Kelantan (pop. 1,287,367) is a state in the northeast of Peninsular Malaysia. It is bounded by the states of Perak to the west, Pahang to the south, and Terengganu to the east. To the north are Thailand and the South China Sea. Kelantan covers an area of 5,770 square miles (14,943 square kilometers). The head of state of Kelantan is a hereditary ruler known as a sultan. Most of the people are Malay. Most people live in the plain and delta of the Kelantan River. Large areas of the state, especially the mountainous borders, are uninhabited, except for dwindling groups of orang asli (the Malaysian aborigines).