Perlis
(2002 est. pop. 209,000). At 759 square kilometers, Perlis is the smallest state in Malaysia. It lies in the northwestern corner of the Malay Peninsula and borders Thailand to the north and the Strait of Malacca to the west. Perlis was originally part of the state of Kedah, which lies to its south. However, the Thais decided to create another vassal principality when they conquered Kedah in 1821, and thus Perlis was formed. Perlis was later transferred to the British under the Treaty of Bangkok (1909). During the Japanese occupation of British Malaya from 1941 to 1945, Perlis, together with the states of Kedah, Kelantan, and Trengganu, was ceded to Thailand. After the war, Perlis became a member of the Federation of Malaya (1948) and, subsequently, a constituent state of independent Malaysia (1957).
The state's major land use is in agriculture (predominantly rice, sugarcane, and rubber). Mining, quarrying, and harvesting forestry products continue to be important economic activities as well. Since the 1970s, however, medium-scale manufacturing has assumed an increasing share of the state's gross domestic product.
Further Reading
Haji Buyong Adil. (1981) Sejarah Perlis. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
Wan Hashim, Wan Teh, and Ismail Hamid. (1988) Nilai budaya masyarakat desa. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.
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