Kota Kinabalu is the capital of the Malaysian state Sabah in East-Malaysia, which
consists of the Malaysian states Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
City Mayor: Noorliza Awang Alip (as of 2024)
Administration: Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (City Hall)
Population (city): Approximately 500,00030 (2023 estimate)
Urban population: Approximately 1,000,000 (2023 estimate)
City Day celebration: 2nd of February
Location: On the west coast of Borneo; at latitude 5.9833 and longitude 116.06667
Phone Area Code: 088 (Malaysia +60)
Post codes: 88xxx, 89xxx
Airport: Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA)
Direct flights from: Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Manila, Jakarta, Bangkok, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
Train Stations: Kota Kinabalu Train Station and Tanjung Aru (a single 134 km line to the town Tenom)
Ports: Kota Kinabalu Port and Sepanggar Bay Port
Climate: Sabah has an equatorial tropical climate with temperatures between 23-32°C (73-90°F) and humidity up to 90%. The temperature rarely exceeds 33°C (91°F) and seldom drops below 20°C (68°F) at night. At higher altitudes in mountainous areas, it can get quite cold at night. The wettest season in Kota Kinabalu is between November and March.
Sister Cities: Yongin, South Korea; City of Rockingham, Australia; and Hangzhou, China
Others: The Malay word for “fort” or “city” is Kota. A direct translation of the name ‘Kota Kinabalu’ into English is therefore ‘City of Kinabalu’ or ‘Kinabalu City’.