Kedah also known by its honorific Darul Aman which means the "Abode of Peace" is a state of Malaysia, located in the the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a totak area of over 9,000 km square. It consists of the mainland and the Langkawi archipelago. The mainland has a relatively flat terrain, which is used to grow rice, while Langkawi islands mostly are uninhabited.
Kedah previously was known as Kataha or Kalahbar by the Arabs and Saiburee by the Siamese when it was under their influence. To the north, Kedah borders the state of Perlis and shares international boundary with the Songkhla and Yala provinces of Thailand. It borders the states of Perak to the south and Penang to the southwest.
The state's capital is Alor Setar and the royal seat is in Anak Bukit. Other major towns in Kedah include Sungai Petani and Kulim on the mainland and Kuah in Langkawi.
