Geography, People, and Economy of Malaysia

Malaysia is divided into two geographical regions: Peninsular Malaysia which shares borders with Thailand and Singapore; and Malaysian Borneo, which shares the island of Borneo with Brunei and part of Indonesia.

Malaysia is divided into three political regions: West (Peninsular) Malaysia, Sarawak, and Sabah. The last two are on the island of Borneo.

Geography

Area: 329,748 sq. km. (127,315 sq. mi.); slightly larger than New Mexico.

Cities: Capital--Kuala Lumpur. Other cities--Penang, Ipoh, Malacca, Johor Baru, Shah Alam, Klang, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Kota Baru, Kuala Terengganu, Miri, Petaling Jaya.

Terrain: Coastal plains and interior, jungle-covered mountains. The South China Sea separates peninsular Malaysia from East Malaysia on Borneo.

Climate: Tropical.

People

Nationality: Noun and adjective--Malaysian(s).

Population (2008): 27.5 million.Annual growth rate: 2.0%.

Ethnic groups: Malay 53.3%, Chinese 26.0%, indigenous 11.8%, Indian 7.7%, others 1.2%.

Religions: Islam (60.4%), Buddhism (19.2%), Christianity (9.1%), Hinduism (6.3%), other/none (5.0%).

Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), Chinese (various dialects), English, Tamil, indigenous.

Education: Years compulsory--6. Attendance--90.1% (primary), 60.0% (secondary). Literacy--93.5%.

Health: Infant mortality rate (2007)--6.7/1,000. Life expectancy (2007)--female 76.4 yrs., male 71.9 yrs.

Work force (10.89 million, 2007): Services--57%; industry--28% (manufacturing--19%, mining and construction--9%); agriculture--15%.

Economy

(2007) Nominal GDP: $154.3 billion.

Annual real GDP growth rate: 5.9% (2006); 6.3% (2007).

Per capita (GDP) income: $5,610.

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--$185.0 billion: electronic products, manufactured goods, petroleum, palm oil, liquid natural gas, apparel, timber, rubber.

Major markets--U.S. 15.6%, Singapore 14.6%, Japan 9.1%, China 8.8%.

Merchandise imports--$154.0 billion: electronic products, machinery, chemicals, manufactured goods, petroleum products.

Major suppliers--Japan 13.0%, China 12.9%, Singapore 11.5%, U.S. 10.8%.

For more information from the US State Department: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2777.htm

-Teacher Karl

The Capital of the federation of Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR :

Long, long ago in 1857 some 87 sailing Chinese mineral prospectors struck tinat the confluence of Klang and Gombak rivers and christened the spot as Kuala Lumpur, which meant "muddy river mouth". In contrast, there standstoday a modern, civilised city, leaving far behind the history of its tin trade.
It is the Capital of the federation of Malaysia. Getting there isquite easy with around 40 airlines flying to and from the KL international airport at Sepang. By road, rail and sea too it is easily accessible. The main port-of-call for cruise liners is Port Klang, 41 km from KL. The city is dotted with sky-scapers. The world's tallest building, 88-storey, 452-metre Petronas Towers,is here.
The other places of interest are Chinatown and its night markets for food,Merdeka Square ( the site of original settlement), Sultan Abdul Samed Building ( a major landmark, houses the Supreme Court), Masjid Jamek, Railway Station, National Zoo where sea lion can be seen, Central Market, Petronas Art Gallery, Menara KL ( the tallest tower of Asia, one can go up for a panoramic view of the city), National Museum, National Mosque, National Art Gallery, the popular Lake Gardens, Deer Park and Butterfly Park. Chinatown, Jalan Pudu Lama and Jalan Bukit Bintang are places where budget hotels are available.

Written by:
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Malaysia Sabah

The western part of Sabah is generally mountainous, containing the three highest mountains in Malaysia. The most prominent range is the Crocker Range which houses several mountains of varying height from about 1,000 metres to 4,000 metres. At the height of 4,095 metres, Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Malaysia and the mountain is the fourth tallest in Southeast Asia behind Hkakabo Razi of Myanmar (5881 m), Puncak Jaya (4884 m) and Puncak Trikora (4750 m) of Papua, Indonesia . The jungles of Sabah are classified as rainforests and host a diverse array of plant and animal species. Kinabalu National Park was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2000 because of its richness in plant diversity combined with its unique geological, topographical, and climatic conditions.[13]
Lying nearby Mount Kinabalu is Mount Tambuyukon. At a height of 2,579 metres, it is the third highest peak in the country. Adjacent to the Crocker Range is the Trus Madi Range which houses the second highest peak in the country, Mount Trus Madi, at a height of 2,642 metres. There are lower ranges of hills extending towards the western coasts, southern plains, and the interior or central part of Sabah. These mountains and hills are traversed by an extensive network of river valleys and are in most cases covered with dense rainforest.
The central and eastern portion of Sabah are generally lower mountain ranges and plains with occasional hills. Kinabatangan River begins from the western ranges and snakes its way through the central region towards the east coast out into the Sulu Sea. It is the second longest river in Malaysia after Rejang River at a length of 560 kilometres. The forests surrounding the river valley also contains an array of wildlife habitats, and is the largest forest-covered floodplain in Malaysia.[14]
Other important wildlife regions in Sabah include Maliau Basin, Danum Valley, Tabin, Imbak Canyon and Sepilok. These places are either designated as national parks, wildlife reserves, virgin jungle reserves, or protection forest reserve.
Over three quarters of the human population inhabit the coastal plains. Major towns and urban centers have sprouted along the coasts of Sabah. The interior region remains sparsely populated with only villages, and the occasional small towns or townships.
Beyond the coasts of Sabah lie a number of islands and coral reefs, including the largest island in Malaysia, Pulau Banggi. Other large islands include, Pulau Jambongan, Pulau Balambangan, Pulau Timbun Mata, Pulau Bumbun, and Pulau Sebatik. Other popular islands mainly for tourism are, Pulau Sipadan, Pulau Selingan, Pulau Gaya, Pulau Tiga, and Pulau Layang-Layang.

information from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabah


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