Pahang

Pahang, state in central West Malaysia. With an area of 35,965 sq km (13,886 sq mi), Pahang is the largest state in peninsular Malaysia. The state capital is Kuantan, the most important port on West Malaysia's eastern China Sea coast. Pahang comprises chiefly the basin of the Pahang River (Malaysia's longest river) and a mountainous jungle hinterland to the north-west; Mount Tahan, the highest mountain in the Malay Peninsula, is in Pahang. The sparsely settled population includes indigenous hill peoples as well as Malay peoples and Chinese. Pahang is an important producer of rice, and has large oil palm and rubber plantations. There are extensive mineral deposits, and tin is mined. Considerable oil and gas reserves are located off the coast of Pahang.

Pahang was subject to the Sumatran kingdom of Sri Vijaya in the 13th century, then in the 15th century was incorporated into the kingdom of Malacca under the control of neighbouring Johor. Johor's viceroys later became sultans of Pahang in their own right, and Pahang joined the British protectorate of the Malay States as a separate state. After World War II it was a founder member of the Federation of Malaya which preceded Malaysia. Population 1,239,000 (1997 estimate).