The Kuala Krai district is a landlocked district in the centre of the State of Kelantan in northeastern Malaysia. The land is hilly, and before the 20th century the entire area was tropical rain forest. The territory contains the confluence of two major rivers, the Lebir and Galas, to form the Kelantan River, which then flows some 70 km northwards through one of the most densely populated flood plains on the Malay Peninsula to its estuary in the South China Sea near the State capital of Kota Bharu.
Kuala Krai was the most affected district in Kelantan by a massive 2014 flood known as Bah Kuning that resulted in property loses and in the federal government declaring a State of Emergency. This catastrophic event was cushioned by great societal support and aid from NGOs.
As transport links improved during the 20th century, people moved into the area to take advantage of the abundant land available for farming. A railway was constructed in the 1920s through the undeveloped interior of Malaysia to link Kelantan State with the main centres of population on the west coast. This line ran through Kuala Krai territory, and settlements became established along the route. Road links followed, and towns and villages grew to house the mainly agricultural population. Rubber production was becoming increasingly important throughout Malaysia at the time, and many rubber-tree plantations were set up in this area. Later, the country-wide shift to oil palm in the 1970s and 1980s saw the establishment of oil palm plantations in the territory, some of which replaced rubber.
Kuala Krai was originally part of Ulu Kelantan until it was split following a re-delineation in 1974. Kuala Krai formally gained its own district and municipal administration in 1977.[5]
Infrastructure developed to support the population, and by the end of the 20th century Kuala Krai town had become a busy, thriving town as well as the administrative centre for the territory.
Demographics
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1991
90,830
—
2000
91,771
+1.0%
2010
104,234
+13.6%
2020
105,007
+0.7%
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^Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (2003). "Yang di-Pertuan Agong III". Malaysian Monarchy. Archived from the original on 27 October 2005. Retrieved 10 December 2006.
