About Johor
Inland of the state of Johor, there are extensive plantations of rubber, pineapples and coconut. However, there are also miles and miles of sunny and warm, sandy beaches with wonderful resorts where you can spend days and nights in tranquillity. Johor, also known as the “Abode of Dignity”, is one of the 13 states that make up Malaysia. The strategic positioning of the state, coupled with the diverse cultures is what makes this place a good place to visit with your family or even alone. The capital city is Johor Bahru.
History
Johor’s history is characterised by takeovers and secessions. It was first founded by a Malaccan sultan, who had fled Malacca to escape the Portuguese. He then extended his reign over other Malaysian areas, for instance Perak, creating the Sultanate of Perak.
All the areas that were brought under the Sultan were replacements of Malacca. The rule by the Sultan was not a smooth one but he managed to stay afloat by making alliances with other Malaysian states and the Dutch, eventually taking back Malacca.
After a series of conquests and the Second World War, Johor finally joined the Federation of Malaysia in 1948 and shortly afterwards, the federation got its independence.
Geography and climate
Johor is at the most southern point of Asia and is found at the southern portion of the Peninsular Malaysia. It is the 5th largest state and it covers a total of 19,210 square kilometres. It is bordered by the Straits of Johor to the south, which is what separates Johor from Singapore, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest. To the north, it is bordered by Pahang. Additionally, the Riau Archipelago borders the state to the east and Riau Mainland to the west.
It also has eight islands and other smaller islands within the eight. Additionally, the state has a 400 kilometre coastline on the east and west coastlines.
The climate in Johor is one of a tropical rainforest which means that the temperatures are relatively high though not too high, and are constant. Additionally, it also means that the state experiences a considerable amount of rainfall, too much of which has been known to cause floods. Humidity is also high and has been recorded at 86%.
Transport
Johor is mainly served by ports and the airports. It has three ports that help those who are more conversant with travelling in the sea and also enables easy access of each island. The major airport in Johor is the Senai International Airport, which is highly sophisticated to meet any demands you might have. It is relatively spacious, being a 5 million passenger capacity airport.
The state is linked to Singapore and to other states by two road connections. The Johor Singapore Causeway also has a railway route that connects Singapore with Johor and other cities like Kuala Lumpur.
Population and religion
Johor is said to be Malaysia’s second most populated state. This is attributed to the original inhabitants of the state as well as the many migrants that were attracted to the country due to its development as Malaysia’s industrial and transportation hub.
The major religion is Islam, followed by Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Taoist and followers of other religions.