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Malacca information
Malacca - Historical City
There are some interesting legends surrounding the foundation and
naming of Malacca. According to the 16th century Malay Annals, the
city was founded by Parameswara, a descendant of Alexander the Great.
More likely, he was a Hindu prince and political fugitive from nearby
Java. The legend goes that Paramswara was out on a hunt in the  region
and had stopped to refresh himself near what is now the Malacca
River. Standing near a Melaka tree he was surprised to witness one
of his hunting dogs so startled by a mouse deer that it fell into
the river. Parameswara took this as a propitious sign of the weak
overcoming the powerful and decided to build the capital of his
new kingdom where he stood, naming it for the tree under which he
had been resting. Another account says Malacca is derived from the
Arabic word "Malakat", meaning market. Malacca had a navigable harbor
sheltered by nearby Sumatra across the narrow straits, ample supply
of fresh water, enjoyed a prime location relative to the shifting
monsoon winds, and had a central location in regional trade patterns,
all of which soon made it a prosperous trading town. Its fortunes
increased with its official adoption of Islam in the 14th century.
The Sultans of Malacca were soon attracting Arab traders from far
afield. However, Malacca continued to trade with merchants of all
races and religions.
After the visit of the Chinese Muslim Admiral Cheng Ho in the mid-15th century, contact between China and Malacca intensified. In exchange for protection against Siam, Malacca became a vassal state to Ming China. To ensure Malacca's safety, a new powerful kingdom was founded by the Sultan of Samudra-Pasai.
The power of the Malays began to rise through the 15th century. The sultan at that time married a Ming Chinese consort.
Things started to change with the arrival of the Portuguese in 1509. They were at first welcomed, but Indian traders soon turned the sultan against the Portuguese and they had to flee. In 1511 the Portuguese returned, and at their second attempt seized the city. This marked the start of the formation of a large Eurasian community. An alliance between the Dutch and the Sultanate of Johor Bahru saw the loss much of Malaccas power. In 1641 the Dutch put a blockade on Malacca and they seized the city after six months.
Only after 150 years did the Dutch lose their hold on Malacca. In 1795 The Netherlands was conquered by the French, and the British were keen to take over the Dutch holdings in Malacca. By that time, Malacca had lost most of its importance.
Malacca is a center of Peranakan culture. When Chinese settlers originally came to Malacca as miners, traders and coolies, they took local (often Malay) brides and adopted many local customs. The result of this is an interesting mix of Malay and Chinese cultures. The men are known as Babas and the women Nonyas.
A small group of Eurasians of Portuguese descent continue to speak their unique creole, known as Cristão or Kristang
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Demographics
Malacca has a population of 648,000 as of 2001, being composed of:
- Malays: 48%;
- Chinese: 42%, including the Peranakan community;
- Indians, including the Chitty people: a sizeable minority;
- Kristang, people with partial Portuguese ancestry: a small community.
The major towns of Malacca are Malacca Town, Alor Gajah, Masjid Tanah, Jasin, Merlimau, Pulau Sebang and Ayer Keroh.
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Culture
Malacca is well-known for its food. Most notable of all is the Nyonya-Baba cuisine which is a mixture of Chinese and Malay cooking with most dishes being spicy in nature. Interesting dishes of the Peranakan  include Itek Tim (a soup containing duck and salted vegetables), Ayam Pong Teh (chicken casserole with salted brown-bean sauce) as well as the famous Nyonya Laksa.
The Portuguese colonization of the early 16th century also contributed dishes like Devil's Curry and Portuguese tart to the town's already rich cuisine. The interesting Chinese cuisine in Melaka includes the popular Chicken Rice Ball as well as dodol, a sort of solidified pudding generally made with durian or coconut. Ikan Bakar restaurants are also popular in Melaka with places like Umbai, Serkam and Alai being the choice of the populace.
The average tourist can find most popular Malaccan cuisine at the foodcourts or medan selera as they are referred to in the local Malay language.
Melaka's ethnic Portuguese population is a unique cultural and historical legacy of Portuguese colonization in the 16th and 17th century. Even to this day, many of the ancient traditions passed down since the Portuguese occupation are still practised, i.e. "Intrudu" (a water festival that marks the beginning of the Catholic fasting season, the season of Lent), "branyu" (traditional dance), "santa cruz" (a yearly fiesta of street celebrations).
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Geography
The state of Melaka covers an area of 1,650-sq. km. or 1.3 percent of the whole area of Malaysia. The state is divided into 3 district that is Central Melaka (Melaka Tengah) (314 km²), Alor Gajah (660 km²), and Jasin (676 km²).
Malacca is located on the southwestern coast of Malay Peninsula opposite Sumatra, with the state of Negeri Sembilan to the north and Johor to the east. Malacca is also situated roughly two-thirds of the way down the West coast, 148 km south of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia and 245 km north of Singapore and commanding a central position on the Straits of Malacca. The state capital Malacca Town is strategically located between the two national capitals (of Malaysia and Singapore respectively) and is linked with excellent roads and highways. Malacca itself is yet to have it's own train station, though the terminal at Tampin, Negeri Sembilan is easily accessible. It has a domestic airport terminal located in Batu Berendam.
The offshore Pulau Besar (Malacca) is also part of Melaka
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