Located on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia and covering 8,000 square kilometers, Selangor is bounded on the north by Perak, on the east by Pahang and Negeri Sembilan, and on the west by the Straits of Malacca.

Selangor's climate is characterized by a warm, sunny days, and cool nights all year round and occasional rain in the evenings. Temperature ranges from 23 °C to 33 ºC. Humidity usually exceeds 80%. Annual rainfall is 2,670 mm. Although rain falls throughout the year, December to February are said to be the wettest months.

Selangor has been called the gateway of Malaysia. It is also the industrial hub of Malaysia; the country's largest industrial site is located in Shah Alam, the states capital, just 25 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur. It is the most populous state in the country with a total population of 2.7 million inhabitants. Despite being industry-based, the state is blessed with natural forests, waterfalls, hills, and lakes to complement its many man-made attractions.

Selangor's history dates to the 16th century when rich in deposits were found in the region. One especially important group of settlers was the Burgis from Macassar (now Ujing Padang in Celebes). Renowned for their capabilities as sea traders and warriors, the Burgis soon rose to prominence in Selangor.

The Burgis first landed in Kampung Permatang in Kuala Selangor in the 16th century. By 1700, they dominated the State both politically and economically and had established the present Selangor.

Over the course of the 18th century, Selangor extended its influence to become a regional political power. As the western colonial presence increased the following century, the constant fighting between the Burgis, Chinese tin-miners and Malay nobility forced the Sultan of Selangor to accept the presence of a British Residents in 1874. Then in 1896, about the same time the rubber cultivation began in the country, the British include Selangor in the Federated Malay States

In 1948, the State joined the Federation of Malaya. In 1957, The Federation became an independent State within the Commonwealth of Nations. In 1974, the country's capital city of Kuala Lumpur and some of the surrounding areas were ceded to the Federal Government for the establishment of Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.

Today, Selangor is Malaysia's richest and most developed state. It is home to the largest port in the country, Port Klang, and many of the country's largest industrial operations, found particularly in the Klang Valley.