Kedah - [ Darul Aman ]

Kedah sits in the northwest corner of Peninsula Malaysia. The state is fairly small, covering an area of 9,425 sq km that consists mostly of expansive padi fields and gently rolling hills. Off its coast are the isles of Langkawi, and rising to meet the western shoreline is the mountain of Gunung Jerai (1,200 meters above sea level). Kedah's population of about one million is primarily Malay, though there are significant Chinese and Indian minorities.

Kedah has the distinction of being the "Rice-bowl of Malaysia" - a term that takes on aesthetic significance when one sees the rice fields for themselves: the flat expanse of padis against a backdrop of rolling hills provides a picture of utter serenity that lulls the senses.

Off Kedah's western shores are clusters of sun-drenched islands that comprise the legendary archipelago of Langkawi, easily the most popular resort location in the country. More than a land of mere scenery, however, Kedah is also the site of Malaysia's most extensive ruins. In the Bujang Valley are the sprawling remains of a Hindu kingdom believed to date back to the 6th century A.D.

Like Malaysia's other states, Kedah has its share of rich cultural traditions, songs and dances. Due to its close proximity to Thailand, some of these traditions are Thai in influence and origin, and faces of Kehah's people often bear signs of Thai or Achinese ancestry.