Pangkor Island
Pangkor Island (locally Pulau Pangkor) is a resort island off the coast of Perak, Malaysia. It has a population of approximately 25,000. Nearby islands include Pangkor Laut Island, Talang Island, Giam Island (Pulau Giam) and Mentagor Island (Pulau Mentagor). The major industries of the island are tourism and fishing.
Geography
Pangkor Island has a land area of 18km2 and is 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) from Peninsular Malaysia. The interior of the island is forested and is home to 65 reptile species, 17 amphibian species, and 82 total herpetofaunal species.
History
Historically, Pangkor was a refuge for local fishermen, merchants and pirates. In the 17th century, the Dutch built a fort in an effort to control the Perak tin trade known as the Dutch Fort. In 1874, it was the location of a historical treaty between the British government and a contender for the Perak throne (the Pangkor Treaty), which began the British colonial domination of the Malay Peninsula. The old British name for the Pangkor Island group was the Dindings.
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