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Kota Kinabalu, formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of
Sabah state
in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of
Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the
South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and
Mount Kinabalu, which gave the city its name, is nearby.
Kota Kinabalu is often known as K.K. within Malaysia and internationally.
It is a major tourist destination and a popular gateway for travellers
visiting Sabah and Borneo. Kinabalu National Park is located about 90
km from the city and there are many tourist attractions in and
around the city. Kota Kinabalu is also one of the major industrial and
commercial centres of East Malaysia. These two factors combine to make
Kota Kinabalu one of the fastest growing cities in Malaysia.
Being the capital city of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu plays an important role in
the political and economic welfare of the population in the entire state.
It is the seat of the state government where almost all of their
ministries and agencies are based. Most of the Malaysian federal
government agencies and departments are also located in Kota Kinabalu. The
Sabah State Legislative Assembly is located at nearby Likas Bay.
The city is administered by Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (Kota Kinabalu
City Hall). The city obtained city status on February 2, 2000, and prior
to this it was administered by Majlis Perbandaran Kota Kinabalu (Kota
Kinabalu Municipal Council/Kota Kinabalu Town Hall).
The internal roads linking different parts of the city are generally state
roads constructed and maintained by the state Public Works Department.
Most major internal roads are dual-carriageways. One of the major road
here is Jalan Lintas-Jalan Tuaran Bypass, which together serves almost as
a ring road, circling the city and connecting the districts and suburbs
surrounding the city, namely, Putatan, Penampang, Luyang, Likas, Inanam,
Menggatal, Sepanggar, and Tuaran.
Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) provides flights linking the
city with other domestic and international destinations. It is a secondary
hub for Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia and it consists of two terminals. It
is the second busiest airport in Malaysia after
Kuala Lumpur International
Airport and is one of the main gateways into
Sabah and East Malaysia.
Sources:
Wikipedia
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