Johor  

From Johor Bahru Directory

Johor was estimated to have a population of 30,000 in 1856. [1]

Fast Facts
States and Territories of Malaysia
جوهر دارالتّعظيم Johor Darul Ta'zim
Flag of Johor Coat of arms of Johor
State motto: Kepada Allah Berserah
Anthem: Lagu Bangsa Johor
Capital	Johor Bahru
Royal capital	Pasir Pelangi1
Ruling party	Barisan Nasional
- Sultan	Sultan Ibrahim Ismail
- Menteri Besar	Abdul Ghani Othman
History
- Johor Sultanate	14th century
- British control	1914
- Japanese occupation	1942
- Accession into Federation   of Malaya	1948
Area
- Total	19,984 km²
Population
- 2007 estimate	3,300,000
- Density	137.6/km²
HDI  (2000)	0.798 (medium)
National calling code	072 06 (Muar and Ledang)
National postal code	80xxx to 86xxx
Licence plate prefix	J
Website: http://www.johor.gov.my
1 Town in the city of Johor Bahru 2 Except Muar and Ledang

Johor (English spelling: Johore) is the 5th largest state (after Sarawak, Sabah, Pahang, and Perak) and one of the most developed of the 13 states in Malaysia. It is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ta'zim, or "Abode of Dignity". Johor's capital city and royal seat is Johor Bahru.

2.   Geography: Johor is the southernmost state in Peninsular Malaysia, with Tanjung Piai in the district of Pontian being the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The State of Johor has an area of 18,841 sq km (26.5 times the size of Singapore), and is surrounded by:

• Pahang to the north;
• Melaka and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest; and
• the Straits of Johor to the south.

Johor is linked to Singapore via two road connections:

1. the Johor-Singapore Causeway; and
2. the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link.

3.   Demography: Johor has an estimated population of 3.3 million (two-thirds that of Singapore) in 2010, comprising:

• 54% Malays;
• 35% Chinese;
• 7% Indians; and
• 4% others.

Lured by the availability of jobs in the manufacturing and service sectors, both in Johor Bahru and Singapore, many Chinese and Indians from other parts of the country have settled in Johor since the 1970s. A large proportion of the Chinese community traces its ancestry back to southern China, as with most Chinese in Malaysia, and a large proportion of the Indian community are Tamil, tracing their ancestry back to southern India. Bahasa Malaysia, the official language, and English are the most widely spoken language in Johor. However, Mandarin and Tamil are very popular as well.

4.   Economy: Johor's economy is based on a mix of agriculture, manufacturing, commerce, and tourism. It is the nation's major producer of palm oil, rubber, pineapples, and bananas. Many industrial estates are also found in major towns, producing electrical appliances, furniture, textiles, and petrochemical products.^[2]

Johor has three ports, Pasir Gudang Port, Port of Tanjung Pelepas, and Tanjung Langsat Port. Its international airport, The Sultan Ismail International Airport, located in Senai, 30 km away from the Johor Bahru city centre, was opened in 1974. Iskandar Malaysia, encompassing Johor Bahru and Nusajaya, is a major development zone in Johor, envisioned to draw investment and business to the state. At 2,215 sq km, it is two-and-a-half times bigger than Singapore. As part of the project, the state administrative capital will be moved to Nusajaya.

Brief history of Johor

The name "Johor" originated from the Arabic word Jauhar, meaning 'gem' or 'precious stone'. Before the name Johor was adopted, the area south of the Muar River to Singapore island was known as Ujung Tanah or 'land's end' in Malay, due to its location at the end of the Malay Peninsula.

The history of Modern Johor began in the early 16th century with the foundation of the Sultanate of Johor by Alauddin Riayat Shah II, the son of Sultan Mahmud Shah (the last Sultan of Melaka), who fled from the Portuguese invaders in Melaka. The Johor Sultanate is one of the two successor states of the Melaka empire, the other being the Sultanate of Perak. The old state capital is Johor Lama.