Kedah ; also known by its honorific, Darul Aman, or "Abode of Peace" is a state ofMalaysia,

located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The state covers a total area of over
9,000 km, and it consists of the mainland and Langkawi. The mainland has a relatively flat
terrain, which is used to grow rice. Langkawi is an archipelago of islands, most of which are
uninhabited. Kedah was called Kadaram by ancient and medieval Tamil people andSyburi by the
Siamese when it was under their influence.[3]
To the north, Kedah borders the state of Perlis and shares an international boundary with
the Songkhla and Yala provinces of Thailand. It borders the states of Perak to the south
and Penang to the southwest.
The state's capital is Alor Setar and the royal seat is in Anak Bukit. Other major towns
include Sungai Petani, and Kulim on the mainland, and Kuah on Langkawi.

Kedah, also written as Queda, and known in the early days

as Kedaram, Kidaram, Kalagam and Kataha by the Tamils, and Kalahor Kalaha by
the Persians, is an early kingdom on the Malay Peninsula and an important early trade centre.
Early west-coast trade centres are few in number as they were overshadowed by Kedah. Her
nearness to the entrances to the Straits of Malacca and more importantly being
on latitude 6 north of the equator, the same as Ceylon to the south of India, allowed ships
sailing the Bay of Bengal in a sea lane heading due east or west between the two, were in little
danger of becoming lost. The early transpeninsular routeway is part of the Sea trade route of
the Spice Route for Arab, Persian, Tamil Nadu and India-to-China traders, as the route through
the Straits does not seem to have been in general use. Early sea traders from the west, upon
reaching the coast, engaged porters to transport goods by raft, elephant and man-carry along the
rivers (Kelantan River, Pattani River, Pahang River, Muda River, Bernam River, Muar River, and
others) to the opposite coast. The Sungai Muda in particular favoured the development of Kedah.
After the 7th century, Srivijaya subjugated Kedah, but due to her fame, Indian sources continue
to depict Kedah. Early Kedah also supplied its own tin, and jungle products such as rattan, resin,
honey, beeswax, elephants, ivory, areca nuts, sepang wood and black woods, as well as profiting
from tax collections.
The early history of Kedah can be traced from various sources. From the prehistoric period to
the archaeological site of Bujang Valley, the early Maritime trade of India, Persia, Arabs to the
written works of early Chinese pilgrims and early Chinese records, theHikayat Merong
Mahawangsa (known as Kedah Annals) to Al-Tarikh Salasilah Negeri Kedah.