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Selangor's history dates to the 16th century,
when rich tin deposits were found in the region. The area's natural
wealth, along with its relative freedom from the presence of the
Dutch, attracted miners, immigrants and colonizers. One especially
important group of settlers were the Bugis, a Malay people from
Macassar (now Ujung Padang) in Celebes. Bugis emigration from this
great port city followed the steady encroachment of the Dutch over
territory previously dominated by Portuguese traders, with whom
the Bugis had allied themselves. Renowned for their capabilities
as sea traders and warriors, the Bugis soon rose to prominence in
Selangor. By 1700 they dominated the state both politically and
economically and had established the present Sultanate of Selangor.
Over
the course of the eighteenth century, Selangor extended its sphere
of influence to become a regional political power. As the western
colonial presence increased over the following century, in-fighting
between the Bugis, Chinese and Malay nobility forced Selangor to
accept the presence of a British Resident in 1874. Unsurprisingly,
this foothold in the prosperous state's administration proved out
to be rather obstinate. In 1896, the British included Selangor in
the Federated Malay States, at about the same time that rubber cultivation
began in Malaysia. In 1948 the state joined the Federation of Malaya.
In
1957 the Federation became an independent state within the Commonwealth
of Nations. In 1974, the country's capital city of Kuala Lumpur
and some of the surrounding areas were ceded to the Federal Government
for the establishment of Wilayah Persekutuan, a Federal Territory.
Today
Selangor is Malaysia's richest and most developed state. It is home
to the largest port in the country, Port Klang, and to many of the
country's largest industrial operations, found particularly in the
Klang Valley. Its highly diversified economy ranges from agriculture,
industry, and commerce to tourism. While industry is rapidly expanding,
the mainstays of the state's economy remain rubber, palm-oil, and
tin mining. Port Klang, already the largest port in the country,
is experiencing vigorous development. Tourism is also beginning
to have a major impact on the economy. Selangor completely surrounds
the Federal Territory of Wilayah Persekutuan, and there are many
close economic and social ties between them. |
