Bangsar is a residential suburb on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, lying about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south-west of the city centre.

Neighbourhood residents' associations and business councils play a part in communicating with the local authority, but they exercise no legal or administrative power.

[2] The Bangsar Estate was owned by its plantation firm Société Financière des Caoutchoucs (Socfin), before it was developed into a residential area.

The National Electricity Board (now Tenaga Nasional Berhad) housed their staff in Bukit Bangsar since its headquarters is in Pantai Hills.

[5] Towards the end of 1965, an eight-floor building for the Public Health College costing a million ringgit was built in Bukit Bangsar.

[7] Eng Lian Enterprise Sdn Bhd developed the Bangsar Baru neighbourhood, comprising 1,125 houses and a thriving business community in 1974.

As their children grew up and formed a large part of the city's youth, Bangsar became a sought-after place for the trendy during the 1980s.

Among companies that contributed to the demographic development of Bangsar include Sistem Televisyen Malaysia Berhad and Lever Brothers.

Bangsar lies respectively to the north and south of the neighbouring areas of Pantai Dalam and Damansara, and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south-west of Kuala Lumpur city centre.

[9][10][11][12] The terrain progressively rises towards the north up Bangsar Baru before making a steep drop in elevation after Bukit Bandaraya.

Roadside stalls serving drinks, local cakes, burgers, hot dogs and cut fruit are found on many street corners.

A large pasar malam, or night market, each Sunday lends the Bangsar Baru a colourful flavour.

Silverfish, a high brow independent bookshop at Jalan Telawi 3, focuses on literature, philosophy, religion and Malaysiana.

University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), a public hospital, is situated within a five-minute drive through Petaling Jaya.

The Bangsar Sports Complex has a swimming pool, a multipurpose hall with badminton courts as well as squash, tennis and basketball.

Bangsar is a diverse community with a Muslim mosque and 'suraus', Buddhist centres, Christian churches, Hindu temples and other places of worship.

Saidina Abu Bakar As Siddiq Mosque was built in 1980[13] and is located next to Bangsar Village Shopping Centre.

Sri Ramalingaeswarar temple, located near the junction of Lorong Maarof and Jalan Bangsar, serves Hindu devotees.

Developments in neighbouring Bukit Damansara and Mid Valley Megamall have caused increased traffic to pass through Bangsar, especially along Jalan Maarof.

Some examples of successful long-standing businesses are Alexis, La Bodega, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and McDonald's, on Jalan Telawi and Bangsar Shopping Centre.

Many other Rapid KL buses head towards the city centre, and Selangor suburbs also ply Jalan Bangsar.