Kuantan

Kuantan

Kuantan, city situated on the eastern coast of the Malay Peninsula, Peninsular (West) Malaysia. It lies at the mouth of the Kuantan River, on the South China Sea. Situated on a wide alluvial plain north of the fertile Pahang River delta, Kuantan is Malaysia’s most important east-coast port, shipping tin, rubber, and copra south to Singapore for export. Tin is extracted from the deep lode mine at Sungai Lembing to the northwest. As the only east-coast settlement that has a direct road link to Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan serves as a transfer point for westbound travelers.

Fishing villages dot the region’s coastline, and local cottage industries produce textiles, dolls, screw-pine mats, and silver jewelry. A plywood factory and a tapioca-processing plant are in the city. Commercially valuable stone crabs inhabit Ular (Snake) Island, a small offshore isle that attracts skin-diving enthusiasts. Pop. (2000 prelim.) 289,395.