Perlis

Perlis is a small state in Malaysia.

It sits on the coast by the sea.

It is near the land of Thailand. The Nakawan hills form a border there.

These hills are very high.

Many people grow rice in flat fields.

You can also see a big cave. It is called Gua Kelam.

Most people here are Muslim. Many people also speak Malay. It is a special place to visit.

Perlis is a state in Malaysia. It is the smallest state in the country.

It sits on the coast of the Strait of Malacca. To the north, Perlis borders Thailand. The Nakawan Range forms a natural border there.

This range has many hills. The highest point is Mount Perlis. It is 733 meters tall.

Much of the land is flat. People use these fields to grow rice. You can also see tall limestone hills. Some people visit the Gua Kelam cave.

Other people visit a snake sanctuary.

The weather is a tropical monsoon climate. This means it can be wet and warm. Most people in Perlis are Muslim. Many people speak Perlis Malay. This is a special way of speaking Malay. Some people also speak Hokkien or Tamil. The capital city is Kangar. The royal capital is Arau. You can take a ferry from Kuala Perlis to Langkawi Island.

Perlis is a state located on the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It sits along the Strait of Malacca, which is a large body of water.

To the north, Perlis shares a border with the Thai provinces of Satun and Songkhla. To its south, it meets the Malaysian state of Kedah. Perlis is quite small compared to its neighbors. In fact, it is the smallest state in Malaysia by both area and population.

The land in Perlis has a very interesting shape. Much of the state is made of flat, low lands called the Kedah–Perlis Plain. These wide areas are mostly used for rice farming. You will see many paddy fields stretching across the landscape.

Rising up from these fields are many limestone hills called mogotes. The land gets much higher at the border with Thailand. Here, the Nakawan Range forms a natural boundary. The highest point in the whole state is Mount Perlis. It reaches a height of 733 meters.

History tells us that Perlis was once part of the state of Kedah. It sometimes came under the rule of Siam or Aceh. In 1843, Perlis became a sovereign state. This happened when the Siamese made Sayyid Hussain Jamalullail the first Raja of Perlis. His family has continued to rule the state as rajas ever since.

Later, the British took control of the area through a treaty in 1909. After World War II, Perlis became part of Malaysia in 1963. The state has a long story of changing hands between different powers.

Many different people live in Perlis today. In 2010, the population was 227,025 people. Most people in the state are Muslim. Other residents follow Buddhism, Hinduism, or Christianity.

People use many different languages to talk to each other. Most speak Perlis Malay, which is a special dialect. Some people also speak Hokkien, Mandarin, English, or Tamil.

The state is divided into 22 communes, which are called mukims. Because it is so small, Perlis does not use districts like other states.

Visitors often travel to Perlis to see its natural wonders. You can visit the Gua Kelam cave to see amazing rock formations.

There is also a snake sanctuary and research centre at Sungai Batu Pahat. If you want to visit Langkawi Island, you can take a ferry from the village of Kuala Perlis. The capital city of the state is Kangar. The royal capital is a town called Arau.

Perlis is a small place with a very big personality.

Perlis is a state located on the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It sits along the Strait of Malacca.

To the north, it borders the Thai provinces of Satun and Songkhla. To the south, it meets the Malaysian state of Kedah. Perlis is unique because it is the smallest state in Malaysia. This applies to both its total land area and its population.

Because of its small size, the state is not divided into districts. Instead, it is divided into 22 smaller areas called mukims, or communes.

The physical landscape of Perlis is quite varied. Much of the state consists of the Kedah–Perlis Plain. This area is made of flat, arable lands. These lands are used extensively for rice farming in large paddy fields. Rising from these plains are many mogotes. These are isolated limestone hills that stand out from the flat ground.

Further north, the land rises into the Nakawan Range. This range is a subrange of the Tenasserim Hills. It forms a natural frontier between Perlis and Thailand. The highest point in the state is Mount Perlis, which reaches 733 meters.

Perlis experiences a tropical monsoon climate. This weather pattern is known scientifically as the Am classification under the Köppen system. The state's history is closely tied to the neighboring Sultanate of Kedah. Originally, Perlis was a realm within the Kingdom of Kedah. It occasionally fell under the influence of Aceh or Siam. In 1821, Siam conquered Kedah. This led to a period of conflict and changing authority. During this time, the Siamese made Perlis a separate principality. It became a direct vassal of Bangkok.

A major turning point occurred on May 20, 1843. The Siamese officially recognized Perlis as a sovereign state. They appointed Sayyid Hussain Jamalullail as the first Raja of Perlis. He was the grandson of a Hadhrami Arab immigrant. He was also the maternal grandson of the Sultan of Kedah. His descendants have continued to rule the state as rajas. This is different from other Malay states where the ruler is called a sultan. The state later moved from Siamese influence to British control through the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909.

The government of Perlis is organized around the House of Jamalullail. The raja appoints a Menteri Besar, which is the chief minister. The Menteri Besar leads an Executive Council. Legislative power is held by the Perlis State Legislative Assembly. This is a unicameral chamber, meaning it has only one house. It consists of 15 seats that are elected from single-member constituencies. After the 2022 election, the Perikatan Nasional coalition held 14 of these seats.

Perlis is home to a diverse population. According to the 2010 census, there were 227,025 residents. The majority of the population is Muslim, making up 87.9 percent. Other groups include Buddhists, Hindus, and Christians.

Language is also diverse in the region. Most people speak Perlis Malay, a sub-dialect of Kedah Malay. The Chinese community often speaks Hokkien. Other languages used include Mandarin, English, Tamil, and Malayalam. There are also small numbers of Southern Thai speakers.

Tourism and education are important to the state. The capital city is Kangar, while the royal capital is Arau. Padang Besar is a key town near the border. Kuala Perlis is a small village that serves as a ferry terminal. It provides a link to Langkawi Island. For nature lovers, Perlis offers the Perlis State Park. People also visit Gua Kelam, which is a famous cave.

For scientific study, there is a snake sanctuary at Sungai Batu Pahat. The state also hosts higher learning, such as the Malaysia University of Perlis in Pauh Putra.