TAIPING

town, northwestern West Malaysia (Malaya). The town is situated on a coastal plain just west of the Bintang Range. It originated as a Chinese mining settlement in the Larut district, where large-scale tin mining developed in the 1840s. Although its importance as a mining centre has been supplanted by the Kinta Valley, tin remains one of the main products, along with paddy rice and rubber. Taiping is a neatly planned town with suburbs at Au Long and Simpang. Industrial development includes the Kamunting Industrial Estate (with more than 30 factories). The town lies along the main western peninsular road and rail lines and also has an airfield. The State Museum includes collections of Malay weapons and archaeological specimens, and its Lake Garden has a small zoo. Taiping is picturesquely situated at the foot of Bukit Maxwell (formerly Maxwells Hill; about 3,399 ft ), Malaysia's oldest hill station, accessible only to four-wheel drive vehicles and noted for its cabbages, tomatoes, and flora. Tourists often climb to Cottage, the resort's only accessible summit. Pop. (1980) 146,002.