Greater Kota Kinabalu


Greater Kota Kinabalu refers to the urbanised areas surrounding the city of Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. Kota Kinabalu is the capital of the state of Sabah and is the largest city in the state. The contiguous built-up urban agglomeration around Kota Kinabalu extends beyond the city boundary on the south side and into the district of Penampang. and to a lesser but growing extent into the districts of Papar as well as Tuaran, Kota Belud and Ranau.
The term Greater Kota Kinabalu is normally used by the state and federal government in relation to social and economic development planning and strategy such as the Sabah Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority, Sabah Town and Regional Planning Department. and the Greater Kota Kinabalu Flood Prevention Committee.
Greater Kota Kinabalu is sometimes referred to as Kota Kinabalu Urban Area, Conurbation of Kota Kinabalu or Kota Kinabalu Metropolitan Area. Kota Kinabalu Metropolitan Area may also include the towns and districts of Papar 38 km south and Tuaran 34 km north of Kota Kinabalu being satellite towns within the metropolitan area.
The population of Greater Kota Kinabalu is 629,943 and Kota Kinabalu Metropolitan Area is 837,694. The population of the city/district of Kota Kinabalu is 462,963. Greater Kota Kinabalu ranks among the six largest conurbation in Malaysia together with Kuala Lumpur, Greater Penang, Johor Bahru, Ipoh and Kuching. A government investment promotion body estimates the population of Greater KK to be 900,000.
The economic centre and focus point of Kota Kinabalu is a small area by the coast known as the Kota Kinabalu Central Business District or Kota Kinabalu City Centre.

Geography

Kota Kinabalu lies on the west coast of Sabah facing South China Sea. There is only a narrow plain between the sea and Crocker Range throughout most of the western coast of Sabah. The development is thus concentrated along the coast towards the north and south of Kota Kinabalu.

Population

The population of Greater Kota Kinabalu is 629,943, which includes Kota Kinabalu, Putatan and Penampang. If Tuaran and Papar are included, the population is 837,694. All five districts in the region together with the districts of Kota Belud and Ranau are within the West Coast Division of Sabah. The following is the total population by administrative districts based on the official 2010 national census.
DistrictPopulationArea Density
Kota Kinabalu462,9633511,319
Penampang including Putatan sub-district125,193411305
Papar128,4341,243103
Tuaran including Tamparuli sub-district105,4351,16690
Ranau95,8003,60827
Kota Belud93,1801,38667
Greater KK 644,020816789
Metro 877,8893,225272
West Coast Division1,067,5897,588140

Major towns and built-up areas

Within city district

There are six local governments administrating GKK area: