Kota Kinabalu (pop. 199,742) is a town on the island of Borneo. It is the capital and largest town of Sabah, one of the states of Malaysia. Kota Kinabalu is situated on Gaya Bay, at about the middle of the western coast of Sabah.
Kota Kinabalu is Sabah’s second largest port. It is the state’s main center of administration and commerce. Prominent buildings include the 30-story Sabah Foundation Building and the State Mosque.
The British founded a settlement on the site of Kota Kinabalu in 1899. It was originally called Jesselton.