Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is Malaysia’s official national capital and largest city. While many federal ministries relocated to nearby Putrajaya (the administrative center), Kuala Lumpur remains the constitutional capital and hosts the national Parliament and the King’s official palace. Known for the Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur grew from a tin-mining settlement at the “muddy confluence” (the meaning of “Kuala Lumpur”) of the Klang and Gombak rivers, and it was central to Malaysia’s independence era. Memory tip: KL = “Key Location” for the nation’s symbols of power—Parliament, palace, and iconic skyline—while Putrajaya handles day-to-day administration.