ABOUT MALAYSIA

Malaysia has 13 states: 11 on the

Malayan Peninsular (West Malaysia)
and two, Sabah and Sarawak, on the
island of Borneo (East Malaysia).
Malaysia's capital city is Kuala
Lumpur. The new administrative center
is in Putrajaya, which is approximately
a 30-minute drive from the capital.

Geographical Location
Malaysia lies at seven° North of the
Equator and consists of West and East
Malaysia. West Malaysia is bordered
by Thailand to the north, Singapore to
the south, South China Sea to the east,
and Straits of Malacca to the west. East
Malaysia shares its southern border
with Indonesia, and is cradled by the
South China Sea to the west and north,
and the Sulu Sea to the northeast.
Although Malaysia is not a large
country with only actual land area of
(roughly 127,316 sq miles), it has an
enormously great deal to offer.

Climate
Malaysia is pampered with a warm
tropical climate, with general
temperatures ranging from 70° F to 90°
F. The weather is very much
influenced by the Northeast and the
Southwest Monsoon. Between May to
September, it is usually a drier period.
However, rainy season will take place
between November and February

Population and Demographic

Malaysia is a land of ready smiles and incredible variety. The rich diversity of
experiences and contrasts beckons the worldly traveler, from city-lovers to adventure-
seekers and much, much more. Here, in this land of friendly and fascinating people, you
can get a taste of all of Asia in a single destination.
Come mingle with the country's population of more than 25 million people, which
consists of Malays (the nation's biggest ethnicity) and other indigenous groups including
the Orang Asli, Dayaks, Kadazan Dusun, Melanau, Murut and more. Joining them are
the large Chinese and Indian populations, and groups of mixed descent, such as the
Baba-Nyonyas and Eurasians of Portuguese and other European ancestry, as well as
other immigrant Asian ethnicities.
The Malays and the native tribal groups make up approximately 60% of the total
population. Chinese 30%, Indians 8% and the balance a melting pot of other races and
cultures. Four-fifths of the population resides in West Malaysia.

Language
Although Bahasa Malaysia is the official language, English is widely spoken. Other
prominent languages spoken are Mandarin, other Chinese dialects, Tamil and Punjabi.

Economy
Malaysia remains one of the world's largest producers of rubber, palm oil, timber and
tin. In recent years, the manufacturing and service (notably the tourism sector) industries
have become main contributors to the economy. Exports of electronic products are one
of the main contributors of the nation's economic growth. In fact, Malaysia is one of the
few Asian countries that has its own car manufacturing industry. The stability of the
economy and its political scenario has managed to attract tremendous foreign
investments into the country.
The country's major trading partners are Japan, the United States, Singapore, the United
Kingdom and Germany.