Malaysia: Land and People Malaysia Land and People Malaysia consists of two parts: West Malaysia, also called Peninsular Malaysia or Malaya (1990 est. pop. 14,400,000), 50,700 sq mi (131,313 sq km), on the Malay Peninsula and coextensive with the former Federation of Malaya, comprising the states of Perlis , Kedah , Pinang , Perak , Kelantan , Terengganu , Pahang , Selangor , Negeri Sembilan , Melaka (Malacca), and Johor , and two federal territories (the cities of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya); and East Malaysia (1990 est. pop. 3,410,000), 77,730 sq mi (201,320 sq km), comprising the states of Sabah and Sarawak (the former British colonies of North Borneo and Northwest Borneo) on the island of Borneo and one federal territory, the island of Labuan .

The two parts are separated by c.400 mi (640 km) of the South China Sea. West Malaysia is bordered on the north by Thailand, on the east by the South China Sea, on the south by Singapore (separated by the narrow Johore Strait), and on the west by the Strait of Malacca and the Andaman Sea. East Malaysia is bordered on the north by the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea, on the east by the Celebes Sea, and on the south and west by Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo). Along the coast within Sarawak is the independent nation of Brunei. Both East and West Malaysia have mountainous interiors and coastal plains. The highest point is Mt. Kinabalu (13,455 ft/4,101 m) in Sabah. The longest of the country's many rivers are the Rajang (c.350 mi/560 km) in Sarawak, the Kinabatangan (c.350 mi/560 km) in Sabah, and the Pahang (c.200 mi/320 km) in West Malaysia.

Lying close to the equator, Malaysia has a tropical rainy climate. Over two thirds of the land area is forested. Although it makes up only 31% of the country's area, West Malaysia has more than 80% of its people. Of the total population, most of which is concentrated on the west coast, some 50% are ethnically Malay, almost 25% are Chinese, over 10% are of indigenous descent, and about 7% are South Asian (mainly Tamil). In West Malaysia, Malays comprise about one half of the population, Chinese one third, and South Asians one tenth. In East Malaysia, the two largest groups are the Chinese and the Ibans (Sea Dyaks), an indigenous people, who together make up about three fifths of the total. Conflict between the ethnic groups, particularly between Malays and Chinese, has played a large role in Malaysian history, and recent years have seen increased tension between ethnic Malays and people of South Asian descent. Nearly all of the Malays are Sunni Muslims (they are considered to be Muslim under the constitution), and Islam is the national religion.

The majority of Chinese are Buddhists (Confucianism and Taoism are also practiced), and most of the South Asians are Hindu; 9% of the population is Christian. The official language is Bahasa Malaysia (Malay), although English is used in the legal system. Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, and other dialects), Tamil, and regional ethnic languages and dialects are also widely spoken. Sections in this article: Malaysia States Updates: I updated the population data to show the final 2010 census results, acquired from source [7]. FIPS Publication Change Notice No. 10, affecting FIPS PUB 10-4, was issued on 2006-03-23. It assigns a new FIPS code to the new federal territory. ISO 3166-2 Newsletter number I-5, dated 2003-09-05, shows the new Putrajaya territory (which was reported over two years ago on this page). It also changes all of the ISO codes for the divisions of Malaysia. The new numeric codes are those used by the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation & Management Planning Unit (MAMPU).

For the old alphabetic codes, see "Administrative Subdivisions of Countries". The Malaysian Department of Statistics has released preliminary figures from the 2000 census. Country overview: Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya In 1900, the term Malaysia referred to the Malay Archipelago, roughly equivalent to Indonesia and the Philippines. The area which we now call Malaysia was a motley collection of British-dominated entities. On the Malay Peninsula, there were the Straits Settlements, the Federated States of Malaya, other native states (unfederated states), and dependencies. On and near the island of Borneo, North Borneo was administered by the British North Borneo Company under charter, and Sarawak was a British colony. Japan occupied the whole area during World War II. After Japan's defeat, a series of proposals for union were considered and tried. On 1957-08-31, Malaya became independent. Malaysia was formed six years later. Other names of country: Old: Original ISO codes, 1998, based on road vehicle designations. FIPS: Codes from FIPS PUB 10-4.

Population: 2010-07-06 census (source [7]). Postcodes: Malaysia uses five-digit postal codes. These are the first two digits or ranges assigned to each state, as far as I've observed. Further subdivisions: See the Districts of Malaysia page. The states are subdivided into 144 administrative districts. The census report (source [7]) shows the districts subdivided into 149 other units, a few of which overlap multiple districts. They have the status designations D.B., L.B., L.K., M.B., M.D., M.D.L.B., M.P., and Perbadanan. They are further subdivided into about a thousand local authority areas, which also may overlap the districts. Territorial extent: (Island names are usually preceded by Pulau, the Malay word for island.) Johor includes Tinggi, Sibu, Aur, Pemanggil, and Babi Besar on the east, and Kukub on the west. Kedah includes Langkawi and adjacent small islands (Dayang Bunting, Singa Besar, Langgon, etc.).

Labuan is an island in the Gulf of Brunei, off the coast of Borneo. Pahang includes Tioman and Seriburat. Perak includes Pangkor and the Sembilan Islands (of which Rumbia is the largest). Pinang consists mainly of the island of Pinang and a slightly larger coastal region called Province Wellesley. Sabah includes Banggi, Jembongan, Balembangan, the northern half of Sebatik, Timbun Mata, Bum Bum, Malawali, Kanawi, Timbang, Sakar, Gaja, Mengalum, Tabawan, Tambisan, Tiga, and Mantanani Besar. Sarawak includes Bruit, Patok, Satang Besar, Talang Talang Besar, and Lakei. Selangor includes Kelang, Lumut, Pintu Gedong, and Ketam. Terengganu includes Redang, Tenngol, Kapas, Perhentian Kecil, and Perhentian Besar. Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur is an enclave within Selangor.

Malaysia claims part of the Spratly Islands, south of about 8ï¿½ N. latitude in the South China Sea. The group as a whole has been given the FIPS 10-4 country code PG. for Malaysia lists locations in the country, some of them with their latitudes and longitudes, some with their ISO 3166-2 codes for their subdivisions. This information can be put together to approximate the territorial extent of subdivisions. Origins of names: Negeri Sembilan: Malay for nine states Perak: after the Perak River, from Malay perak: silver Pinang: from the island Pulau Pinang, from Malay pulau: island, pinang: areca nut Putrajaya: after Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, with the suffix "jaya": success. Sarawak: corruption of Malay sarakaw: small harbor Change history: In 1900, the Straits Settlements consisted of Malacca, Penang, and Singapore. The Federated Malay States consisted of Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, and Selangor.

Johore was an unfederated state (British dependency). Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, and Trengganu were dependencies of Siam (Thailand). Labuan was a dependency of North Borneo; Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands were dependencies of Singapore; and Dindings and Province Wellesley were dependencies of Penang. 1900: Christmas Island became part of Singapore settlement. 1903: Cocos (Keeling) Islands became part of Singapore. 1905: Labuan transferred from North Borneo to Straits Settlements. 1907: Labuan merged with Singapore. 1909: Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Trengganu became unfederated states. 1912: Labuan became a separate settlement in the Straits Settlements. 1935: Dindings dependency (Pulau Pangkor and adjacent mainland) merged with Perak state. 1946-04-01: Singapore split from Straits Settlements to become a British colony.

The Federated States, the unfederated states, and the other Straits Settlements (Malacca and Penang) joined to form the Malayan Union. 1946-07-15: British North Borneo Company ceded to Britain its sovereign rights to North Borneo. Labuan merged with this area to form the British colony of North Borneo. 1947: Capital of North Borneo moved from Sandakan to Jesselton. 1948-02-01: Malayan Union became Federation of Malaya. 1955-11-23: Cocos (Keeling) Islands transferred from Singapore to Australia. 1958-10-01: Christmas Island transferred from Singapore to Australia. ~1960: Capital of Pahang state moved from Kuala Lipis to Kuantan. 1963-09-16: Federation of Malaysia formed by the union of Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sarawak, and North Borneo. Name of North Borneo changed to Sabah. 1965-08-09: Singapore split from Federation of Malaysia.

1974-02-01: Kuala Lumpur federal territory split from Selangor. Capital of Selangor moved from Kuala Lumpur to Shah Alam. ~1980: Spelling of some state names and capitals changed. Johore state became Johor, Malacca became Melaka, Negri Sembilan became Negeri Sembilan, Penang became Pinang, Trengganu became Terengganu. Johore Bahru became Johor Baharu, Alor Star became Alor Setar, etc. 1984-04-16: Labuan federal territory split from Sabah state. 1999-06-04: Administrative capital of Malaysia moved from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya. The name comes from Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, with the suffix "jaya": success. 2001-02-01: Wilayah Persekutuan (federal territory) Putrajaya split from Sepang district of Selangor state (source [4]).

2003-12-21: Name of capital of Kedah changed back to Alor Star (source [3]).

Other names of subdivisions: Johor: Johor Darul Takzim (formal); Johore (variant) Kedah: Kedah Darul Aman (formal) Kuala Lumpur: Federal Territory, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (variant); Territoire Fï¿½dï¿½ral (French); Territï¿½rio Federal (Portuguese) Labuan: Labouan (French-variant); Pulau Labuan, Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan (variant) Melaka: Malacca, Malaka (variant) Negeri Sembilan: Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus (formal); Negri Sembilan (variant) Pahang: Pahang Darul Makmur (formal) Perak: Perak Darul Ridzuan (formal) Perlis: Perlis Indra Kayangan (formal) Pinang: Penang and Province Wellesley, Penang, Pulau Pinang (variant) Sabah: North Borneo (obsolete) Malaysia Malaysia COUNTRY OVERVIEW LOCATION AND SIZE.

Malaysia is situated in Southeast Asia, bordered by Thailand in the north, Indonesia in the south, and the Philippines in the east. The country has an area of 329,758 square kilometers (127,320 square miles). Comparatively, the territory of Malaysia is slightly greater than that of the state of New Mexico, the fourth-largest state in the United States. The Federation of Malaysia consists of 13 states, and is divided into 2 parts: 11 states are located in Peninsular Malaysia (also called West Malaysia) and 2 comprise East Malaysia, which is situated on the island of Borneo (see map). Peninsular and East Malaysia are separated by 640 kilometers (400 miles) of the South China Sea. Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur, is located in southeast Peninsular Malaysia, just 300 kilometers (187 miles) from Singapore. However, a new capital, Putrajaya, is being developed outside the overcrowded metropolitan area as the new administrative center.

The strategic importance of Malaysia is in its location along the Strait of Malacca, which is a major sea-route connecting the Far East to Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. POPULATION. The population of Malaysia was estimated at 21,793,000 in July 2000. It has almost doubled since the 1960s due to improved health, medical facilities, and longer life expectancy. In 2000, the birth rate stood at 25.3 per 1,000, while the death rate stood at 5.25 per 1,000. The estimated population growth rate is 2.01 percent and if the current trend remains unchanged, the population could reach 31 million by 2020. The population is very unevenly distributed, with almost 81 percent, or 17.5 million, living in Peninsular Malaysia, and 19 percent, or 4.2 million, living in East Malaysia.

The population density is about 129 people per square kilometer (334 people per square mile) in Peninsular Malaysia and about 20 people per square kilometer (52 people per square mile) in East Malaysia. Malaysia is a multinational and multicultural country with a very diverse population. Malays and several indigenous groups make up 58 percent of the population. Ethnic Chinese, the second-largest ethnic group, make up 26 percent of the population; Indian descendants make up 7 percent, and various other groups together account for the remaining 9 percent. The current ethnic structure was formed during the colonial era in the 19th and 20th centuries, when the British administration encouraged migration from India and especially from China. The Malaysian population is very young, with 35 percent below age 14 and just 4 percent of the population older than 65. Urbanization came to Malaysia relatively late. In 1970, just over 28.8 percent of Malaysians lived in urban areas. In 1999 over half of Malaysians—57 percent—were living in urban areas.

It is expected that within the next 10 to 15 years more than 70 percent of the population will live in urban areas, mainly in the Peninsular Malaysia. Religion plays a very important role in the country. Islam is the official national religion and nearly all Malays are Muslims. Most ethnic Chinese are Buddhist. The majority of Indians (comprising the descendants of migrants from what became India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh) are Hindu, although there are many Muslims among members of this community. The largest proportion of the Chinese community has traditionally lived in the urban areas, while Malays have often lived in the country's rural regions. In 1960, the Malaysian population was about 8 million, and the country at one time had one of the highest birth rates in Asia. The population doubled between 1960 and 1990, although population growth began to decline in the 1990s. The decline in population rates could be linked to the socio-economic changes in the economy that tightened the labor market and increased the number of women in the workforce, and the better education of women.

Malaysia experienced an inflow of foreign workers employed mainly in the low-skill and low-wage construction and services sectors and in agricultural plantations. The Malaysian government would like to regulate the inflow of illegal migrants, who arrive mainly from neighboring Indonesia, as well as from Bangladesh and Burma, attracted by the geographical proximity and higher wages. INDUSTRY MINING. Tin, oil, and gas are the major natural resources of export significance produced by the mining sector in Malaysia. The mining of tin was introduced during the colonial era and until the 1980s the country was the world's largest producer of tin, being overtaken in the early 1990s by Brazil and neighboring Indonesia. The major mines are situated in Peninsular Malaysia, making it easy to transport their products to the nearest seaports. Malaysia's exports of tin declined from 36,812 metric tons in 1994 to 22,376 metric tons in 1998, affected by fluctuations in the world market. During recent decades, Malaysia has increased production of crude petroleum and natural gas.

In 1999, it produced 693,000 barrels of crude oil per day and 3.8 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The high-quality oil is extracted mainly from offshore platforms in the states of Terengganu, Sabah, and Sarawak, with a total of about 40 oilfields in operation (1999). There are 5 oil refineries situated in Malaysia. The production of gas increased steadily in the 1990s to meet the rising demand in the domestic and international markets, with exports mainly going to Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore. Malaysia was ranked thirteenth in the world in terms of gas reserves and twenty-second in oil reserves in 1999. The state-controlled petroleum corporation, Petronas, has been seeking a greater role in the international market, investing in promising new projects in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Overall, mining plays a declining role in the national economy of the country, contributing just under 7.3 percent of GDP and providing employment for 39,000 people or under 1 percent of the labor force (1998).

However, there is great potential for development of this sector, since Malaysia has various relatively under-exploited mineral resources in East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), including bauxite, iron ore, copper, ilmenite, and gold. Additionally, there are large offshore reserves of high-quality oil and gas. MANUFACTURING. Malaysia has established a diverse and quickly-growing manufacturing sector that plays an increasing role in the Malaysian economy. Manufacturing contributes about 29 percent of the GDP, providing employment to 2.3 million people or 27 percent of the workforce (1999). From the late 1970s, the proportion of GDP provided by the manufacturing sector in Malaysia grew from 20.2 percent in 1979 to around 29 percent in 1999. The United States continues to be the single largest foreign investor in Malaysia's manufacturing sector, with approved new manufacturing investments totaling US$1.37 billion (RM5.2 billion) in 1999. The major investment projects were in the chemical, electronics, and electrical industries.

Malaysia built up its manufacturing sector mainly in the 1970s and 1980s, utilizing its long-established industrial centers on the island of Pinang and the Kelang Valley, its well-developed transportation infrastructure (including seaports and railways), and the entrepreneurial skills of its small and medium-sized businesses. The industrial sector initially consisted of oil refining, machinery assembly, and light industries (including foodstuff processing and textile manufacturing). However, as in neighboring Singapore, the Malaysian manufacturing sector was boosted in the 1970s and 1980s by the extensive growth of the electric assembly and electronics sectors. Malaysia became an important producer of radios, television sets, stereo equipment, and other related products. In the 1980s, the Malaysian government launched its national automobile project, the locally produced Proton car (in cooperation with Mitsubishi of Japan), and in the late 1980s, it started exporting the Proton to the international market. In the 1990s, there was further growth in the manufacturing sector, especially in export-oriented electronics production, including semiconductors, silicon wafers, and other items.

Malaysia has become the world's third-largest producer, and one of the world's largest exporters, of semiconductors. As in neighboring Singapore, the Malaysian government has played an active role in industrialization and economic development. In this regard, the Malaysian Industrial Development Agency (MIDA) has been instrumental in promoting the rapid development of targeted sectors of industries (especially knowledge-and technology-intensive sectors), since all industrial projects that involve foreign direct investments (FDIs) must be approved by the MIDA. The government also used direct investments and encouraged the inflow of FDIs, establishing special export-processing zones where investors were given access to well-developed infrastructure and enjoyed tax breaks and other privileges. Since the 1980s, the government has actively promoted the electronics, information technology, and multimedia sectors, and has encouraged the relocation of labor-intensive industries to Indonesia and Thailand. Most of Malaysia's electrical and electronic products are produced for export to the United States, Europe, and other markets. This makes its manufacturing economy vulnerable to downturns in the regional and international market. Despite some restrictive measures and financial initiatives, Malaysia was negatively affected by the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

In 1997 and 1998, its manufacturing sector experienced serious contraction; dozens of plants were closed and thousands of workers lost their jobs. In 1998 alone, the sector was reduced by about 10.9 percent across the board. However, in 1999 and 2000, Malaysia managed to reverse the recession in manufacturing, and this sector experienced an impressive growth of 12 percent per annum. Malaysia is one of ASEAN's leading exporters of furniture, with total exports reaching about US$1.02 billion (RM3.9 billion) in 1999. Access to cheap local wood makes Malaysian furniture manufactures very competitive in the international market. In 1999, the United States was the largest single market for Malaysian wooden furniture (37 percent), followed by Japan (14 percent), Singapore (9 percent), and the United Kingdom (9 percent). If the rapid growth in this sector remains unchanged, by 2005 Malaysia could become one of the top ten furniture exporters in the world. SERVICES TOURISM. Tourism is becoming an increasingly important sector of Malaysia economy.

Together with the retail sector, it provides employment for almost 1.57 million people, or around 17 percent of the labor force. Roughly 7.5 million tourists visited the country in 1999, contributing RM10 billion to the national economy. This makes tourism one of Malaysia's top foreign exchange earners. According to the national authorities, the country has 1,426 hotels, the total room capacity of which almost doubled during the 1990s to about 110,000 in 2000. Most visitors have been from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, China, the United Kingdom, and Australia. In order to develop tourism, Malaysia has promoted its diverse cultural environment, hosting a number of cultural festivals and performances. It has also publicized its rich natural heritage, which includes tropical forests, coral reefs, unspoiled mountain ranges, rivers, and national parks. The country offers tax-free bargain shopping and excellent service, with top-class hotels such as Sheraton, Hilton, Intercontinental, and other well-established international chains opening branches.

It offers a wide variety of activities, from eco-friendly and adventure tourism to scuba diving and relaxed family holidays on the numerous Malaysian islands and beaches. Additionally, Malaysia has signed visa-free regimes with most countries in Asia, the Americas, and Europe, enabling international tourists to travel to Malaysia without obtaining entry visas. In 1997, however, tourism suffered from the regional financial crisis and by the smog caused by several months of forest fires in Indonesia. The number of tourist arrivals declined significantly in 1997 and 1998; however, there was a strong recovery in arrivals in 1999 and 2000. FINANCIAL SERVICES. The financial service industry is another rapidly growing sector of Malaysia's economy. In terms of employment, it almost doubled from 230,900 people in 1988 to 447,200 people in 1998. Traditionally, this sector was built around the banking system, investments, insurance, and some other activities.

For more than a decade until 1997, the financial service sector experienced rapid expansion fuelled by the inflow of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), reasonably cheap credits, and overall rapid economic growth in all sectors of the economy. Malaysia developed a sophisticated computerized banking payment system, encouraging development of electronic payment systems and electronic banking. The U.S.-based Motorola and Unisys have taken part in these projects as members of consortia that included local companies. Malaysia's government considered developing Kuala Lumpur into a regional financial center, competing with Singapore for this role, although it was slow to allow foreign brokers to operate at the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE). The 1997 regional financial crisis started with the collapse of the Thai currency (the Baht), which severely affected the Malaysian financial sector. Share and property prices declined significantly, provoking panic among local and international investors. Within a short time, the Malaysian ringgit had depreciated against major international currencies, especially the U.S. dollar. This inflicted considerable damage on local businesses, as a significant number of credits were in U.S. dollars and local companies faced extreme difficulties repaying those credits.

The Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) lost more than half its value, plunging from RM807 billion in the middle of 1996 to RM376 billion in the middle of 1997. In response to this crisis, the Malaysian government imposed currency and capital controls, locked in foreign investors' share holdings for 1 year, and initiated a share-buying scheme with the government-controlled funds. In 1999 and 2000, financial services began their recovery, and the government slowly eased various restrictions and state control in this sector. RETAIL. Traditionally, in Malaysia many small and medium-sized businesses were built around the retail sector and were often associated with small shops and cafés run by Chinese merchants. The retail sector grew, in terms of its size and quality of service, due to a general rise in income among the population and an increase in tourism arrivals. In the 1990s, major international retail chains such as Yaohan and SOGO of Japan, Marks and Spencer of the United Kingdom, MAKRO of France and fast-food franchises such as McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and others opened outlets in Malaysia.

However, there are still a number of small family-run traditional shops and cafés, selling both imported and locally-made products. Tourists can also buy pirated products, including footwear, optical disks (CDs), and computer software. According to one study, piracy may have accounted for losses of US$84.2 million (RM320 million) in market value in 1999. In April 2000, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) placed Malaysia on the special Priority Watch List for its failure to reduce pirated optical disc production and export. In response to this, the Malaysian police regularly launch crackdowns on unlicensed software businesses. DEPENDENCIES Political Map of Malaysia | Malaysia States Map Political Map of Malaysia Online Quiz Political Map of Malaysia Malaysia is a country located in Southeast Asia, bordered by Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei. Other neighboring countries which share maritime borders with Malaysia are Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur with the seat of government in Putrajaya. Disclaimer Close Disclaimer : All efforts have been made to make this image accurate. However Compare Infobase Limited,its directors and employees do not own any responsibility for the correctness or authenticity of the same.

Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country, bordered by Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei. Malaysia also shares maritime borders with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The country consists of two land areas, separated by the South China Sea. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur, but Putrajaya is considered the administrative capital, as the seat of government. Malaysia's two regions together cover an area of 329,847 square kilometers (127,355 square miles). The regions are called Peninsular Malaysia, which is situated on the Malay Peninsula, bordering Thailand, and Malaysian Borneo, which is East Malaysia and is situated on the island of Borneo. Malaysian Borneo borders Indonesia and Brunei. The two regions differ in size, with Peninsular Malaysia covering around 40 percent of the total territory of Malaysia, and Malaysian Borneo making up the other 60 percent. However, about 80 percent of Malaysia's population lives in Peninsular Malaysia. Malaysia is divided into thirteen states and three territories. Peninsular Malaysia has eleven states and two federal territories. The states on Peninsular Malaysia are divided into four geographic regions.

The states in the Northern Region include Perlis, Kedah, Penang, Perak. The East Coast Region states are Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang. The Southern Region contains the states of Negeri Sembilan, Malacca, and Johor. The Central Regions has the state of Selangor, as well as the two federal territories, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. East Malaysia has the states of Sarawak and Sabah and the federal territory of Labuan. Malaysia Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Fact Sheet February 25, 2016 More information about Malaysia is available on the Malaysia Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet. U.S.-MALAYSIA RELATIONS The United States established diplomatic relations with Malaysia in 1957, following its independence from the United Kingdom, but has had a consular or commercial presence in the area comprising modern day Malaysia since the 1800’s. President Obama and Prime Minister Najib elevated the relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership in April 2014.

Today, Malaysia is a significant regional and global partner for the United States, and the two countries share a diverse and expanding partnership in trade, investment, security, environmental cooperation, and educational and cultural relations. Economic ties are robust, and there is a long history of people-to-people exchanges. Malaysia has a diverse democracy and is an important partner in U.S. engagement with Southeast Asia. The two countries cooperate closely on security matters, including counter-terrorism, maritime domain awareness, and regional stability and participate frequently in bilateral and multilateral training, exercises, and visits. U.S. Assistance to Malaysia U.S. assistance to Malaysia focuses on education, exchanges, cultural heritage preservation, counterterrorism, non-proliferation, and security cooperation. The U.S. Fulbright English Teaching Assistant program in Malaysia is among the largest in the world, helping improve the English language skills of thousands of Malaysian secondary school students. Exchange programs promote engagement with secondary school and undergraduate students, Fulbright Scholars, agricultural fellows, and participants of sports and cultural programs. In 2014 President Obama announced additional exchange programs, grant opportunities and fellowships for youth ages 18 – 35 under the Young Southeast Asian Young Leaders Initiative (YSEALI).

There are over 6,000 alumni of Department of State-sponsored exchange programs in Malaysia. Since 2001, the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) has supported 10 projects to support the preservation of cultural heritage in Malaysia. The United States supports Malaysia’s counterterrorism efforts through information sharing, capacity building programs for law enforcement and judicial authorities, and assistance to improve immigration security and border controls. The United States also works with the Malaysian government and civil society actors on programs to counter violent extremism. Non-proliferation assistance aims at enhancing Malaysia’s ability to enforce its laws on shipments and trans-shipments of controlled munitions, dual-use commodities, and weapons of mass destruction and related commodities. Security cooperation and training builds capabilities among Malaysia’s armed forces and coast guard, allowing it to take on an expanded international role, including peacekeeping operations. Bilateral Economic Relations On February 4, 2016, the United States and Malaysia joined the rest of the 12 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiating partners to sign the TPP, an ambitious next generation Asia-Pacific trade agreement.

In addition to working together on TPP, the United States and Malaysia meet frequently to discuss bilateral trade and investment issues and to coordinate approaches on APEC, ASEAN, and the WTO. In 2015, U.S.-Malaysia bilateral trade in goods and services approached $50 billion. In 2014, Malaysia was the United States’ 19th largest trading partner and the second-largest trading partner among the 10 ASEAN members in Southeast Asia. The United States is Malaysia’s fourth-largest trading partner. U.S. exports to Malaysia include machinery, aircraft, agricultural products, optic and medical instruments, and iron and steel. U.S. imports from Malaysia include machinery, agricultural products, and optic and medical instruments. The United States continues to hold the largest stock of foreign investment into Malaysia, with several new investments in 2015. Reported U.S. foreign direct investment in Malaysia is led by the manufacturing, banking, and oil and gas sectors. Malaysian foreign direct investment in the United States is led by the real estate, gaming, biotechnology and wholesale trade sectors.

Malaysia's Membership in International Organizations Malaysia and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, ASEAN Regional Forum, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Malaysia and the United States participate in the East Asia Summit. Malaysia is currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council (2015-2016). Bilateral Representation The U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia is Joseph Y. Yun ; other principal embassy officials are listed in the Department's Key Officers List . Malaysia maintains an embassy in the United States at 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008, tel. (202) 572-9700. More information about Malaysia is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here: Malaysia country brief - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Malaysia country brief Malaysia country brief Overview Located just north of the equator, Malaysia borders Thailand, Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, and has maritime boundaries with Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines.

Both West (or Peninsular) Malaysia (area 131,794 square km) and East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak 198,000 square km) consist of rugged forested mountainous interiors descending to coastal plains. The total area is about half that of New South Wales. Malaysia's highest peak is Mount Kinabalu at 4,100 meters in East Malaysia. Malaysia's climate is hot (up to 34°C) and humid (2 to 4 meters of rain annually). According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Malaysia's population was 30.3 million in mid-2014. The country's ethnic groups include Malay and indigenous (68.1 per cent), Chinese (24.8 per cent), Indians (7.1 per cent) and others (less than 1 per cent). Sunni Islam is the predominant religion, principally among Malays, but the religions represented include Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity. The official language is Bahasa Malaysia (Malay), but English is widely used, as are Chinese and Tamil within those communities.

Political overview The Federation of Malaya was established on 31 August 1957 after the British surrendered their colonial rule over the Malaysian peninsular. On 16 September 1963, the Federation was enlarged by the accession of Singapore, Sabah (formerly British North Borneo) and Sarawak. The name 'Malaysia' was adopted from that date. Singapore left the Federation on 9 August 1965. System of Government Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. The constitution establishes the Head of State as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King), and the Head of Government as the Prime Minister. The position of the King is shared on a five-year rotating basis by the hereditary rulers of 9 of Malaysia’s 13 states (eight Sultans and one Rajah). The King's functions are largely ceremonial. Legislative power is divided between federal (bicameral) and state (unicameral) legislatures. The Federal Parliament comprises the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) and the Senate (Dewan Negara). The House of Representatives has 222 members elected for five-year terms in single-seat constituencies.

The Senate consists of 26 members elected by State Legislative Assemblies and 44 appointed by the King on the advice of the Prime Minister. The tenure of office is a three-year term for a maximum of two terms. The governing Barisan Nasional (National Front) coalition comprises 13 parties including the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the Malaysian Chinese Association and the Malaysian Indian Congress. This coalition, in which UMNO is the dominant voice, along with its predecessor, has been in power since Independence. The Barisan Nasional Government is led by Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Razak, who succeeded former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi on 3 April 2009. In the General Election on 5 May 2013, the Barisan Nasional coalition was returned to power with a reduced majority of 133 seats, down from the 140 seats won in the 2008 elections. The Opposition Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Pact) alliance won 89 seats.

Following a split within the Pan-Islamic Malaysian Party (PAS), in September 2015 Pakatan Rakyat was replaced by a new opposition coalition alliance, Pakatan Harapan (People’s Hope), comprised by the Democratic Action Party, People's Justice Party and National Trust Party. Foreign policy The principles of national sovereignty and mutual respect for territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, and non-interference in domestic affairs of other countries are central tenets of Malaysia's foreign policy. This is reflected in Malaysia's membership of the United Nations and prominent roles in organisations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Malaysia was one of ASEAN's five original members (founded in 1967). In 2015, Malaysia chaired ASEAN and the East Asia Summit (EAS). In its role as ASEAN Chair, Malaysia participated in the full suite of G20 meetings under the 2015 Turkish G20 Presidency. From 2015, Malaysia also assumed non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the term 2015-16.

Bilateral relations Australia and Malaysia share a long history of cooperation. Last year, 2015, marked the 60th anniversary of Australia’s diplomatic presence in Malaysia. See: Celebrating 60 years of Australia in Malaysia . On 22 November 2015, the Prime Ministers of Australia and Malaysia announced the elevation of the Australia-Malaysia relationship to a Strategic Partnership. The elevated Partnership acknowledges the enduring nature of our bilateral ties, our shared aspirations for stability and prosperity, and the depth and breadth of our cooperation across economic, foreign affairs, defence and security, and people-to-people spheres. Australia-Malaysia Joint Declaration of Strategic Partnership [PDF 57 KB] | [Word 166 KB] . Australia’s diplomatic representation in in Kuala Lumpur dates back to 1955 when Australia opened its first Commission to the then Federation of Malaya. Two years later, upon the independence of the Federation of Malaya in 1957, the Australian Commission became the Australian High Commission. We will celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relationship in 2017. Australia was closely associated with the establishment of the independent Federation of Malaya in 1957.

Australia sponsored Malaya's application for membership of the United Nations and was one of 15 countries to establish formal diplomatic relations with the Federation of Malaya in 1957. Sir William McKell, former Governor-General of Australia, together with four other Commonwealth jurists, helped draft its Constitution. The current Australia-Malaysia relationship draws on many long-standing associations including: parliamentary, legal and administrative systems with similar features and common membership of the Commonwealth people-to-people links including students, business councils and immigration regular and close consultations in a variety of policy fields such as a bilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting and a ministerial-level Joint Trade Committee meeting, and bilateral defence and security cooperation, including through the Malaysia-Australia Joint Defence Program and the Five Power Defence Arrangements. Australian and Malaysian troops have fought together during: the Malayan Campaign of World War II; the Malayan Emergency (1950-60); and the period of Confrontation (1963-66). In 2007, Malaysia celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence and Australia and Malaysia celebrated the 50th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations.

To commemorate the occasion, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) released a bilingual photographic publication entitled Australia-Malaysia: Celebrating 50 Years . In addition, the Australian Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade tabled a report on Australia's Relationship with Malaysia . The report noted the changing nature of Australia's relationship with Malaysia, from one of support in the early years of Malaysia's formation to one of wide-ranging and extensive collaboration across all fields. Cooperation between the Australian and Malaysian Governments has increased further since 2014 with our joint search efforts in response to missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 and the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17. People to people links Education Australian expertise in education and training is highly regarded in Malaysia. In 2015, Malaysia ranked third as a source country for international students in higher education in Australia and fifth overall across all sectors. There were over 24,000 Malaysian student enrolments in Australia in 2015, a 7.9 per cent increase on 2014. Malaysian-Australian alumni are estimated to number over 300,000.

The Malaysian Australian Alumni Council (MAAC) is an organisation for Malaysian alumni associations of Australian universities. The MAAC spearheads the Malaysia-Australia Colombo Plan Commemoration Scholarship initiative, which provides for a two-way exchange of scholars between Australia and Malaysia. University twinning arrangements and Australian campuses in Malaysia now allow Malaysian and other international students to undertake Australian courses in Malaysia. Three Australian universities have campuses in Malaysia – Monash University, Curtin University and Swinburne University of Technology. In 2015, over 24,000 Malaysian and other international students were enrolled to study for Australian qualifications in Malaysia. The five-year Australia-Malaysia ‘Towards 2020’ program of 21 short and long-term scholarships and awards, designed to support Malaysia’s economic reform agenda, welcomed its first recipients in 2014. Since 2015, Malaysia participates in the ‘Bridge’ schools partnerships program which links schools in Malaysia and schools in Australia, currently funded by the Australia-ASEAN Council. In 2011, Australia and Malaysia signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Education and in 2012 a Memorandum of Understanding on Higher Education.

In 2015 the first Australian students traveled to Malaysia under the New Colombo Plan (NCP). More than 400 Australian undergraduates will study in Malaysia under the New Colombo Plan in 2015 and 2016, including 10 prestigious scholarship recipients. The NCP is a signature foreign policy initiative of the Australian Government which aims to lift knowledge of the Indo-Pacific in Australia, strengthen people-to-people and institutional relationships and balance the two way flow of students between our countries. The NCP provides for study and internships undertaken by Australian undergraduate students in the region. Migration/tourism According to the latest Census in 2011, 116,196 Malaysia-born people live in Australia, an increase of 25.8 percent from the 2006 Census. In 2015, Australia welcomed approximately 338,800 short-term visitor arrivals from Malaysia, making it Australia's second-largest source of visitors from South-East Asia after Singapore.

Work and holiday arrangement Australia and Malaysia have a work and holiday program arrangement which allows Australians and Malaysians aged between 18 to 30 years to work and holiday in each other's country for up to 12 months. For information about the requirements for this visa and how to apply, visit the Malaysian High Commission website. Australia-ASEAN Council The former Australia-Malaysia Institute and former Australia-Thailand Institute have been merged as part of the creation of the Australia-ASEAN Council. The Australia-ASEAN Council (ACC), launched by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on 8 September 2015, will generate opportunities for Australian business, education, science and innovation and the arts to work with partners in South-East Asia. Further information can be found at Australia-ASEAN Council . Defence and security links Australia's defence relationship with Malaysia dates back to well before its independence in 1957, and reflects a common commitment to the security and stability of the region. Bilateral defence cooperation occurs through the Malaysia-Australia Joint Defence Program, which commenced in 1992. The program includes training of Malaysian military personnel in Australia, attachments of Armed Forces personnel from each country to the other, and annual combined field exercises.

Australia is Malaysia's major source of external military training. An ongoing Australian Defence Force presence exists at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Base at Butterworth. The Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) were formally established in 1971, committing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom to consult on a response to any armed attack or threat against Malaysia or Singapore. More recently, the FPDA has expanded its focus to address non-conventional security threats facing the region, including terrorism and maritime security. Australia and Malaysia cooperate closely on security issues, with close links between police and immigration agencies. In December 2014, Australia and Malaysia concluded a Memorandum of Understanding on Transnational Crime Cooperation. A Memorandum of Understanding on Maritime Security was signed on 12 July 2011 and a Memorandum of Understanding on Combating Transnational Crime and Developing Police Cooperation was signed on 13 May 2009. In August 2002, Australia and Malaysia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to combat international terrorism. Bilateral agreements on mutual assistance in criminal matters and extradition entered into force on 28 December 2006.

Economic overview Since 1957, Malaysia has transformed from a commodity-based economy, focusing on rubber and tin, to one of the world's largest producers of electronic and electrical products. Malaysia is a significant trading nation as measured by trade as a share of gross domestic product (GDP). Its goods and services exports comprise over 70 per cent of its GDP. According to the Malaysian Government, manufactured goods made up over 80 per cent of Malaysia’s exports in 2015, with electronic and electrical products comprising almost 36 per cent of the value of total merchandise exports for the year. Malaysia is also the world's second-largest exporter of palm oil and one of the region's major oil and gas exporters. According to key development indicators, Malaysia is a high middle-income, export-oriented economy, with per capita GDP (in current prices) of US$10,426 in 2014, life expectancy of 74 years and gross primary school enrolment of 100 per cent of the school-age population. In 1991 Malaysia set out a plan to achieve high income, developed-economy status by 2020 (Vision 2020).

Malaysia’s Vision 2020 policies include plans to eradicate poverty and advance the economic position of Bumiputeras ('sons of the soil' – mainly Malays but also other indigenous groups). Over the last several years, there has been a significant shift in the balance of ownership, coinciding with the emergence of an influential new class of Bumiputera entrepreneurs. Since his appointment in April 2009, Prime Minister Najib has set out a number of reforms aimed at liberalising the economy further, especially the services sector. From 1 April 2015 a Goods and Services Tax (GST) was introduced, fixed at 6 per cent, bringing Malaysia into line with other major international economies. Now in the second half of its 10-year program of economic transformation, Malaysia has made good progress in achieving its goals and is moving steadily towards high-income status. However, a number of challenging structural economic reforms will need to be addressed in the medium term in order for it to achieve sustainable and equitable long-term economic growth. Recent economic performance and outlook GDP growth in 2015 was 4.7 per cent, following growth in 2014 of 6 per cent.

Malaysia continues to have a large trade surplus (since November 1997). Inflation slowed to 2.1 per cent in 2015 after reaching 3.1 per cent in 2014. Malaysia has run a budget deficit since 1998. In 2014 the budget deficit reached 3.5 per cent of GDP. Trade and foreign investment Malaysia is a strong supporter of the multilateral trading system, in particular the World Trade Organization (WTO). Malaysia participates actively in regional economic arrangements such as the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Malaysia is also a member of the Cairns Group, which advocates more liberalised global trade in agriculture. In 2015, Malaysia's largest trading partners were China, Singapore, the United States and Japan. Malaysia has concluded and implemented bilateral FTAs with Australia, Japan, Pakistan, New Zealand, Chile, India and Turkey. ASEAN has concluded FTAs with China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, India and New Zealand. Malaysia is also pursuing bilateral FTA negotiations with the European Union.

Malaysia and Australia were among the twelve countries which signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement in February 2016 and remain parties to the current negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has played a key role in Malaysia's development, although over the past decade, annual net FDI inflows have fallen. In 2015, Malaysia’s FDI fell by 21% decrease in value compared to 2014 due to global economic conditions, including the drop in oil and commodity prices, as well as the rise of the US dollar. Australia-Malaysia economic and trade relations Malaysia is Australia's second-largest trading partner in ASEAN and eighth-largest partner overall. In 2014-15, total merchandise trade between Australia and Malaysia was A$16.4 billion, with Australian exports of A$6.1 billion and imports of A$10.4 billion. Total two-way services trade in 2014-15 was A$3.2 billion, with Australian exports of A$1.8 billion and imports of A$1.3 billion.

Major merchandise exports from Australia to Malaysia include copper, nickel, coal and wheat. Australia is a major provider of education services to Malaysia. Major Malaysian merchandise exports to Australia include crude and refined petroleum, monitors, projectors, televisions and computers. Combined, Australia-Malaysia two-way investment more than doubled over four years from 2010 to a value of A$30.6 billion in 2014. In 2014, Malaysian investment in Australia stood at A$21 billion. Australian companies continue to pursue opportunities in Malaysia, with the stock of Australian foreign investment in Malaysia at $9.6 billion in 2014. The Australia Malaysia Business Council (AMBC) and the Malaysia Australia Business Council (MABC) are important coordinating bodies for commercial linkages. Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement (MAFTA) The Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement (MAFTA) was signed in Kuala Lumpur on 22 May 2012, and came into force on 1 January 2013. MAFTA builds on the commitments made by both countries under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA (AANZFTA) and provides improved access for Australian exporters to the Malaysian market.

Under the MAFTA, 97.6 per cent of Australia's exports (2011 figures) became tariff-free on entry into force. This will rise to 99 per cent by 2017. Australia-Malaysia Joint Trade Committee The Australia-Malaysia Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meetings, led by respective ministers responsible for trade, provide a regular forum for discussions on bilateral, regional and international trade and investment issues. The 17th meeting of the JTC was held in Melbourne on 13 August 2014. See: Joint media statement on Australia-Malaysia Trade Ministers’ Meeting. Export opportunities Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) Austrade's Malaysia country page supplies general information on doing business in Malaysia and on specific export opportunities. The Austrade office in Kuala Lumpur can also provide advice on accessing opportunities in Malaysia. It can be contacted at kuala.lumpur@austrade.gov.au .

High level visits BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News – Largest English Daily In Borneo ► Miri Country Music Festival 2017 February 25 & 26, 2017 @ Parkcity Everly Hotel, Miri March 11 & 12, 2017, 10am – 7pm @ Vivacity Event Hall, Level 2 C Atrium ► Program Pendakian Bukit Sadok Betong (The Malaysia Book of Records) April 29 -30 @ Ulu Layar, Betong (Doni 013-8088044 / Sunarthi 016-5784479) ► Borneo Jazz Festival 2017 May 12 & 13, 2017 @ Parkcity Everly Hotel, Miri ► Rainforest World Music Festival 2017 July 14 – 16, 2017 @ Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching ► Borneo Cultural Festival 2017 July 20-29, @ Sibu Town Square

, Sibu ► Heart of Borneo Highlands Eco Challenge II July 20 – 29 @ Bario, Miri ► Sibu International Dance Festival 2017 August 28 – September 2 @ 7:30pm @ Sibu ► Borneo International Beads Conference 2017 October 13-15 @ The Waterfront Hotel, Kuching ► Borneo Talent Awards 2017 November 24 – 25 @ Sibu Town Square ► Ruhiang / Kiulu Adventure Challenge 15 Jan 2017 @ Tamparuli Tamu Ground,Tamparuli Town ► 17th City Day Celebration 2 Feb 2017 @ Padang Merdeka, Kota Kinabalu ► Chinese New Year Festival, Pitas 2017 11 – 12 Feb 2017 @ Dataran Salimpodon Laut, Pitas City Day Open Regatta Kinabalu Yacht Club, Tanjung Aru Tambunan Food and Cuisin Festival 29 Mar 2017

Question: Sarawak is the largest of the thirteen states, which comprise which Asian country?
Answer: MALAYSIA