city situated on the eastern coast of the Malay Peninsula, West Malaysia. It lies at the mouth of the Kuantan River, on the South China Sea. Situated on a wide alluvial plain north of the fertile Pahang River delta, Kuantan is Malaysia's most important east-coast port, shipping tin, rubber, and copra south to Singapore for export. Tin is extracted from the deep lode mine at Sungai Lembing to the northwest. As the only east-coast settlement that has a direct road link to Kuala Lumpur, Kuantan serves as a transfer point for westbound travelers.

Fishing villages dot the region's coastline, and local cottage industries produce textiles, dolls, screw-pine mats, and silver jewelry. A plywood factory and a tapioca-processing plant are in the city. Commercially valuable stone crabs inhabit Ular (Snake) Island, a small offshore isle that attracts skin-diving enthusiasts. Pop. (1980) 131,547; (1991 prelim.) 198,356.