Negeri Sembilan (also Negri Sembilan, Jawi: نڬري سمبيلن), meaning "nine states" in Malay, is a state of Malaysia. It is located on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and is bordered in the north by Selangor, in the east by Pahang and in the south by Malacca and Johor.
The name is believed to derive from the nine districts or nagari (now known as luak) settled by the Minangkabau, a people originally from West Sumatra (present-day Indonesia). Minangkabau features are still visible today in traditional architecture and the dialect of Malay spoken. Unlike the hereditary monarchs of the other royal Malay states, the ruler of Negeri Sembilan - known as Yang di-Pertuan Besar - is selected by the council of Undangs who lead the four biggest districts of Sungai Ujong, Jelebu, Johol, and Rembau.
The capital of Negeri Sembilan is Seremban. The royal capital is Seri Menanti in Kuala Pilah district. Other important towns are Port Dickson and Nilai.
The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Khusus ("the Special Abode").
The ethnic composition in 2005 was: Malay (396,500 or 44%), Chinese (285,600 or 38%), Indian (196,500), Other (21,800), Other Bumiputra (8,000). For political purposes, the Minangkabau residents of Malaysia are regarded as Malay.