Malaysia

Malaysia 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island of Borneo bordering the Java Sea and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 2,669 km, Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Coastline

4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

Involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; State of Sabah claimed by the Philippines; Brunei may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides Brunei into two parts; two islands in dispute with Singapore; two islands in dispute with Indonesia

Climate

Tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

Terrain

Coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kinabalu 4,100 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

3,420 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

Note: Strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

PEOPLE

Population

19,962,893 (July 1996 est.)
19,723,587 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

36% (male 3,684,510; female 3,483,893) (July 1996 est.)
37% (male 3,690,310; female 3,559,434) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

60% (male 5,996,369; female 6,017,327) (July 1996 est.)
59% (male 5,844,568; female 5,871,131) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

4% (male 342,742; female 438,052) (July 1996 est.)
4% (male 334,605; female 423,539) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

2.07% (1996 est.)
2.24% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

26.2 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
27.95 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

5.49 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
5.56 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.01 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

24 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

3.27 children born/woman (1996 est.)
3.47 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Peninsular Malaysia

Muslim (Malays), Buddhist (Chinese), Hindu (Indians)

Sabah

Muslim 38%, Christian 17%, other 45%

Sarawak

Tribal religion 35%, Buddhist and Confucianist 24%, Muslim 20%, Christian 16%, other 5%

Languages

Peninsular Malaysia

Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects, Tamil

Sabah

English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Chinese (Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate)

Sarawak

English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages, Chinese (Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate)

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)

Labor Force

7.627 million (1993)

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

MY

Type

Constitutional monarchy

Note: Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963; nominally headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament; Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, where governors are appointed by Malaysian Pulau Pinang Government; powers of state governments are limited by federal Constitution; Sabah - self-governing state, holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak - self-governing state, holds 27 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government

Capital

Kuala Lumpur

Administrative Divisions

13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 2 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*

Independence

31 August 1957 (from U.K.)

National Holiday

National Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution

31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Legal System

Based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

Bicameral Parliament (Parlimen)

Senate (Dewan Negara)

Consists of 58 members, elected members serve six-year terms; elections last held NA (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (58 total, 32 appointed by the paramount ruler and 26 elected by the state legislatures) seats by party NA

House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat)

Consists of 192 members who are elected for five-year terms; elections last held NA April 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - National Front 63%, other 37%; seats - (192 total) National Front 162, DAP 9, PBS 8, PAS 7, Semangat'46 6

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court

Political Parties and Leaders

Peninsular Malaysia

National Front, a confederation of 13 political parties dominated by United Malays National Organization Baru (UMNO Baru), MAHATHIR bin Mohamad; Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), LING Liong Sik; Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, LIM Keng Yaik; Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), S. Samy VELLU; Spirit of '46 (Semangat '46), Tengku Tan Sri RAZALEIGH, president

Sabah

National Front, SALLEH Said Keruak, Sabah Chief Minister, Sakaran DANDAI, head of Sabah State; United Sabah National Organizaton (USNO), leader NA; Sabah United Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah, PBS), Datuk Seri Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan

Sarawak

Coalition Sarawak National Front composed of the Party Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Datuk Patinggi Amar Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud; Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Datuk Amar James WONG Soon Kai; Sarawak National Party (SNAP), Datuk Amar James WONG; Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), Datuk Leo MOGGIE; major opposition parties are Democratic Action Party (DAP), LIM Kit Siang and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), Fadzil NOOR

Member of

APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

National Anthem

Flag

Fourteen equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with whi.htmottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the U.S.

ECONOMY

Overview

The Malaysian economy, a mixture of private enterprise and a soundly managed public sector, has posted a remarkable record of 9% average annual growth in 1988-94. The official growth target for 1995 is 8.5%. This growth has resulted in a substantial reduction in poverty and a marked rise in real wages. Manufactured goods exports expanded rapidly, and foreign investors continued to commit large sums in the economy. The government is aware of the inflationary potential of this rapid development and is closely monitoring fiscal and monetary policies.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $193.6 billion (1995 est.); $166.8 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

8.2% (1996)
9.5% (1995)
8.7% (1994)

National Product Per Capita

$9,800 (1995 est.)
$8,650 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

5.3% (1995)
3.7% (1994)

Unemployment Rate

2.8% (1995 est.)
2.9% (1994)

Budget

Exports

$72 billion (1995)
$56.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$72.2 billion (1995)
$55.2 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$27.4 billion (1995 est.)
$35.5 billion (1994 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 12% (1994); accounts for 25% of GDP (1995)

Electricity

Industries

Peninsular Malaysia

Rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing timber

Sabah

Logging, petroleum production

Sarawak

Agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging

Agriculture

Accounts for 8% of GDP (1993 est.)

Peninsular Malaysia

Natural rubber, palm oil, rice

Sabah

Mainly subsistence, but also rubber, timber, coconut, rice

Sarawak

Rubber, timber, pepper; deficit of rice in all areas

Illicit Drugs

Transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the U.S., Western Europe, and the Third World despite severe penalties for drug trafficking

Economic Aid

Currency

1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen

Exchange Rates

Ringgits (M$) per US$1 - 2.5567 (January 1996), 2.5044 (1995), 2.6243 (1994), 2.5741 (1993), 2.5474 (1992), 2.7501 (1991), 1.7048 (1990)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Highways

Inland Waterways

Peninsular Malaysia

3,209 km

Sabah

1,569 km

Sarawak

2,518 km

Pipelines

Crude oil 1,307 km; natural gas 379 km

Ports

Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Lahad Datu, Labuan, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjong Berhala, Tanjong Kidurong, Tawau

Merchant Marine

Airports

Heliports

2 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

2,550,957 telephones (1992 est.); international service good

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 5,160,884; males fit for military service 3,129,626; males reach military age (21) annually 184,236 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $2.4 billion, 2.9% of GDP (1995); $2.1 billion, 2.9% of GDP (1994)

History
World Atlas