Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca. The state is bordered by Negeri Sembilan to the north and west and Johor to the south and east. The exclave of Tanjung Tuan borders Negeri Sembilan to the north. Its capital is Malacca City, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside George Town in 2008.
The state covers a gazetted land area of (174,660 hectares) distributed across 155 cadastral mukims. When incorporating statutory coastal waters out to 3 nautical miles (50,587.01 ha) and a 200-metre seaward baseline shift (2,814.57 ha), the state's total spatial planning envelope covers 228,061.58 hectares (2,280.62 km²). Situated immediately south of the Titiwangsa Mountains, Malacca is predominantly lowland plain, with Bukit Gapis (512 metres) serving as its highest point.
Although Malacca was the location of one of the earliest Malay sultanates, the Malacca Sultanate, the local monarchy was abolished when the Portuguese conquered it in 1511. The head of state is the or Governor, rather than a sultan. Malacca occupies a strategic position on international maritime routes along the Strait of Malacca, serving as an important center for manufacturing, maritime transport, and cultural tourism. The state's diverse population includes Malays, Chinese, Indians, Baba Nyonya, Kristang, Chitty, Temuan, and Eurasians.
Etymology
The state's name dates to a popular legend surrounding the founding of the Malacca Sultanate by Parameswara, who sought a new location to establish a kingdom after fleeing a Majapahit invasion of Singapura. As the story goes, Parameswara was resting under a Malacca tree () near a river during a hunt, when one of his dogs cornered a mouse deer. In self-defence, the mouse deer pushed the dog into the river. Impressed by the courage of the deer, and taking it as a good omen of the weak overcoming the powerful, Parameswara decided then to found an empire at that spot. He named this empire after the tree where he had just taken shelter. This story shows similarities with folk-tales from Kandy, Sri Lanka, and Pasai, Sumatra.
The "Malacca tree" was taken as a basis for the species Phyllanthus emblica named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 through Latinising its original Sanskrit name (). The species has since been planted as an ornamental in various state attractions. However, some researchers like those of the Forestry Research Institute of Malaysia speculate that the legendary namesake tree might have been the species Phyllanthus pectinatus endemic to Malay Archipelago forests which superficially resembles P. emblica.
Another account claims that during the reign of Muhammad Shah (1424–1444), Arab merchants called the kingdom 'Malakat' (Arabic for 'congregation of merchants') because it was home to many trading communities. One theory suggests, as mentioned in the Suma Oriental by Tomé Pires, that it is derived from the Javanese terms melayu or mlayu (to steadily accelerate or to run), to describe the strong current of a river in Sumatra that today bears the name Sungai Melayu ('Melayu river').
History
Sultanate of Malacca
Before the arrival of the first sultan, the area that is now Malacca was a fishing village. Malacca was founded by Parameswara, also known as Iskandar Shah, after discovering a port accessible in all seasons at a narrow point of the Strait of Malacca. In collaboration with the Orang Laut ("sea people"), he established Malacca as an international port by requiring passing ships to call there and establishing facilities for warehousing and trade.
In 1403, the first official Chinese trade envoy, led by Admiral Yin Qing, arrived in Malacca. Later, Parameswara was escorted by Zheng He and other envoys in his visits. Malacca's relationship with Ming China granted it protection from attacks by Siam and Majapahit, and the settlement submitted to Ming China as a protectorate. This encouraged the development of Malacca into a trade centre between China, India, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
During the early 15th century, Ming China built in Malacca a commercial hub and an operations base for its treasure voyages into the Indian Ocean. Malacca had been a relatively minor settlement prior to the voyages and paid tribute to Siam. In 1405, the Ming court dispatched Admiral Zheng He with a stone tablet enfeoffing the Western Mountain of Malacca, as well as an imperial order elevating the status of the port to a country. The Chinese also established a fortified government depot (官廠) for their personnel. Early rulers of Malacca—Parameswara, Megat Iskandar Shah, and Sri Maharaja—used diplomacy with Ming China to establish security against external rivals.
According to Malaccan tradition, Hang Li Po, associated in local chronicles with the Ming imperial court, arrived in Malacca with 500 attendants to marry Sultan Mansur Shah (reigned 1456–1477). Her entourage settled primarily in Bukit Cina.
Colonial era
In April 1511, Afonso de Albuquerque sailed from Goa to Malacca with approximately 1,200 men and 17 or 18 ships. The Portuguese conquered the city on 24 August 1511.
Portuguese control of Malacca did not lead to complete control of regional maritime commerce, as trade became dispersed among rival regional ports such as Aceh and Johor.
The Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier visited Malacca in 1545, 1546, and 1549. In the early 17th century, the Dutch East India Company (VOC), allied with the Johor Sultanate, contested Portuguese authority in the region. On 14 January 1641, Dutch forces captured Malacca following a protracted siege. The Dutch administered Malacca until the late 18th century, maintaining it alongside their primary administrative base in Batavia (Jakarta). Notable surviving architecture from this era includes the Stadthuys civic building.
Malacca was transferred to the British under the terms of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 in exchange for Bencoolen in Sumatra. British authority encountered localized resistance, notably during the Naning War (1831–1832) led by local chieftain Dol Said. Malacca subsequently became part of the Straits Settlements alongside Singapore and Penang, governed by the British East India Company and later directly as a Crown colony. During World War II, Malacca fell under Japanese military administration between 1942 and 1945.
Post-colonial era Following the war, the British dissolved the Straits Settlements and placed Malacca under the Malayan Union in 1946, which was reconstituted as the Federation of Malaya in 1948. On 20 February 1956, Chief Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman announced Malaya's upcoming independence at Padang Pahlawan in Bandar Hilir, Malacca, ahead of formal independence on 31 August 1957. Malacca became a constituent state of Malaysia upon its formation on 16 September 1963.
The capital, Malacca City, was declared a historical city on 15 April 1989 and granted city status on 15 April 2003. Its historic core was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on 7 July 2008.
Geography and climate
The state of Malacca encompasses of land area along the southwestern coast of the Malay Peninsula. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and west, and Johor across the Kesang River to the east and south. The coastal exclave of Tanjung Tuan is bordered terrestrially by Negeri Sembilan.
Topography and hydrology Topographically, 98% of Malacca's land area lies below 150 metres in elevation, and 95.8% of slopes are Class 1 (<15°), presenting a generally low-lying and flat terrain. The highest point in the state is Bukit Gapis (512 metres) on the Asahan ridge.
Drainage is divided across three main river basins: the Malacca River Basin (covering 63.07% of the state's catchment area), the Kesang and Sepang River basins (23.74%), and the northern Langat River basin (13.19%). The coastline extends for 104 kilometres and includes 17 offshore islands, the largest being Besar Island (Pulau Besar), alongside Pulau Undan, Pulau Nangka, and Pulau Dodol. Coastal erosion affects approximately 53.9% of the shoreline, and low-lying coastal corridors face risks associated with tidal inundation and sea-level rise.
Climate Malacca experiences a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen: Af), characterised by uniform temperatures, high humidity, and year-round rainfall.
Governance and politics
The head of state is the governor (Yang di-Pertua Negeri), appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for a four-year renewable term. Mohd Ali Rustam has served as Governor since June 2020. The head of government is the Chief Minister, who presides over the Malacca State Executive Council. Ab Rauf Yusoh of Barisan Nasional (BN) has served as Chief Minister since March 2023.
The unicameral 28-seat Malacca State Legislative Assembly convenes at the Seri Negeri complex in Ayer Keroh. The state is represented in the federal Dewan Rakyat by six members of Parliament across the constituencies of Masjid Tanah, Alor Gajah, Tangga Batu, Hang Tuah Jaya, Kota Melaka, and Jasin.
Administrative divisions Malacca is divided into three administrative districts and administered locally by four local authorities:
District Capital Area (ha) Mukims Governing Local Authorities (PBT) Melaka Tengah District Malacca City 36,180 85 Historic Malacca City Council (MBMB)Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council (MPHTJ) Alor Gajah District Alor Gajah 69,560 39 Alor Gajah Municipal Council (MPAG)Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council (MPHTJ) Jasin District Jasin 68,920 31 Jasin Municipal Council (MPJ)Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council (MPHTJ) Total Malacca City 174,660 155 4 Local Authorities
Economy
Services and manufacturing are the twin drivers of the state economy, collectively accounting for more than 88% of Malacca's GDP. The services sector accounts for roughly 49% of GDP, driven by tourism, logistics, and retail, followed by manufacturing at approximately 43%. Agriculture, construction, and mining comprise the remaining output.
Industrial and trade hubs Industrial activity is organized into dedicated development parks and economic zones: Straits of Melaka Waterfront Economic Zone (SM-WEZ 2.0): A 33-kilometre coastal development corridor coordinating marine industrial parks, deepwater terminals, logistics centers, and commercial reclamation zones. MCORP Hi-Tech Park and German Technology Park (GTP): Located in Alor Gajah, specializing in advanced automotive assembly, semiconductor manufacturing, and green industrial technologies. Elkay Industrial Park: Located in Lipat Kajang, Jasin, housing chemical and advanced materials manufacturing. PETRONAS Malacca Refinery Complex in Sungai Udang: Consists of two refining trains with an aggregate capacity of 270,000 barrels per day.
Ports and maritime facilities Tanjung Bruas Port in Tanjung Kling: Constructed in the late 1970s and operational since the early 1980s, handling containers, bulk break, and general cargo. Port of Kuala Sungai Linggi (Linggi International Floating Transshipment & Trading HUB, LIFT-HUB): Gazetted in 2006, covering 154 km2 for offshore ship-to-ship liquid bulk cargo transfers and bunkering.
Utilities
Energy Malacca houses three major power generation facilities, including the 330 MW Tanjung Kling Power Station and the Telok Gong Power Stations 1 and 2, with combined generating capacities exceeding 1,490 MW. The state also accommodates the Melaka World Solar Valley initiative in Rembia to promote industrial solar installations.
Water supply Water services are administered by Syarikat Air Melaka Berhad (SAMB). Malacca is designated as one of Malaysia's five water-stressed states due to its limited catchment footprint and high urban consumption.