Malaccas

Malaccas refers to the historic and geographic area surrounding the Strait of Malacca and the territories once associated with the Malacca Sultanate. In historical and some nautical sources, the term is used to denote the littoral region around the city of Malacca, spanning parts of the Malay Peninsula (present-day Peninsular Malaysia) and the western coast of Sumatra, as well as the commercial networks centered on Malacca City.

Geographically, the Strait of Malacca connects the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea and has long been one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. The Malaccas term emphasizes the political and trading sphere that developed along these waters, including several port cities on both sides of the strait.

Historically, the Malacca Sultanate, established in the 15th century by Parameswara, rose to prominence as a maritime trading empire that controlled the chokepoint and levied duties on ships passing through. It became a conduit for trade between China, India, the Islamic world, and Southeast Asia. The sultanate was conquered by the Portuguese in 1511, with subsequent Dutch and British influence shaping the region's later history.

Today, the term Malaccas is used mainly in historical contexts. The modern political entity corresponding to part of the historical Malaccas is the state of Melaka (Malacca) in Malaysia, with the city of Melaka as its capital. The Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca, including Melaka and George Town, were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. The Strait remains a major global shipping lane, underscoring the region’s ongoing economic importance.