Kuala Lumpur is an Asian tiger that roars: in 130 years, it has grown from nothing to a modern, bustling city of almost two million people. Take in its high-flying triumphs from the viewing deck of the world's tallest building and explore its cultural depths in the back lanes of Chinatown.

It's a modern Asian city of gleaming skyscrapers, but it retains much of the local colour that has been wiped out in other Asian-boom cities such as Singapore. It has plenty of colonial buildings in its centre, a vibrant Chinatown with street vendors and night markets, and a bustling Little India.

KL (as it's almost universally known) is a federal territory, directly under the control of the Malaysian federal government. The city's urban sprawl extends well beyond the boundaries of the territory into surrounding Selangor state, particularly along the Klang Valley - the powerhouse of the Malaysian economy, where much of the city's workforce and industry resides.

Area: 243 sq km
Population: 1.8 million
Country: Malaysia
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +8 (Peninsular Malaysia)
Telephone Area Code: 03

Orientation

Malaysia is divided into two regions - Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia - with Kuala Lumpur in Selangor province near the west coast of the Peninsular. The traditional heart of the city is Merdeka Square, easily spotted because of the 95m (312ft) flag pole - reputedly the world's tallest. KL is a relatively easy city to navigate, with major north-south thoroughfares assisting in the speedy movement of people. At peak hour, however, the city resembles most other industrialised cities in the world, and the air - already dripping with humidity - gets thick with smog. Travelling around the city on foot can be a frustrating experience. New six-lane roads and overhead bridges divide the city with no thought to pedestrian traffic.

Southeast of Merdeka Square, the banking district merges into hectic Chinatown, where travellers can find a wealth of accommodation and restaurant options. Due south of the square, past the main post office is the historic KL train station, while further west is the 'green belt', where you'll find the Lake Gardens, National Museum and Monument and the Malaysian Parliament.

Southeast of the old KL station is KL Sentral (Central Station), the new hub of Malaysia's national railway system. Puduraya bus station is on the eastern edge of the central district. The international airport, KLIA, is located some 43km (27mi) south of the city.