Negeri Sembilan (pop. 1,021,064), also spelled Negri Sembilan, is a state in Peninsular Malaysia. Its name is Malay for nine chiefdoms. Negeri Sembilan lies on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and covers 2,581 square miles (6,686 square kilometers). Much of the state is mountainous.
About 60 percent of the people of Negeri Sembilan are Malay, 25 percent are Chinese, and about 15 percent are Indian. Many Malays in Negeri Sembilan are the descendants of immigrants who first came to the area from Sumatra in the 1400’s.
Negeri Sembilan is an important area for the cultivation of rubber. The state also produces forest products and palm oil. Negeri Sembilan has become a center for industrial development, especially electronics, food processing, textiles, and ceramic tiles.
