Editing Alor Setar (section)

==Demographics==
[[File:Masjid Zahir IjoyIshak.jpg|thumb|Masjid Zahir, the state mosque of Kedah, it is considered as among the main heritage and religious monument in Alor Setar]]
There is no well-known nor formal adjective or demonyms for the people from Alor Setar. A casual way to address a person from the city is "Orang Alor Setar"; the term derived from [[Bahasa Melayu|Malay]] where people is being referred to "Orang".

===Ethnicity and religion===
The following is based on Department of Statistics Malaysia 2020 census.<ref name="stats"/>
{{Bar box|title=Ethnic composition of Alor Setar (2020 Malaysian Census|2020)<ref name="popbreakdown">{{Cite journal|title=Population Distribution and Demography|url=http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/download_Population/files/census2010/Taburan_Penduduk_dan_Ciri-ciri_Asas_Demografi.pdf|journal=Malaysian Department of Statistics|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113165406/http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/download_Population/files/census2010/Taburan_Penduduk_dan_Ciri-ciri_Asas_Demografi.pdf|archive-date=13 November 2013}}</ref>|left1=Ethnicities / Nationality|right1=Percentage|float=leftt|bars={{Bar percent|[[Malaysian Malays|Malay]]|Green|72.0}}{{Bar percent|[[Malaysian Chinese|Chinese]]|Red|22.3}}{{Bar percent|[[Malaysian Indian|Indian]]|Orange|1.9}}{{Bar percent|Other [[Bumiputras]]|Teal|0.1}} {{Bar percent|Others|DarkGray|0.3}}{{Bar percent|Non-Malaysians|Purple|3.4}}}}

The city of Alor Setar recorded a population of 374,051, according to 2020 census data.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/download_Population/files/population/04Jadual_PBT_negeri/PBT_Kedah.pdf |title=Total population by ethnic group, Local Authority area and state, Malaysia, 2010 |publisher=Statistics.gov.my |access-date=10 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114160228/http://www.statistics.gov.my/portal/download_Population/files/population/04Jadual_PBT_negeri/PBT_Kedah.pdf |archive-date=14 November 2012 }}</ref> The 2010 Malaysian census reported that ethnic [[Malay people|Malays]] formed the majority of the city with 269,317 (72.0%), predominantly of [[Kedahan Malay]] origin, with smaller numbers of Malays from other territories. The Alor Setar-Chinese forming 83,413 (22.3%). The local Chinese community are mainly [[Hokkien]]-speaking together with other Chinese-dialect minorities. Other visible communities includes [[Malaysian Indian|Indian]]s (mostly [[Tamils]]) with 7,107 (1.9%) and other Bumiputeras with 374 (0.1%), as well as other ethnicities (mainly [[Malaysian Siamese|Siamese]]) with 1,122 (0.3%). The Non-Malaysians constitute 12,718 (3.4%) of the local population.

===Languages===
[[File:Wesak Day at Alor Setar (17149100543).jpg|thumb|The temple gate of Wat Nikrodharam during the [[Vesak|Wesak Day]] celebration, the entrance is written in [[Thai script]]. The [[Buddhism in Malaysia|Buddhist community]] in the city are mainly of [[Malaysian Chinese|Chinese]] and [[Malaysian Siamese|Siamese]] descent. ]]
{{See also|Kedah Malay}}
The dominant Malay dialect spoken is the [[Kedah Malay|Kedah-Northern Malay dialect]] and functioned as the [[lingua franca]].<ref>{{cite web |title= Perbezaan Loghat Kedah Mengikut Kawasan|url=https://www.thepatriots.asia/perbezaan-loghat-kedah-mengikut-kawasan/|website= Patriots|date=23 November 2018 }}</ref>  However, standard [[Malay language|Malay]] (sometimes Johor-Riau Malay dialect), [[English language|English]] and [[Manglish]] (the latter being a localised vernacular version of English) are still widely understood in the city.

The [[Han Chinese]], the second largest community in Alor Setar are primarily [[Penang Hokkien|Hokkien]]-speaking. However, significant [[Mandarin language|Mandarin]] and [[Malaysian Cantonese|Cantonese]] are also well known amongst the local Chinese.<ref>{{cite web |title= Alor Setar – A city that's often overlooked |url=https://tunjukjalan.his.com.my/what-to-do-in-alor-setar-by-a-local/|website= tunjukjalan.his.com.my}}</ref> Additionally, there are also pockets of [[Hakka]], [[Teochew dialect|Teochew]] and other Chinese dialects.

Other languages spoken in Alor Setar includes [[Tamil language|Tamil]], among the Alor Setar Indian population and [[Southern Thai language|Southern Thai]] by the [[Malaysian Siamese|Kedah-Siamese]] community.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

===Religion===
A majority of the population adhered to the Islamic faith, which correlates to the strong [[Malayness|Malay/Muslim ethnoreligious]] identity. This is signified with the city's two main mosque - Masjid Zahir and Masjid Al Bukhary. [[Zahir Mosque]] is the state mosque of Kedah and enjoys a royal history and patronage. Built in 1912, its official opening ceremony was held on 15 October 1915 by the late [[Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wonderslist.com/10-most-beautiful-mosques-in-the-world/|title=10 Most Beautiful Mosques in the World |publisher=wonderslist.com|date= 12 July 2013|access-date=3 November 2014}}</ref> The architecture of the mosque was inspired by the Azizi Mosque, the state mosque of [[Sultanate of Langkat|Langkat Sultanate]] in Sumatera. Other major mosque in the city includes Masjid Al Bukhary, completed in 1999, its design draws inspiration from a fusion in the [[Islamic World]], especially from [[Al-Masjid an-Nabawi]], [[Medina]]; [[Mosque of Qaytbay (Qal'at al-Kabsh)|Qaytbay Mosque]], [[Cairo]] and [[Muhammad al-Bukhari|Imam al-Bukhari Complex]], [[Samarkand]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://masjidalbukhary.weebly.com/|title=MASJID ALBUKHARY ALOR MALAIALOR SETAR KEDAH|publisher=masjidalbukhary.weebly|date= 19 January 2022|access-date=19 January 2022}}</ref> There is also a gallery located together with the mosque.<ref>{{cite web |title= Masjid Albukhary buka galeri masjid pertama di Kedah|url=https://www.utusan.com.my/nasional/2020/12/masjid-albukhary-buka-galeri-masjid-pertama-di-kedah/|website= Utusan Malaysia|date=24 December 2020}}</ref> The Muslim life in Alor Setar is centered on the 69 mosques and a large numbers of [[surau]]s located around the city.<ref>{{cite web |title= Direktori Masjid Malaysia|url=https://www.mymasjid.net.my/masjid/location/2/kedah/9/kota-setar/|website=www.mymasjid.net.my}}</ref>

[[Buddhism]] also have a large number of followers in the city, mainly amongst the ethnic Chinese and Siamese communities. Among the main Buddhist shrine located in the city includes Wat Nikrodharam. Its architecture reflects strong Thai elements with minor Chinese motifs. It offers a quiet oasis in the city centre. Both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist traditions are observed here.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://soleilian.com/ |title=soleilian.com |publisher=soleilian.com |access-date=10 December 2013}}</ref> While the Tou Mu Kung Temple (Chinese: 斗母宫), is a Taoist temple situated on Jalan Gangsa. Worshipping the Empress Registrar of Birth or Dou Mu (斗母) and [[Nine Emperor]] (九皇大帝/九皇大帝) deities, the temple has both Taoist and Buddhist influences.

In addition to Islam and Buddhism, other religions and faiths are also practiced in the city, including [[Hinduism]], [[Christianity]], [[Sikhism]] and [[Yiguandao]]. There are many house of worship constructed to accommodate the religious observance of these communities. For Hindus, one of the main temples that can be visited is Sri Maha Mariamman Devasthanam Hindu Temple, located in Jalan Bakar Bata. For Christian adherents, almost all churches located in the city are from various Protestant churches such as Alor Setar Baptist Church located in Jalan Mahdali, just behind Alor Setar Tower and Alor Setar (Chinese & Tamil) Methodist Church located in Lebuhraya Darulaman. In addition, Church of St. Michael, located in Jalan Langgar is the only Roman Catholic Church that exist within the city. While for Sikh adherents, Gurdwara Sahib Alor Setar is the only worship place for Sikhs that can be founded in the same road, not far from the Church of St. Michael. Yiguandao adherents, mostly from the Fayi Group, primarly worship in Yern Chern Tao Study Centre (Chinese: 崇德道院).