Johor Bahru, also spelled Johor Baharu, Johor Baru, (Baru means "new" in the Malay language) or Johore Bahru and abbreviated as JB, is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. It is within walking distance from Singapore, and receives more than 60% of the country's annual 16 million foreign tourists via its bridges and road links to Singapore. It is one of the largest cities in Malaysia. With a population of approximately 876,000 in the city, 1.73 million in the greater metropolitan area and 5.49 million in the Singapore-Johor Bahru conurbation , the city is an important industrial, tourism and commercial hub for southern Malaysia and is part of one of Southeast Asia's most populous urban areas. The population growth rate of Johor Bahru is also among the highest in Malaysia. Johor Bahru also has a highly developed industrial base which has made the city one of the biggest industrial centers of the country.