
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Malaysia
Geography
Area: 329,749 sq. km. (127,316 sq. mi.); slightly
larger than New Mexico.
Cities: Capital--Kuala Lumpur. Other cities--Penang,
Ipoh, Malacca, Johor Baru, Shah Alam, Klang, Kuching, Kota
Kinabalu
Terrain: Coastal plains and interior, jungle-covered mountains.
The South China Sea separates peninsular Malaysia from East
Malaysia on Borneo ( 370 mi.).
Climate: Tropical.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Malaysian(s).
Population (2006): 26.9 million.
Annual growth rate: 1.8%.
Ethnic groups: Malay 50.2%, Chinese 24.5%, Indigenous 11.0%,
Indian 7.2%, non-Malaysian citizens 5.9 %, others 1.2%.
Religions: Islam (60.4%), Buddhism (19.2%), Christianity (9.1%),
Hinduism (6.3%), Confucianism (2.6%), tribal/folk (0.8%), other
(0.4%), none/unknown (1.2%).
Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), Chinese (various dialects),
English, Tamil, indigenous.
Education: Years compulsory--6. Attendance--98.5%
(primary), 82% (secondary). Literacy--93.5%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2005)--5.1 /1,000. Life
expectancy (2005)--female 76.2 yrs., male 71.8 yrs.
Work force (10.55 million, 2005): Services: 51%; Industry 36%
(Manufacturing 28.4%, Mining and Construction 7.6%); Agriculture
13%.
Government
Type: Federal parliamentary democracy with a constitutional
monarch. Independence: August 31, 1957. (Malaya, which is now
peninsular Malaysia, became independent in 1957. In 1963 Malaya,
Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore formed Malaysia. Singapore became
an independent country in 1965.).
Constitution: 1957.
Subdivisions: 13 states and three federal territories (Kuala
Lumpur, Labuan Island, Putrajaya federal administrative
territory). Each state has an assembly and government headed by
a chief minister. Nine of these states have hereditary rulers,
generally titled "sultans," while the remaining four have
appointed governors in counterpart positions.
Branches: Executive--Yang di-Pertuan Agong (head of state
and customarily referred to as the king; has ceremonial duties),
prime minister (head of government), cabinet. Legislative--bicameral
parliament, comprising 70-member Senate (26 elected by the 13
state assemblies, 44 appointed by the king on the prime
minister's recommendation) and 219-member House of
Representatives (elected from single-member districts).
Judicial--Federal Court, Court of Appeals, high courts,
session's courts, magistrate's courts, and juvenile courts.
Sharia courts hear cases on certain matters involving Muslims
only.
Political parties: Barisan Nasional (National Front)--a
coalition comprising the United Malays National Organization (UMNO)
and 13 other parties, most of which are ethnically based;
Democratic Action Party (DAP); Parti Islam se Malaysia (PAS);
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). There are more than 30 registered
political parties, including the foregoing, not all of which are
represented in the federal parliament.
Suffrage: Universal adult (voting age 21).
Economy (2005)
Nominal GDP: $130.8 billion.
Annual real GDP growth rate: 7.1% (2004); 5.2% (2005).
Per capita (GDP) income: $5,042.
Natural resources: petroleum, liquefied natural gas (LNG), tin,
minerals. Agricultural Products: palm oil, rubber, timber,
cocoa, rice, tropical fruit, fish, coconut.
Industry: Types--electronics, electrical products,
chemicals, food and beverages, metal and machine products,
apparel.
Trade: Merchandise exports--$145.0 billion: electronics,
electrical products, palm oil, petroleum, liquid natural gas,
apparel, timber and logs, plywood and veneer, natural rubber.
Major markets--U.S. 18.8%, Singapore 15.0%, Japan 10.1%.
Merchandise imports--$118.0 billion: machinery, chemicals,
manufactured goods, fuels, and lubricants. Major suppliers--Japan
16.1%, U.S. 14.6%, Singapore 11.2%.
PEOPLE
Malaysia's population comprises many ethnic groups,
with the politically dominant Malays comprising a majority of
just over 50%. By constitutional definition, all Malays are
Muslim. About a quarter of the population is Chinese, who have
historically played an important role in trade and
business.Malaysians of Indian descent comprise about 7% of the
population and include Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and
Christians. About 85% of the Indian community is ethnically
TamilNon-Malay indigenous groups make up more than half of the
Borneo state of Sarawak's population and about 66% of the Borneo
state of Sabah's population. They are divided into dozens of
ethnic groups, but they share some general patterns of living
and culture. Until the 20th century, most practiced traditional
beliefs, but many have become Christian or Muslim. Population
distribution is uneven, with some 20 million residents
concentrated in the lowlands of peninsular Malaysia, an area
slightly smaller than the state of Michigan.