| Country |
The Federation of Malaysia comprises Peninsular
Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of
Borneo.
|
Language |
Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is the national language
but Chinese and English are widely spoken. The ethnic groups also
speak various languages and dialects. |
Geographical Location |
Located 7 degrees north of the Equator, Peninsular
Malaysia is separated from the states of Sabah and Sarawak by
the South China Sea. In the north of the peninsular is Thailand
while its southern neighbour is Singapore.
|
Religion |
Islam is the official religion but all other
religions are practiced freely. |
Area |
329,847 sq km
|
Government |
Parliamentary democracy with a bicameral legislative
system. The Head of State is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the
Head of Government is the Prime Minister. |
Population |
24 million |
Climate |
Tropical climate with warm and humid weather
all year around. Temperatures range from 21°C to 36°C. |
Capital |
Kuala Lumpur |
Economic Profile |
Manufacturing constitutes
the largest single component of Malaysia’s economy. Tourism
and primary commodities such as petroleum, palm oil,
natural rubber and timber are major contributors to its economy.
|
People |
Malays who make up about 62.5% of the population
are the predominant group with Chinese (make up of 24.0% or 5.7
million), Indians (7.0%) and other minority ethnic groups.
|
Currency |
The unit of currency is
the Malaysian Ringgit indicated as RM. Foreign currencies can
be converted at banks and money changers. |
The climate in Malaysia
