Nepedia
Back to Discover
Advanced Reader
🗺️

Johor Bahru

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Johor Bahru is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Johor.

Johor Bahru, Malaysia - 49676323172
Johor Bahru, Malaysia - 49676323172

It sits at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula. This location places it directly next to the city-state of Singapore. The city is a major financial and business center for Malaysia. According to the World Bank, it is the second best-performing city in the nation. This ranking is based on economic competitiveness and prosperity. It also features the fastest urbanisation growth in the country.

Johor Bahru City Council Tower
Johor Bahru City Council Tower

The city serves as a massive hub for transportation and trade. It contains the world's busiest land border crossing. This crossing is the Johor-Singapore Causeway.

Singapore causeway blown up
Singapore causeway blown up

Travelers also use the KTM Intercity train system. A future project called the RTS Link will also connect the two regions. For sea travel, the city is near the Tanjung Pelepas port. This port is the 15th busiest port in the world. Air travel is handled by the Senai International Airport.

Johor Bahru has a complex history of changing names. Originally, the area was a Malay fishing village called Tanjung Puteri. In 1858, Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim renamed the area Iskandar Puteri.

Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim
Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim

He acquired the territory from Sultan Ali through a treaty. This treaty was signed on 10 March 1855. After the Temenggong died, Sultan Abu Bakar renamed the town Johor Bahru. The name means "New Johor" in the Malay language.

Johor Bahru town in the 1920s
Johor Bahru town in the 1920s

Development began through migration and agricultural work. The Temenggong encouraged Chinese and Javanese people to settle there. Chinese settlers planted black pepper and gambier crops. Javanese settlers dug parit, which are canals, to drain the land. They also built roads and planted coconuts. A Chinese businessman named Wong Ah Fook arrived during this era. He later became a close patron to the Sultan. He helped build the State Mosque and the Royal Palace.

SultanPalastJB
SultanPalastJB

The city faced significant challenges during the Pacific War. Japanese forces invaded the town on 31 January 1942.

Japanese troops final stages to conquest Singapore, Johore Bahru (AWM 127900)
Japanese troops final stages to conquest Singapore, Johore Bahru (AWM 127900)

The British and Allied forces had to retreat toward Singapore. During this retreat, the British blew up the causeway.

Singapore causeway blown up
Singapore causeway blown up

The Japanese used the Bukit Serene Palace as their main base. After the war ended, the city became a center for Malay nationalism. In 1946, the United Malay National Organisation (UMNO) was formed at the Istana Besar.

Johor Bahru has experienced rapid growth in recent decades. It was officially granted city status on 1 January 1994.

Johor Bahru City Council Tower
Johor Bahru City Council Tower

The city is now part of the Iskandar Malaysia project. This is the largest special economic zone in the nation. This project helps drive investment and urban development. The city also features a central business district near Wong Ah Fook Street. This area has expanded since the mid-1990s.

Modern Johor Bahru is known for its impressive skyline. The city contains many high-rise buildings and apartments. One notable example is The Astaka.

The Astaka 2022
The Astaka 2022

It is the tallest residential building in Southeast Asia. It is also one of the tallest twin towers in the world. The city's infrastructure includes large shopping malls like KSL City.

It also offers public services like the Sultanah Aminah Hospital.

Sultanah Aminah Hospital
Sultanah Aminah Hospital

The city connects to many different economic and social systems. It has the second most efficient governance in Malaysia for property registration. It also has very fast internet speeds. In 2024, Mercer ranked it as having high living quality. It is the third highest in Southeast Asia. This follows Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The city remains a vital link between Malaysia and the rest of the region.

574 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (27)
File:Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim.jpg
Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim.jpg
File:Johor Bahru town in the 1920s.jpg
Johor Bahru town in the 1920s.jpg
File:Japanese troops final stages to conquest Singapore, Johore Bahru (AWM 127900).JPG
Japanese troops final stages to conquest...
File:Singapore causeway blown up.jpg
Singapore causeway blown up.jpg
File:The Astaka 2022.jpg
The Astaka 2022.jpg
File:Johor Bahru City Council Tower.jpg
Johor Bahru City Council Tower.jpg
File:Johor Bahru High Court.jpg
Johor Bahru High Court.jpg
File:Tropical rainforest, Johor Bahru.jpg
Tropical rainforest, Johor Bahru.jpg
File:Johor Bahru, Malaysia - 49676323172.jpg
Johor Bahru, Malaysia - 49676323172.jpg
File:Persada johor international convention centre.jpg
Persada johor international convention centre.jpg
File:JB Sentral 5.jpg
JB Sentral 5.jpg
File:Larkin Public Market and Bazaar (231104).jpg
Larkin Public Market and Bazaar (231104).jpg

+ 15 more

More to explore

✨ What else?

Related topics you might enjoy

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.