| Background: |
Malaysia was
created in 1963 through the merging of Malaya (independent
in 1957) and the former British Singapore, both of which
formed West Malaysia, and Sabah and Sarawak in north Borneo,
which composed East Malaysia. The first three years of
independence were marred by hostilities with Indonesia.
Singapore separated from the union in 1965. |
| Location: |
Southeastern
Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island of
Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south
of Vietnam |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
2 30 N, 112 30 E |
| Map
references: |
Southeast Asia |
| Area: |
total:
329,750 sq km
land: 328,550 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly larger
than New Mexico |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
2,669 km
border countries: 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: |
continental
shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
tropical; annual
southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to
February) monsoons |
| Terrain: |
coastal plains
rising to hills and mountains |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m |
| Natural
resources: |
tin, petroleum,
timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
3%
permanent crops: 12%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 68%
other: 17% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
2,941 sq km (1998
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
flooding,
landslides |
| Environment
- current issues: |
air pollution
from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution
from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian
forest fires |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol |
| Geography
- note: |
strategic
location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China
Sea |
| Population: |
22,229,040 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
34.5% (male 3,943,324; female 3,724,634)
15-64 years: 61.35% (male 6,828,670; female
6,808,623)
65 years and over: 4.15% (male 404,042; female
519,747) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.96% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
24.75
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
5.2 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.)
note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown
number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the
region |
| 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
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
20.31
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 71.11 years
male: 68.48 years
female: 73.92 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.24 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.42% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
49,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
1,900 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Malaysian(s)
adjective: Malaysian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Malay and other
indigenous 58%, Chinese 27%, Indian 8%, others 7% (2000) |
| Religions: |
Islam, Buddhism,
Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism; note - in addition,
Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia |
| Languages: |
Bahasa Melayu
(official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin,
Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam,
Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia several
indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are
Iban and Kadazan |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.5%
male: 89.1%
female: 78.1% (1995 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: none
conventional short form: Malaysia
former: Federation of Malaysia |
| Government
type: |
constitutional
monarchy
note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia)
formed 31 August 1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah,
Sarawak, and Singapore) formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left
the federation on 9 August 1965); nominally headed by the
paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a
nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but
Melaka, Penang, Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are
appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state
governments are limited by the federal constitution; under
terms of the federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain
constitutional prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain
their own immigration controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in
House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense,
internal security, and other powers delegated to federal
government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House of
Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal
security, and other powers delegated to federal government |
| 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*
note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is located
within the federal territory of Wilayah Persekutuan; the
terms therefore are not interchangeable; there may be a new
federal territory named Putrajaya |
| Independence: |
31 August 1957
(from UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence
Day/Malaysia 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: |
chief of
state: Paramount Ruler Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN
Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah
(since 26 April 1999); Deputy Paramount Ruler Sultan MIZAN
Zainal Abidin ibni A-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah
Shah
head of government: Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR
bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister
ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since 8 January 1999)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime
minister from among the members of Parliament with consent
of the paramount ruler
elections: paramount ruler and deputy paramount
ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of
the states for five-year terms; election last held 27
February 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister
designated from among the members of the House of
Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader
of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of
Representatives becomes prime minister
election results: Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul
Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah
elected paramount ruler; Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin ibni A-Marhum
Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah elected deputy
paramount ruler |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral
Parliament or Parlimen consists of nonelected Senate or
Dewan Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler,
26 appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of
Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (193 seats; members elected
by popular vote weighted toward the rural Malay population
to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held
29 November 1999 (next must be held by 20 December 2004)
election results: House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NF 56%, other 44%; seats by party
- NF 148, PAS 27, DAP 10, NJP 5, PBS 3 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Federal Court
(judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of
the prime minister) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Alternative
Coalition or Barisan Alternatif-BA (includes the following
parties: Party Islam Se-Malaysia or PAS [FADZIL Mohamad Noor],
National Justice Party or NJP [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismail],
Democratic Action Party or DAP [LIM Kit Siang], and
Malaysian People's Party or PRM [SYED HUSIN]); National
Front or NF (ruling coalition dominated by the United Malays
National Organization or UMNO [MAHATHIR bin Mohammad],
includes the following parties: Malaysian Indian Congress or
MIC [S. Samy VELLU], Malaysian Chinese Association or MCA
[LING Liong Sik], Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia or Gerakan [LIM
Keng Yaik], Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi
Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud], Parti Angkatan Keadilan Rakyat
Bersatu or Akar [PANDIKAR Amin Mulia], Parti Bangsa Dayak
Sarawak or PBDS [Leo MOGGIE], Sarawak United People's Party
or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam], Liberal Democratic Party or
LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat], Sabah Progressive Party or SAPP [YONG
Teck Lee], People's Progressive Party or PPP [M. KAYVEAS],
Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP], Sarawak
National Party or SNAP [Amar James WONG], Parti Demokratik
Sabah or PDS [leader NA], and United Pasok Momogun Kadazan
Organization or UPKO (state level only) [Bernard DOMPOK]);
Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti
Bersekutu [HARRIS Salleh]; State Reform Party of Sarawak or
STAR [PATAU Rubis] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
APEC, ARF, AsDB,
ASEAN, BIS, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI Sheikh Abdul Khalid
chancery: 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-2700
FAX: [1] (202) 483-7661
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala
Lumpur
mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700
Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP
96535-8152
telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
FAX: [60] (3) 2168-4961 |
| Flag
description: |
14 equal
horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white
(bottom); 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 US |
| Economy
- overview: |
GDP grew at 8.6%
in 2000, mainly on the strength of double-digit export
growth and continued government fiscal stimulus. As an oil
exporter, Malaysia also benefited from higher petroleum
prices. Higher export revenues allowed the country to
register a current account surplus, but foreign exchange
reserves have been declining - from a peak of $34.5 billion
in April 2000 to $29.7 billion by December - as foreign
investors pulled money out of the country. Despite this
development, Kuala Lumpur is unlikely to abandon its
currency peg soon. An economic slowdown in key Western
markets, especially the United States, and lower world
demand for electronics products will slow GDP growth to
3%-6% in 2001, according to private forecasters. Over the
longer term, Malaysia's failure to make substantial progress
on key reforms of the corporate and financial sectors clouds
prospects for sustained growth and the return of critical
foreign investment. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $223.7 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
8.6% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $10,300 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
14%
industry: 44%
services: 42% (2000) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
6.8% (1997 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
1.4%
highest 10%: 20.4% (1997 est.) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
1.7% (2000) |
| Labor
force: |
9.6 million (2000
est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
local trade and
tourism 28%, manufacturing 27%, agriculture, forestry, and
fisheries 16%, services 10%, government 10%, construction 9%
(2000 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
2.8% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$16.4 billion
expenditures: $17.8 billion, including capital
expenditures of $43 billion (2000 est.) |
| 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 |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
12.1% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
59.044 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
91.61%
hydro: 8.39%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
54.872 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
50 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
11 million kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
Peninsular
Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah -
subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak -
rubber, pepper; timber |
| Exports: |
$97.9 billion
(2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
electronic
equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, chemicals,
palm oil, wood and wood products, rubber, textiles |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 21%, Singapore
18%, Japan 13%, Hong Kong 5%, Netherlands 4%, Taiwan 4%,
Thailand 3% (2000 est.) |
| Imports: |
$82.6 billion
(2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
transport equipment, chemicals, food, fuel and lubricants |
| Imports
- partners: |
Japan 21%, US
17%, Singapore 14%, Taiwan 6%, South Korea 5%, Thailand 4%,
China 4% (2000 est.) |
| Debt
- external: |
$41.8 billion
(2000 est.) |
| Exchange
rates: |
ringgits per US
dollar - 3.8000 (January 2001), 3.8000 (2000), 3.8000
(1999), 3.9244 (1998), 2.8133 (1997), 2.5159 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
4.5 million
(1999) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
2.698 million
(1999) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: modern system; international service
excellent
domestic: good intercity service provided on
Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay;
adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between
Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with
2 earth stations
international: submarine cables to India, Hong
Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 56, FM 31
(plus 13 repeater stations), shortwave 5 (1999) |
| Radios: |
10.9 million
(1999) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
27 (plus 15
high-power repeaters) (1999) |
| Televisions: |
10.8 million
(1999) |
| Internet
country code: |
.my |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
7 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
1.5 million
(2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
1,801 km
narrow gauge: 1,801 km 1.000-m gauge (148 km
electrified) (2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
64,672 km
paved: 48,707 km (including 1,192 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 15,965 km
note: in addition to these national and main
regional roads, Malaysia has thousands of kilometers of
local roads that are maintained by local jurisdictions
(1999) |
| Waterways: |
7,296 km
note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569
km, Sarawak 2,518 km |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 1,307
km; natural gas 379 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Bintulu, Kota
Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut,
Miri, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Dickson, Port Kelang,
Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
362 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,103,657 GRT/7,574,999
DWT
ships by type: bulk 62, cargo 110, chemical
tanker 35, container 60, liquefied gas 20, livestock carrier
1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 58, refrigerated cargo 1,
roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 6
(2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
115 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
33
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 7 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
82
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 73 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Malaysian Army,
Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal
Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
21 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 5,800,456 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 3,514,023 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
196,042 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$1.69 billion
(FY00 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2.03% (FY00) |
| Disputes
- international: |
involved in a
complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China,
Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei;
Philippines have not fully revoked claim to Sabah State;
Pulau Batu Putih (Pedra Branca Island) disputed with
Singapore; Sipadan and Ligitan Islands in dispute with
Indonesia |
| Illicit
drugs: |
transit point for
some illicit drugs; drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously
and carries severe penalties |
|
