Shah Alam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Shah Alam
City and state capital
City of Shah Alam Bandaraya Shah Alam
Other transcription(s)
• Jawi	شاه عالم‎
• Chinese	莎亚南 (Simplified) 莎亚南 (Traditional) Shāyànán (Hanyu Pinyin)
• Tamil	சா ஆலாம் Cā Ālām (Transliteration)
From top, left to right: The Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque, i-City, Shah Alam Square, the Shah Alam Royale Theatre, and the Sultan Alam Shah Museum
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  Bandar Anggerik Orchid City
Motto(s):  Indah Bestari Beautiful, Brilliant
Shah Alam Location in Selangor Show map of Selangor Shah Alam Location in Peninsular Malaysia Show map of Peninsular Malaysia Shah Alam Location in Malaysia Show map of Malaysia Shah Alam Location in Southeast Asia Show map of Southeast Asia Shah Alam Location in Asia Show map of Asia
Country	Malaysia
State	Selangor
District	Petaling and Klang
Establishment	1963
State capital status	7 December 1978
Municipality status	1 January 1979
City status	10 October 2000; 24 years ago (10 October 2000)
Government
• Type	City council
• Body	Shah Alam City Council
Area
• Total	290.3 km2 (112.1 sq mi)
Population  (2017)
• Total	740,750
• Rank	6th in Malaysia
• Density	2,551.7/km2 (6,608.8/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+8 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	Not observed
Postal code	40xxx, 47xxx
Area code(s)	+60(3)

Shah Alam is a city in Malaysia. It is the capital city of the state of Selangor. The name "Shah Alam" comes from Arabic and means "king of the world".

Shah Alam became the capital of Selangor in 1978. This happened because Kuala Lumpur, the old capital, became a special Federal Territory in 1974. Shah Alam was also the first city in Malaysia to be planned from scratch after the country gained independence in 1957.

A Look Back in Time

How Shah Alam's city limits have grown since 1978.

After Malaysia became independent in 1957, the country grew quickly. Shah Alam was once known as Sungai Renggam. This area was famous for its rubber and oil palm farms. Before Malaysia's independence, it was called Batu Tiga. It had been a trading hub for rubber and palm oil for many years.

In 1963, the Selangor government decided to build a new town here. A town planning expert from the United Nations suggested this spot. It was chosen because it was perfectly located between Kuala Lumpur and Port Klang.

The current name, Shah Alam, was chosen by the then-Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah. He named it after his father, Sultan Alam Shah. Many buildings and streets in the city are also named after the late Sultan.

Shah Alam was opened in 1963 to be the new administrative center for Selangor. It replaced Kuala Lumpur, which became a Federal Territory in 1974. On December 7, 1978, Shah Alam was officially declared the capital of Selangor. It started with an area of about 41.68 square kilometers.

How the City Grew

Shah Alam has grown bigger several times over the years. This happened between 1983 and 1997. The city's area expanded to its current size of 293 square kilometers.

Becoming a City

Shah Alam officially became a city on October 10, 2000. Dato' Haji Abu Sujak Haji Mahmud became its first mayor. He wanted Shah Alam to be a modern city with a special identity. He called it a Bandaraya Melayu, or "Malay City". This was to show the achievements of the Malay people in all areas.

Where is Shah Alam?

Shah Alam is located in the state of Selangor. It covers parts of the Petaling and Klang districts. The city has a total area of 290.3 square kilometers.

It is surrounded by other cities like Subang Jaya and Petaling Jaya to the east. To the west is the Klang district. To the north are Kuala Selangor and Selayang, and to the south is Kuala Langat. Shah Alam is also a major city within the Klang Valley. This is an area that includes Kuala Lumpur and its nearby towns. The Klang River flows through Shah Alam on its way to the Strait of Malacca.

The land in Shah Alam is mostly flat. However, the northern part of the city has some rolling hills.

City Layout

Shah Alam city sections

Street names in Shah Alam have signs in both Roman and Jawi script.

Shah Alam is designed with many housing areas. These areas make up most of the city. There are also commercial centers spread out in different "Seksyen" (sections). The city has 56 sections in total.

Shah Alam can be divided into three main parts: north, central, and south. Central Shah Alam is where you'll find all the state government buildings.

You can find several shopping malls in the city. Some popular ones include Aeon Shah Alam Seksyen 13 and Central i-City Mall. Busy shopping areas are mostly in the city center.

All the main roads in Shah Alam have signs showing their names in both Roman and Jawi scripts.

Weather in Shah Alam

Shah Alam has a tropical rainforest climate. This means it's warm all year round. The average high temperature is about 31.9 °C, and the average low is 23.2 °C. The city gets a lot of rain, especially in November. The climate is generally quite humid.

How Shah Alam is Governed

Shah Alam City Council

In 1963, the Shah Alam Town Board was created to develop the area. Later, when Shah Alam became the state capital, the Shah Alam Municipal Council was formed. This council helps manage and run the city.

Economy and Industry

Shah Alam's economy is largely based on its role as the state capital. This means many government-related jobs are here. Beyond that, a big part of Shah Alam's economy comes from manufacturing. The services sector also plays a key role.

Many factories are located in areas like Batu Tiga and Sections 26, 27, and 28. Big companies like CSR Sugar Refinery and Fraser and Neave have plants here.

The city is also important for the car industry. Volvo has the oldest car assembly plant in Malaysia here. Proton, a Malaysian car company, was founded in Shah Alam and still has its headquarters here. Toyota also has an assembly plant in the city.

Learning and Education

Shah Alam has many places for learning. The Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) is a large university located here. It takes up a whole section of the city. There is also a branch campus called INTEC UiTM. This college helps students prepare for studies overseas.

Other universities in Shah Alam include University of Selangor and Management and Science University (MSU). There are also several technical and vocational schools.

Shah Alam has many primary and secondary schools. Currently, there are 23 secondary schools and 37 primary schools. The Chinese Taipei International School (Kuala Lumpur) is also located in Shah Alam.

Getting Around Shah Alam

Shah Alam Komuter station

Shah Alam is well connected to other major cities in the Klang Valley. It has a good network of highways like the Federal Highway and the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE). These highways also connect the city to two main airports. The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is about 30 km south. The Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang handles domestic flights.

Inside the city, major roads are connected by roundabouts. These divide the city into different Sections. Each section has local roads named after a certain theme. For example, roads in Section 20 are named after animals. Shah Alam is unique because it has its own road numbering system within the city.

Public transportation includes the KTM Komuter train service. This train connects Shah Alam to other cities. It stops at three stations within Shah Alam: Shah Alam Komuter station, Padang Jawa Komuter station, and Sungai Buloh Komuter station.

The Kelana Jaya line of the LRT (Light Rail Transit) also serves Shah Alam. It has stations like Alam Megah LRT station and Glenmarie LRT station. The MRT Kajang Line also has stations in the northern part of Shah Alam. A new LRT service, the Shah Alam line, is expected to start in 2025.

Buses and taxis are also available for public transport. There is a main bus and taxi hub in Section 17. From here, you can take express buses to other major cities in Peninsular Malaysia.

Health and Hospitals

Shah Alam has many private clinics in its residential areas. There are also government-owned clinics in Section 7 and Section 19.

The Shah Alam Hospital, a government hospital, opened in 2015. It is also used as a teaching hospital for medical students. There are also several private hospitals in Shah Alam, such as KPJ Selangor Specialist Hospital and Avisena Specialist Hospital.

Culture and Fun

People of Shah Alam

As of 2023, Shah Alam has a population of 438,745 people. Most of the residents are Bumiputera (74.5%). There are also significant numbers of Chinese (17.0%) and Indian (8.0%) residents.

Places of Worship

Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque

Shah Alam is very famous for its mosque, the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque. It is also known as the Blue Mosque. It is said to be the largest mosque in Malaysia and one of the biggest in Southeast Asia. It can hold 24,000 people praying at once.

The mosque has a large blue and silver dome. It is 51.2 meters wide and reaches 106.7 meters high. There are also four tall minarets, each 142.3 meters high. The mosque was built after Shah Alam became the capital of Selangor in 1974. It was finished in 1988. Since Shah Alam is the capital of Selangor, Islam is the main religion for most residents.

There is also the Samadhi Vihara, a Buddhist temple. It is known for its unique lotus-top Shrine Hall. It serves as a center for Buddhists in the Klang Valley area.

Fun Things to Do

SA Tourist Service Centre

Garden of Islamic Arts Next to the Blue Mosque is the Garden of Islamic Arts. This is a beautiful park inspired by the Garden of Paradise mentioned in the Quran. It has nine galleries that show Islamic art like calligraphy, sculptures, and paintings. Sometimes, traditional Islamic performances are held here.

Sultan Alam Shah Museum The Selangor State Museum (Sultan Alam Shah Museum) displays many historical items from Selangor. Nearby is the Selangor Islamic Arts Complex. This complex houses Islamic artworks and an Islamic Art College. There is also an art gallery called Laman Budaya by the Lake Gardens, where shows and exhibitions take place.

Shah Alam has many parks and gardens. These include the Shah Alam Lake Gardens, the Shah Alam National Botanical Park, and the Kota Kemuning Lakeside Park.

i-City Shah Alam

i-City, City of Digital Lights

i-City is a popular place in Section 7 of Shah Alam. It is known for its bright LED lighting decorations at night. Besides the lights, it has a water theme park, a 3D museum, a Ferris Wheel, and a Snowwalk. It's a great spot for taking photos.

Sports and Activities

Shah Alam Stadium

Selangor F.C. Training Centre, located at SUK Sports Complex, Section 5, Shah Alam.

Shah Alam has a large sports area called the Kompleks Sukan Shah Alam, or Shah Alam Sports Complex.

Inside this complex is the huge Shah Alam Stadium. This stadium is the home ground for Selangor F.C., a football team. It used to be the biggest stadium in Malaysia with 80,000 seats. The stadium was even featured in a challenge on the TV show The Amazing Race Asia.

There is also the Melawati Stadium, an indoor stadium that can hold 40,000 people. It hosts sports matches and other events. This stadium was used for the boxing finals of the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Shah Alam go-kart circuit

The Shah Alam Sports Complex also has the Darul Ehsan Aquatic Centre, a Go-Kart track, and the Shah Alam Extreme Park.

Fun and Recreation

SACC Mall

Uptown Shah Alam Uptown Shah Alam is a popular spot in Section 24. It's like a big flea market where locals love to visit. You can find food stalls, and sometimes there are concerts and games.

Bon Odori

Bon Odori 2009

Bon Odori is a yearly Japanese festival. It is held to honor the spirits of ancestors. In Malaysia, smaller Bon Odori festivals are celebrated every year. One takes place at the Panasonic Sports Complex in Shah Alam. It's a chance for locals to experience Japanese food, art, and dance.

Wet World Wet World is known as Malaysia's largest water theme park chain. The Wet World Shah Alam is one of its three locations in Malaysia. It's a great place for water fun.

Shah Alam Lake Garden The Shah Alam Lake Garden is a large public park in Section 14. It was designed around seven artificial lakes and opened in 1985. The garden has gazebos, walkways over the water, jogging paths, and playgrounds. You can also find a floating seafood restaurant and enjoy various water activities.

Sister Cities

Shah Alam has two sister cities. These are cities that have a special partnership to promote cultural and economic ties.

See also

In Spanish: Shah Alam para niños