaysia into a modern country, and KL became the resemblance of that.
  • The Petronas Towers became the symbol of the city, and the modern yet traditional design made clear that an Islamic country can still have modern developments in these fast-paced times. Kuala Lumpur is a real metropolis now.
  • There is an extensive network of roads, railroads and subways in and around the city. KL’s business centre and the city itself are amongst the top 10 business centers and commercial cities in Southeast Asia. With its large harbor (Port Klang) and huge airport (KLIA) within reach, Kuala Lumpur can easily participate at international level.
  • In addition, the city hosts several conferences and other important events each year, such as the Formula 1 race at the Sepang circuit or the Asia Cup in 2007.
  • With the construction of the urban agglomeration, including Cyberjaya and Putrajaya, KL took an important step towards the future.
  • At an international level, hopes are set on Cyberjaya to become the Asian version of Silicon Valley.

Kuala Lumpur Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Kuala Lumpur across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Kuala Lumpur worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Kuala Lumpur (KL) is the capital of Malaysia. Its modern skyline is dominated by the 451m-tall Petronas Twin Towers, a pair of glass-and-steel-clad skyscrapers with Islamic motifs. The towers also offer a public skybridge and observation deck.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Kuala Lumpur Facts
  • KL Profile
  • Flashback!
  • Jumbled KL
  • KL Trademarks
  • My City!
  • Only in KL
  • Good or Trash?
  • A Friendly Letter
  • It’s a Headline
  • Four Fun Facts

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Link will appear as Kuala Lumpur Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, November 5, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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