77-480: Telipok is a town located approximately 15 kilometres north of Kota Kinabalu , the state capital of Sabah , Malaysia . The town is within the administration of Kota Kinabalu City Hall and is a sub-district of the city. It is also part of the urban expanse of Kota Kinabalu, and of its metropolitan area . It is situated near Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park, and is within 5 kilometres of the towns of Manggatal , Sepanggar , and Tuaran . During World War II , Telipok
154-993: A Federal Court . Another court for the Sharia law were also located in the area of Sembulan. The Sabah Police Contingent Headquarters is located in Kepayan. There are two district headquarters in the city, the Kota Kinabalu District police headquarters located in Karamunsing , and the Penampang District headquarters. Both also operate as police stations. Other police stations are found in KKIA, Tanjung Aru , Putatan , and Menggatal . Police substations (Pondok Polis) are found in Luyang , Likas , Telipok and Babagon. The city's traffic police headquarters
231-591: A naval base for the Royal Malaysian Navy and an oil depot in addition to handling containerised cargo. In 2004, Kota Kinabalu Port handled about 3.6 million tonnes of freight cargo, the third highest in the state after Sandakan Port and Tawau Port. However, it handles the highest number of containers in the state, with 153,793 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) of containers handled in 2006. Sepanggar Bay Port will have an annual capacity of 200,000 TEU when its container terminal
308-512: A Land Commissioner, identified a 30 acres (12 ha) site opposite Gaya Island as a replacement for Gantian Bay. The replacement settlement site was a fishing village called Api-Api (see Original names above). The site was chosen due to its proximity to the North Borneo Railway and its natural port that provided good anchorage, which was up to 24 feet deep. By the end of 1899, construction had started on shoplots ,
385-506: A distinct Sabahan creole . However, as about 20% of Kota Kinabalu residents are of Chinese descent, Chinese is also widely spoken. Among the Chinese, the most commonly spoken varieties are Huiyang Hakka (Simplified Chinese: 惠阳客家话; Traditional Chinese: 惠陽客家話) and Mandarin . Additionally, most Chinese can speak Cantonese , although with widely varying levels of fluency. Almost all residents are also able to speak English, especially
462-643: A group called Kinabalu Guerrillas in the Jesselton Revolt consisting of local inhabitants. Japanese forces quelled the rebellion after its leader, Albert Kwok , was arrested and executed in 1944. At the later stages of the war, what remained of the town was destroyed again by Allied bombings day and night for over six months as part of the Borneo Campaign in 1945, leaving only three buildings standing. The war in North Borneo ended with
539-496: A local leader named Mat Salleh . In July 1899, the place located opposite to the Gaya Island was identified as a suitable place for settlements. Development in the area was started soon after that; and the place was named "Api-api" before it was renamed after Sir Charles Jessel , the vice-chairman of BNBC, as "Jesselton". Jesselton became a major trading port in the area, and was connected to the North Borneo Railway . Jesselton
616-547: A narrow flatland between the Crocker Range to the east and the South China Sea to the west. There are six islands off the coast of the city. The largest is Gaya Island , the site of the first British settlement. Approximately 8,000 people live there. The smaller islands, mainly uninhabited, are named Sapi Island, Manukan Island , Sulug Island, Mamutik Island and Sepanggar Island to the north. Sepanggar island
693-504: A pier and government buildings. This new administrative centre was renamed Jesselton after Sir Charles Jessel , who was the then Vice-Chairman of BNBC. Eventually, Jesselton became a major trading post of North Borneo, dealing in rubber, rattan , honey , and wax. The North Borneo Railway was used to transport goods to the Jesselton harbour. The Malay and Bajau uprisings during those times were not uncommon, and BNBC worked to quell
770-555: A referral hospital for children and women. Hospital Mesra Bukit Padang (Bukit Padang Mental Hospital), which opened in 1971, provides psychiatric services for the entire state. KPJ Specialist Hospital is the largest private hospital with 245 beds. In addition, five other large private health facilities are Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu with 200 beds, Jesselton Medical Centre (JMC) with 73 beds, Damai Specialist Centre (DMC) with 56 beds and Rafflesia Medical Centre (RMC) with 33 beds. There are many government or state schools in and around
847-430: A significant population of Visayan origin, as well as smaller groups from northern Philippines . In addition to Filipinos, the city is also home to sizeable residence of Indonesian descent . These groups, primarily of Bugis , Banjarese , Torajans and Javanese ancestry, have established visible presence in the city. There is a small population of Indians , Pakistanis , Timorese and Eurasians scattered around
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#1732780786065924-583: Is Api-Api , or simply Api , which is a Malay word meaning 'Fire'. Wendy Law Suart wrote in her book on North Borneo , The Lingering Eye , "there is in the Sabah State Museum a Dutch map of Borneo and the Celebes dated 1657 in which the settlement where Jesselton was to stand is clearly labelled Api Api. It may have some connection with the seaside tree with breathing roots that bears the same name". There are claims, however, that Kota Kinabalu
1001-560: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Kota Kinabalu Kota Kinabalu ( Malaysian: [ˈkota kinaˈbalu] ; formerly known as Jesselton ), colloquially referred to as KK , is the state capital of Sabah , Malaysia . It is also the capital of the Kota Kinabalu District as well as the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing
1078-627: Is a mixture of many different races and ethnicities . Non-Malaysian citizens form the largest group in the city with 110,556 people followed by Chinese (93,429), Bajau (72,931), Kadazan-Dusun (69,993), other Bumiputras (59,107), Malay (35,835), Murut (2,518), Indian (2,207) and others (5,482). The Chinese are mostly Hakkas and reside mainly in the Luyang area as well as in Likas and Damai neighbourhoods with significant populations in other suburbs such as Manggatal, Inanam and Telipok. There
1155-435: Is administered by an organisation called Sabah Parks . Accommodations in the form of chalets can be found in the park, mostly around the headquarters. Reservations for accommodation and mountain climbing guides are processed through Sutera Sanctuary Lodges, a private company. Every person who wishes to climb the mountain must be accompanied by a qualified guide. Sutera is now requiring hikers to stay one night at their lodge near
1232-474: Is also a sizeable Cantonese-speaking population and smaller communities of Hokkien and Fuzhounese -speaking Chinese scattered throughout all areas of the city. Most of the Fuzhounese speakers in particular emigrated to Sabah from the neighbouring Malaysian state of Sarawak. Kota Kinabalu is home to a diverse range of indigenous groups. The Kadazans , who predominantly come from Penampang and Papar, and
1309-459: Is also home to a multitude of endemic animal species, including the Kinabalu giant red leech and Kinabalu giant earthworm . The park also plays host to a variety of birds, insects, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. Mount Kinabalu is one of the youngest non-volcanic mountains in the world. It was formed within the last 10 to 35 million years. The mountain still grows at a rate of 5 millimetres
1386-513: Is completed. The Kota Kinabalu Ferry Service operates from a passenger ferry terminal located at Jesselton Point, providing ferry and motorboat services to nearby islands. There are also regular scheduled ferry services to Labuan . The Kota Kinabalu Court Complex is located along Kebajikan Road. It contains three High Courts , six Magistrates' courts , six Sessions Courts including the Child Sexual Offence Court and
1463-452: Is defined within the borders of what is the district , formerly the municipality, of Kota Kinabalu. With an area of 351 square kilometres, it is the smallest but the most populous district in Sabah. It encompasses Tanjung Aru and Kepayan in the south, up to Telipok and Sepanggar in the north. The urban expanse of the city however extends into the district of Penampang on the south of
1540-475: Is growing steadily and the urban sprawl extends to the towns of Inanam , Menggatal , Sepanggar , Telipok and south of the district border to Penampang , Putatan , and Lok Kawi . Kota Kinabalu is generally isolated from the rest of the country; it is located about 1,624 kilometres (1,009 mi) from Kuala Lumpur in Peninsular Malaysia and 804 kilometres (500 mi) from Kuching in
1617-556: Is known as the Western Line and managed by the Sabah State Railway , providing daily services for commuters, travellers, as well as for cargo transportation. A separate company operates the leisure tour also called the North Borneo Railway , which caters mainly for tourists. This antique steam train service only running on Saturday and Wednesday mornings from Tanjung Aru station to Kinarut station before returning to
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#17327807860651694-401: Is largely inhabited by Kadazans and Bruneian Malays. The Brunei Malays and Bajau are Muslims . The Kadazan-Dusuns, Muruts, Rungus and Lundayeh/Lun Bawang mainly practice Folk forms of Christianity, Islam, or Animism, whilst the Chinese are mainly Buddhists , Taoist or Christians. There are numerous Roman Catholic, Basel (Lutheran), Anglican, Evangelical, and Methodist churches throughout
1771-473: Is located about 90 kilometres from the city and there are many other 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. Kota Kinabalu is named after Mount Kinabalu , which is situated about 50 kilometres east-northeast of
1848-555: Is located along Lorong Dewan near Gaya Street, and the marine police headquarters is located near the city ferry terminal along Tun Razak Road . Kota Kinabalu Central Prison is located in Kepayan . There are three public hospitals , six publics health clinic , two child and mother health clinics, six village clinics, one mobile clinic and six 1Malaysia clinics in Kota Kinabalu. Queen Elizabeth General Hospital , which
1925-527: Is located along Penampang Road and named after Queen Elizabeth II , is the largest public hospital in the state with 589 beds. Built in 1957, it is the most important healthcare centre in the city and one of three general hospitals in Sabah. Queen Elizabeth Hospital II was established then after the acquisition of the former building of Sabah Medical Centre (SMC) in 2009. The second main government hospital are mainly used for heart centre. Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-kanak (Sabah Women and Children Hospital) serves as
2002-571: Is located north of the National Park opposite Sepanggar Bay . Flat land is at a premium in the city centre, and there is a strict limit to the height of buildings: the airport is 7 km (4 mi) away, and the city is directly in the flight path. Most of the Central Business District (CBD) today is built on land reclaimed from the sea. The original local plant life has largely disappeared, but several hills within
2079-473: Is one of the main gateways into Sabah and East Malaysia. In addition to domestic flights within Sabah and Malaysia, KKIA is also serviced by international flights to several cities in southeast and northeast Asia, as well as Perth in Australia. Kota Kinabalu has two ports: Kota Kinabalu Port and Sepanggar Bay Container Port (SBCP). Kota Kinabalu Port mainly handles loose/bulk cargo, while SBCP operates as
2156-509: Is one of the most popular tourist spots in Sabah and Malaysia in general. In 2010, the park received 611,624 visitors, including 47,613 climbers. The site has been identified by UNESCO as a Centre of Plant Diversity for Southeast Asia, as it contains representatives from at least half of all Borneo’s plant species and is extremely rich in species with elements from China, Australia, the Himalayas, Malaysia and pan tropical floras. The region
2233-565: Is served as a military base where the Kinabalu Guerillas led by Albert Kwok actively operating to fight the Japanese. Telipok are notoriously known as one of the spots of Filipino refugees slum, where frequent crimes such as robbery and cable theft happens. Due to the rampant crimes, there has been many proposals to repatriated all the refugees to their country or move to a border island. This Sabah location article
2310-614: The British North Borneo Company . It was built for the main purpose of transporting commodities from the Interior Division to the port in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) during the period of British rule. The railway line connects Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu to Tenom and several other towns in between, and it is the only railway system operating in East Malaysia . Today, the railway line
2387-597: The Dusuns , from the west coast and the interior of Sabah, are among the largest groups. The Bajaus , originally from Tuaran and Kota Belud, also have a significant presence in the city, along with other Bajau communities from various coastal regions of Sabah. The Malay population in Kota Kinabalu is primarily descended from Bruneian Malays , with smaller communities from the Malay Peninsula and Sarawak. Additionally, there are several other indigenous groups, including
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2464-606: The Federation of Malaya formed the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, it became known as Sabah, and Jesselton remained its capital. On 22 December 1967, the State Legislative Assembly under Chief Minister Mustapha Harun passed a bill renaming Jesselton as Kota Kinabalu. The city was upgraded to city status on 2 February 2000. Being the capital city of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu plays an important role in
2541-644: The Kota Kinabalu City Hall (Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu). The current mayor of Kota Kinabalu is Sabin Samitah, who became the latest mayor after taking over the post from Noorliza Awang Alip on 1 January 2024. Iliyas in turn became the second mayor of the city after taking over from Abdul Ghani Rashid in 2006. The city obtained city status on 2 February 2000, and prior to this it was administered by Majlis Perbandaran Kota Kinabalu (Kota Kinabalu Municipal Council/Kota Kinabalu Town Hall). The city
2618-485: The Murut , Suluk , Sungai , Lun Bawang/Lundayeh , Bisaya , Illanun , Kedayan , Ida'an and Rungus , who have relocated to the city for socio-economic opportunities from different parts of the state. Penampang district is populated mainly by Kadazans, while Bajaus and Dusuns mainly reside in Likas, Sembulan, Inanam, Menggatal, Sepanggar and Telipok. In Tuaran, both Dusun and Bajau communities are prominent, while Papar
2695-606: The Sanskrit word कोट्ट (kota) which means fort, fortress, castle, fortified house, fortification, works, city, town, or place encircled by walls. It is also used formally in a few other Malaysian towns and cities, for example, Kota Bharu , Kota Tinggi , and Kota Kemuning . It can also be used informally to refer to any towns or cities. Hence, a direct translation of the name Kota Kinabalu into English would be "City of Kinabalu" or "Kinabalu City". Besides Jesselton, there are also other older names for Kota Kinabalu. The most popular
2772-432: The South China Sea . The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies to its west and Mount Kinabalu , which gave the city its name, is located to its east. Kota Kinabalu has a population of 452,058 according to the 2010 census; when the adjacent Penampang and Tuaran districts are included, the metro area has a combined population of 628,725. The 2020 Census revealed an increase in the municipal population to 500,421, while
2849-467: The earlier migrants have been naturalised as Malaysian citizens. However, there are still some Filipinos living in the city without proper documentation as illegal immigrants . The majority of Filipino migrants in the city come from the southern Philippines and the Sulu Archipelago , with notable communities of Chavacano speakers and Bangsamoro background. Additionally, there is
2926-511: The Southwest Monsoon occurs between May and September. There are also two successive inter-monsoons from April to May and from September to October. During the 1995–2004 period, Kota Kinabalu's average temperature ranges from 26 °C (79 °F) to 28 °C (82 °F). April and May are the hottest months, while January is the coolest one. The average annual rainfall is around 2,400 millimetres and varies markedly throughout
3003-496: The capital of North Borneo instead of Sandakan , which had also been destroyed by the war. The Crown Colony administration designed a plan, later known as the "Colonial Office Reconstruction and Development Plan for North Borneo: 1948–1955", to rebuild North Borneo. This plan provided £ 6,051,939 for the rebuilding of infrastructure in North Borneo. When the Crown Colony of North Borneo together with Sarawak , Singapore and
3080-563: The city ( Papar , Beaufort , Sipitang , Limbang etc.). A third bus terminal, the North Kota Kinabalu Bus Terminal in Inanam district, services intercity buses heading towards destinations north and north-east of the city ( Ranau , Sandakan , Lahad Datu, Tawau , Semporna etc.). Taxis are available throughout the city. A railway system formerly known as the North Borneo Railway was established in 1896 by
3157-551: The city (too steep for building) are still clothed with tropical rainforest . One of these is Signal Hill, which confines the CBD to the shore. In the area of Likas Bay, the remnants of an extensive mangrove forest was nearly lost. In 1996, the state government declared 24 acres (9.7 ha) of the forest as a protected area. This forest is now known as the Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary . The sanctuary
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3234-517: The city border, which includes the towns of Donggongon and Putatan . The combined area of Kota Kinabalu District and the contiguous built up areas in Penampang and Putatan is known as Greater Kota Kinabalu . The district of Penampang has an area of 466 square kilometres, and is administered by Majlis Daerah Penampang (Penampang District Council). On one end of the scale, Kota Kinabalu may sometimes only refer to, especially by local inhabitants,
3311-429: The city centre or central business district near the sea facing Gaya Island. On the other end of the scale, it may also refer to the metropolitan area which includes urban Kota Kinabalu (Greater Kota Kinabalu), and the surrounding towns of Papar and Kinarut in the south, and Tuaran and Tamparuli in the north, being within its zone of influence. Kota Kinabalu is located on the west coast of Sabah. The city lies on
3388-530: The city's industrial and commercial activity, making it a major growth centre in East Malaysia, as well for the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area) region. The internal roads linking different parts of the city are generally state roads constructed and maintained by the state's Public Works Department . Most major internal roads are dual-carriageways . One of
3465-483: The city. Kinabalu is derived from the name Aki Nabalu meaning the "revered place of the dead." Aki means "ancestors" or "grandfather", and Nabalu is a name for the mountain in the Dusun language . There is also a source claiming that the term originated from Ki Nabalu , Ki meaning "have" or "exist", and Nabalu meaning "spirit of the dead". The word kota comes from Malay word kota which in turn comes from
3542-570: The city. A small number of Hindus , Sikhs , Animists , and secularists can also be found. The Census 2020 Report showed an increase to 500,421 inhabitants. There is also a sizeable Filipino population in the city. The first wave of migrants arrived in the late 15th century during the Spanish colonisation , while a later wave arrived in the early 1970s, driven away from the Philippines by political and economic uncertainties there. Most of
3619-829: The city. Among the well-established and prestigious boarding schools in Sabah is Sekolah Menengah Sains Sabah , formally known as Sekolah Berasrama Penuh Sabah (SBPS), which was in Bukit Padang, currently located at Tuaran district, Sabah. Other secondary schools are KK High School , SM La Salle, Sekolah Menengah Shan Tao, Sekolah Menengah Taman Tun Fuad, Sekolah Menengah Likas, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Perempuan Likas, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan St. Francis Convent, Sekolah Menengah All Saints, Sekolah Menengah Stella Maris, Sekolah Menengah Saint Michael , Maktab Sabah , Sekolah Menengah Lok Yuk, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Kota Kinabalu and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Ahmadshah . There are independent private schools in
3696-530: The city. Among them are Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School , Kian Kok Middle School , Maktab Nasional and Seri Insan Secondary School. Kinabalu Park Kinabalu Park ( Malay : Taman Kinabalu ), established as one of the first national parks of Malaysia in 1964, is Malaysia's first World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in December 2000 for its "outstanding universal values" and
3773-470: The city. More recently, the number of expatriates living in the city, whether temporarily or permanently, have also increased. Most of them come from China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Taiwan and Europe. Interracial marriages are not uncommon and Kadazan-Chinese intermarriages are particularly common. The mixed race offspring of Kadazan and Chinese are referred to as Sino-Kadazans or simply "Sinos". The people of Kota Kinabalu mainly speak Malay , with
3850-473: The city. Some examples are Lintasan Deasoka, Api-Api Centre and Singgah Mata Street. Since the 15th century, the area of what is now Kota Kinabalu came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire . In the late 1800s, the British North Borneo Company (BNBC) began to establish colonial settlements throughout North Borneo . In 1882, BNBC founded a small settlement in the area known as Gaya Bay, which
3927-450: The district of Ranau , within the West Coast Division . The park is not to be confused with Crocker Range National Park which is a separate park in the south. The park headquarters is 88 kilometres away from the city of Kota Kinabalu . There are sealed roads leading towards the park headquarters from other parts of Sabah. It is situated on the southern boundary of Kinabalu Park, at an elevation of 1,563 m (5,128 ft). This park
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#17327807860654004-433: The economy is slowly diminishing. More recently, a move towards a more tertiary-based industry has become more apparent, especially with regards to the boom in the tourism industry. Many state-level, national-level and international commercial banks, as well as some insurance companies have their headquarters or branches here. The overseas Chinese population also contributes to the development of KK since their immigration in
4081-471: The entrance, in addition to a required stay at Laban Rata. The cost to stay is considerably higher than at lodging just outside the park and includes a mandatory purchase of meals, etc. The mountain summit trail begins at Timpohon. There is also an alternative route called the Mesilau Trail . A notable feature of the park is Low's Gully . It is a 1.6-kilometer deep ravine stretching 10 kilometres on
4158-483: The former station. In 2016, the Tanjung Aru railway station was moved to Aeropod with a new terminal and more public facilities. Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) (ICAO Code : WBKK, IATA Code: BKI) is a main hub for Malaysia Airlines and a secondary hub for AirAsia and MASwings . It has one terminal and is the second busiest airport in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur International Airport and
4235-410: The four parliamentary constituencies in the city: Sepanggar ( P.171 ), Kota Kinabalu ( P.172 ), Putatan ( P.173 ), Tuaran ("P.176") and Penampang ( P.174 ). The city also elects 9 representatives to the state legislature from the state assembly districts of Karambunai, Inanam, Likas, Api-Api, Luyang, Tanjung Aru, Petagas, Kepayan, Segama, Menggatal, Tuaran, Lido, and Moyog. The city is administered by
4312-434: The government, includes Karamunsing, the port area (Tanjung Lipat), Signal Hill, Kampung Air, Sinsuran, Segama, Asia City, Gaya Street (Old Town), Bandaran Berjaya, Api-Api, Sutera Harbour and Sembulan. Outlying neighbourhoods and residential suburbs include Kepayan Ridge, Tanjung Aru, Petagas, Kepayan, Lido, Lintas, Nosoob, Bukit Padang, Luyang, Damai, Lok Kawi, Bukit Bendera, Kasigui, Bundusan, Likas and Kolombong. The city
4389-467: The late 19th century. Their original role was often a ' coolie ' (manual labourer) and today many Chinese work as shopowners. A number of industrial and manufacturing companies also have plants here, especially in the industrial districts of Likas, Kolombong, and Inanam. The ongoing construction of the 8,320-acre (33.7 km ) Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP) in Sepanggar is intended to boost
4466-642: The long-standing threat of piracy in the region. Jesselton was partially razed by the British during their retreat from the advancing Japanese and suffered further devastation when the Allies bombed it in 1945. After the Japanese takeover of Borneo , it was again renamed Api. Several rebellions against the Japanese military administration took place in Api. One major rebellion in the town occurred on 10 October 1943 by
4543-439: The major roads here is Lintas-Tuaran Bypass Road, 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. There are currently no freeways in the city or in any other part of Sabah. The city is linked by highways to other towns in Sabah. These are mainly federal roads maintained by
4620-516: The national Public Works Department. Highway routes from Kota Kinabalu include: Regular bus services operate in the city. Aside from buses, minibuses or vans are used as an alternative mode of public transport. There are two main bus terminals in the city centre. The terminal along Tun Razak Road provide bus services to different parts of the city and its outskirts, while the KK Sentral terminal provides intercity services to destinations south of
4697-476: The neighbouring state of Sarawak . Kota Kinabalu features a tropical monsoon climate (Am) with constant high temperatures, and a considerable amount of rain and high humidity throughout the course of the year. Two prevailing monsoons characterise the climate of this part of Sabah are the Northeast Monsoon and the Southwest Monsoon. The Northeast Monsoon occurs between November and March, while
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#17327807860654774-620: The official surrender of the Japanese 37th Army by Lieutenant General Baba Masao in Labuan on 10 September 1945. After the war on the edge of bankruptcy, the British North Borneo Company returned to administer Jesselton but was unable to finance the huge costs of reconstruction. They gave control of North Borneo to the British Crown on 18 July 1946. The new colonial government elected to rebuild Jesselton as
4851-451: The people of the city is " orang KK ", where orang means "person" or "people" in Malay. The terms "K.K-ites" and "K.K-ians" have also been used to a limited extent. People from Sabah are called Sabahans. The following is based on Department of Statistics Malaysia 2010 census. The Malaysian Census 2010 Report estimated the population of Kota Kinabalu at 452,058. The city's population
4928-465: The political and economic welfare of the population of 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 the nearby Likas Bay. There are four members of parliament (MPs) representing
5005-421: The role as one of the most important biological sites in the world with more than 4,500 species of flora and fauna, including 326 bird and around 100 mammal species, and over 110 land snail species. Located on the west coast of Sabah , Malaysian Borneo , it covers an area of 754 square kilometres surrounding Mount Kinabalu , which at 4,095.2 meters, is the highest mountain on the island of Borneo . The park
5082-430: The side of the mountain peak. This botanical site contains a variety of flora and fauna that ranges over 4 climate zones; from rich lowland dipterocarp forest through the montane oak , rhododendron , to the coniferous forests , to the alpine meadow plants, and to the stunted bushes of summit zone. The mountain is also known for its many carnivorous plant and orchid species, most notably Nepenthes rajah . It
5159-420: The southern part of the city which was filled with coconut trees. Yet another name was Singgah Mata which literally means "transit eye", but can be loosely translated as "pleasing to the eye". It is a name said to have been given by fishermen from Gaya Island referring to the strip of land that is today's downtown Kota Kinabalu. Today, all these names have been immortalised as names of streets or buildings around
5236-497: The town. After the formation of Malaysia, North Borneo was renamed as Sabah. In 1967, Jesselton was renamed as Kota Kinabalu, Kota being the Malay word for City and Kinabalu after the nearby Mount Kinabalu . Kota Kinabalu was granted city status in 2000. Kota Kinabalu is often known as KK both in Malaysia and internationally. It is a major tourist destination and a gateway for travellers visiting Sabah and Borneo. Kinabalu Park
5313-426: The usage of the language. Kadazan has been considered an endangered language , along with the culture of ethnic Kadazans. Besides being the capital city, Kota Kinabalu is also the main industrial and commercial centre for Sabah. The economy is dominated by the primary sector of industry . Historically, the secondary sector dominated the economy, but due to rapid urbanisation and economic development, this sector of
5390-539: The wider area including the Penampang and Putatan districts had a population of 731,406. In the 15th century, the area of Kota Kinabalu was under the influence of Bruneian Empire . Historically, the Kadazandusuns called the area by the name of Dondoung. In the 19th century, the British North Borneo Company (BNBC) first set up a settlement near the Gaya Island . However, it was destroyed by fire in 1897 by
5467-543: The year. February and March are typically the driest months while rainfall peaks in the inter-monsoon period in October. The wind speed ranges from 5.5 to 7.9 m/s during the Northeast Monsoon but is significantly lower to 0.3 to 3.3 m/s during the Southwest Monsoon. There have not been any official or popular adjectives, or demonyms , to describe the people of Kota Kinabalu. A simple way to describe
5544-482: The younger generation. However, some find it difficult to speak fluently due to a limited vocabulary and the general lack of usage of the English language as a conversational lingua franca among Sabahans as a whole. The number of Kadazan-Dusun speakers is thought to have dropped significantly throughout Sabah, especially in larger towns or cities like Kota Kinabalu. However, some effort has been taken by some to revive
5621-514: Was actually named after a nearby river called Sungai Api-Api . In Chinese, the city is still known as 'Api', which is the Hakka pronunciation for 亚庇 ( Simplified Chinese ; Traditional Chinese : 亞庇; Pinyin : yà bì ). Another suggested historical name is Deasoka , which roughly means "below the coconut tree" in the Bajau language. The Bajau locals purportedly used this name to refer to a village in
5698-531: Was already inhabited by the Bajau people. The first settlement was at Gaya Island . However, in 1897, the settlement was burned and destroyed by the indigenous Bajau- Suluk chief Mat Salleh . After the destruction, BNBC decided to relocate the settlement to the more easily defended mainland at Gantian Bay (now Sepanggar Bay) in 1898. However, Gantian Bay was found to be unsuitable and in July 1899, Henry Walker,
5775-406: Was designated as a national park in 1964. British colonial administrator and naturalist Hugh Low led an expedition from Tuaran to the region in 1851. He also became the first recorded man to reach the peak of Mount Kinabalu. The highest peak of the mountain was later named after him— Low's Peak . Kinabalu Park is situated on the Crocker Range on the western coast of Sabah. It is located within
5852-557: Was given additional protection as a State Cultural Heritage Site in 1998. The five islands (of Gaya, Sapi, Manukan, Sulug, Mamutik) opposite the city, and their surrounding waters, are also preserved as the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park . The park was named in honour of the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman . The park is a recreational spot for tourists and local people. The Kota Kinabalu city centre, consisting of mostly businesses and
5929-502: Was largely destroyed during World War II . The Japanese occupation of Jesselton provoked several local uprisings notably the Jesselton Revolt but they were eventually defeated by the Japanese. After the war, BNBC was unable to finance the high cost of reconstructions and the place was ceded to the British Crown Colony . The British Crown declared Jesselton as the new capital of North Borneo in 1946 and started to rebuild
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