town, central Peninsular (West) Malaysia, about 50 miles (80 km) north-northeast of Kuala Lumpur. Situated in the eastern foothills of the Main Range, it began in the 1880s as a gold-mining settlement. Raub is the Malay word meaning “scoop with one's hands,” and at one time the ore was reputedly so abundant that this was a common method of working. The Australian Gold Mining Company began production in 1889 at nearby Koman Hill. Although that major mine closed in 1962, small-scale mining continues. Small quantities of the ore occur in limestone rock at a depth of 1,200 feet (366 metres). The inhabitants of the surrounding area are now primarily engaged in paddy (rice) farming and vegetable farming. Raub is one of the few interior Malayan towns that has preserved buildings of the colonial era. Residential areas are clustered on nearby hillsides. Bukit Fraser, a popular hill resort, is about 10 miles (16 km) to the southwest. Pop. (2000) 31,669.