Malacca

Malacca (Malay: Melaka, Jawi: ملاك) is one of the 11 states of Malaya. It is located in the south-west of the country, on the Strait of Malacca. It is the 3rd smallest state by land area, and the second least populous. Nonetheless, it is an important historical and port city in Malaya.

It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north, and Johor to the east.

Divisions
Malacca is divided into 3 districts:
 * Alor Gajah District
 * Jasin District
 * Malacca District

Malacca makes up 6 of the 165 seats in the Malayan Parliament.

Geography
Malacca is the flattest state in Malaya, however it still has small hills scattered throughout its territory.

Tanjung Tuan (also known as Cape Rachado) is an exclave of Malacca, located to the west, bordering Negeri Sembilan.

Malacca City is located at the narrowest point of the Strait of Malacca.

History
The original town of Malacca was founded in 1407 by Iskandar Shah, the last sultan of Singapore as a trading port and harbour.

After a while, it became a Chinese protectorate, and a port favoured by legendary explorer Zheng He.

The city was annexed by the Portuguese in 1511. The Dutch ruled the city from 1681 to 1824, by which time control was handed to the British, where it became one of the Straits Settlements.

During this time, the British brought many workers from South India as a cheap labour force, and they still form a sizeable minority in Malacca to this day.

It joined the Malayan Union in 1946, and became a full state upon independence on the 31st of August, 1957. It is one of only 2 states in Malaya that is not ruled by a sultan, the other being Penang.