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Shah Alam

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Shah Alam is a major city and the state capital of Selangor, Malaysia.

SA Blue Mosque
SA Blue Mosque

It is located within the Petaling District and a small portion of the Klang District. The city sits within the Klang Valley, a large region that includes Kuala Lumpur. A river called the Klang River flows through the city toward the Strait of Malacca. Most of the city's land is flat. However, the northern area features a prominent rolling hill.

Shah Alam City Sections
Shah Alam City Sections

The city was designed as a planned township. Before its development, the area was known as Sungai Renggam. It was famous for its rubber and oil palm estates. In 1973, the Selangor government decided to build a new township there. A United Nations planning advisor named Vlado Antolic helped choose the site. He selected a strategic location between Kuala Lumpur and Port Klang. The current name comes from the late Sultan Alam Shah. The then Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, chose the name.

Shah Alam Expansion
Shah Alam Expansion

Shah Alam serves as the administrative center for the state of Selangor. It replaced Kuala Lumpur as the state capital in 1978. This change happened because Kuala Lumpur became a Federal Territory in 1974. The city was proclaimed the capital on 7 December 1978. It initially covered an area of 41.68 km2. Over many years, the city grew through several annexations. These expansions occurred in 1983, 1994, and 1997. Today, the city covers a total area of 293 km2.

Shah Alam Expansion
Shah Alam Expansion

The urban layout is organized into 56 different sections, or 'Seksyen.' These sections are grouped into three main parts. The north contains 18 sections, including Kampung Melayu Subang. The central part contains Sections 1 through 24. This central area holds all the state administrative buildings and agencies. The south consists of 12 sections, such as Kota Kemuning and Sri Muda.

Shah Alam City Sections
Shah Alam City Sections

Most of the city is used for housing, covering 55.2 km2. Commercial centers are scattered throughout the different sections. You can find many shopping malls, such as SACC Mall and Plaza Alam Sentral. Street signs throughout the city use both Roman and Jawi scripts.

Roadname signage in Shah Alam
Roadname signage in Shah Alam

The economy of Shah Alam is driven by government services and manufacturing. The manufacturing sector is very important to the city. Much of this industry started in the Batu Tiga area before the city was built. Major plants include the CSR Sugar Refinery and Panasonic-Matsushita. Shah Alam is also a center for the automotive industry. Volvo operates the oldest surviving automobile assembly plant in Malaysia. The car company Proton was also founded here. Toyota also has an assembly plant in the city.

Bukit Raja Selatan Industrial Area
Bukit Raja Selatan Industrial Area

Education is a significant part of life in Shah Alam. The Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) is located near the state capital. One entire section on the western hills, Section 1, is occupied by this university. Other institutions include the University of Selangor and Management and Science University. The city also has many schools for younger students. There are 37 primary schools and 23 secondary schools. Some areas, like Section 27, have many schools for many students.

Main building (block A) of Shah Alam hospital
Main building (block A) of Shah Alam hospital

Transportation in the city is highly developed. A network of major highways connects Shah Alam to the Klang Valley. These include the Federal Highway and the Shah Alam Expressway (KESAS). These roads also link the city to two different airports. The Kuala Lumpur International Airport is 30 km to the south. The Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport is in nearby Subang. Residents can also use the KTM Komuter train service. There are three main stations: Shah Alam, Padang Jawa, and Sungai Buloh.

The climate in Shah Alam is a tropical rainforest climate. This means the weather is fairly humid throughout the year. Temperatures stay consistent, with an average high of 31.9 °C. The average low temperature is 23.2 °C. March is usually the warmest month. The city experiences heavy rains during the northeast monsoon. This monsoon season lasts from October to March.

Shah Alam - i-City 0005
Shah Alam - i-City 0005
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🖼️ Images & Media (16)
File:Shah Alam Expansion.svg
Shah Alam Expansion.svg
File:Shah Alam City Sections.svg
Shah Alam City Sections.svg
File:Roadname signage in Shah Alam.jpg
Roadname signage in Shah Alam.jpg
File:Shah Alam City Council.JPG
Shah Alam City Council.JPG
File:Bukit Raja Selatan Industrial Area.JPG
Bukit Raja Selatan Industrial Area.JPG
File:Terminal 17 outview (240707) 01.jpg
Terminal 17 outview (240707) 01.jpg
File:Shah Alam KTM Station outview (240707) 01.jpg
Shah Alam KTM Station outview (240707) 01.jpg
File:Main building (block A) of Shah Alam hospital.jpg
Main building (block A) of Shah Alam hospital.jpg
File:SA Blue Mosque.jpg
SA Blue Mosque.jpg
File:SA Tourist Service Centre.jpg
SA Tourist Service Centre.jpg
File:Shah Alam - i-City 0005.jpg
Shah Alam - i-City 0005.jpg
File:Shah_Alam_Stadium.JPG
Shah_Alam_Stadium.JPG

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