Malaysia History, Language and Culture
History of Malaysia
The tribal history of Malaysia dates back 40,000 years, but Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms spread out across the peninsula from the third century BC onwards. Islam arrived with Indian and Arab traders in the 13th century and Malacca was established as the seat of the first Malay sultanate. Over the following centuries, Islamic dynasties spread their faith across the peninsula and surrounding islands.
The Dutch and Portuguese were the first colonial powers to establish trading posts in Malaysia, but the British took an increasingly dominant role from the 18th century onwards. In 1857, the port cities of Georgetown (Penang) and Malacca were joined by a new city in the jungle-cloaked interior. Founded by Chinese tin miners, Kuala Lumpur grew to become first a provincial capital, and later the capital of the nation.