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Geography[Geography] [People] [Government] [Defense]
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 area 329,750 sq km and land area 328,550 sq km. Comparative area: 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). Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea. Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm. Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm. Territorial sea: 12 nm. International disputes: Involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; State of Sabah claimed by the Philippines; Brunei may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides Brunei into two parts; two islands in dispute with Singapore; two islands in dispute with Indonesia. Climate: Tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons. Terrain: Coastal plains rising to hills and mountains. Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m. Highest point: Mount Kinabalu 4,100 m. Natural resources: Tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite. Land use: Arable land 3%, permanent crops 10%, meadows and pastures 0%, forest and woodland 63%, other 24%.Irrigated land: 3,420 sq km (1989 est.).
Natural hazards: Flooding. International agreements: Party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea. Geographic note: strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea.[Geography] [People] [Government] [Defense]
Population: 22,179,600 (1998 est.). Age structure:1-4 years: 2,576,300 5-9 years: 2,523,900 10-14 years : 2,447,100 15-19 years : 2,243,200
20-24 years : 2,087,000 25-29 years : 1,904,300 30-34 years : 1,737,500 35-39 years : 1,572,200
40-44 years : 1,325,100 45-49 years : 1,054,700 50-54 years : 785,600 55-59 years : 610,400
60-64 years : 482,900 65-69 years : 347,900 Above 70 years : 481,500 (1998 est.).
Population growth rate: 2.07% (1996 est.).
Birth rate: 26.2 births/1,000 population (1996 est.).
Death rate: 5.49 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.).
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.).
Sex ratio (1998 est.):
Total population: 22,179,600.
Male: 11,351,900.
Female: 10,827,700.
Life expectancy at birth:Total population: 69.75 years.
Male: 66.82 years.
Female: 72.89 years (1996 est.).
Total fertility rate: 3.27 children born/woman (1996 est.).
Nationality:Noun: Malaysian(s).
Adjective: Malaysian.
Ethnic divisions: Malay (10,468,771 - 47.2%), other indigenous (2,373,217 - 10.7%), Chinese (5,522,720 - 24.9%), Indian (1,562,300 - 7.04%. ), other races (704,800 - 3.18%) and 1,548,136 - 6.98% non-Malaysian (1998 est.).
Religions:Peninsular Malaysia: Muslim (Malays), Buddhist (Chinese), Hindu (Indians).
Sabah: Muslim 38%, Christian 17%, other 45%.
Sarawak: Tribal religion 35%, Buddhist and Confucianist 24%, Muslim 20%, Christian 16%, other 5%.
Languages:Peninsular Malaysia: Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects, Tamil.
Sabah: English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Chinese (Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate).
Sarawak: English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages.
Literacy: Age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.). 83.5% of total population. Male 89.1% and female 78.1%.
Government
[Geography] [People] [Government] [Defense]
Name of country:Conventional long form: None.
Conventional short form: Malaysia.
Former: Malayan Union
Data code: MY
Type of government: Constitutional monarchyNote: Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963; nominally headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament; Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, where governors are appointed by Malaysian Pulau Pinang Government; powers of state governments are limited by federal Constitution; Sabah - self-governing state, holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak - self-governing state, holds 27 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government.
Capital: Kuala Lumpur 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* . Independence: 31 August 1957 (from UK). National holiday: National 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:Head of government: Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981) was appointed by the paramount ruler; Deputy Prime Minister ANWAR bin Ibrahim (since 1 December 1993).
Cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the paramount ruler from among the members of Parliament.
Legislative branch: Bicameral Parliament (Parlimen).Senate (Dewan Negara): Elected members serve six-year terms; elections last held NA (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (58 total, 32 appointed by the paramount ruler and 26 elected by the state legislatures) seats by party NA.
House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat): members elected for five-year terms; elections last held NA April 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); results - National Front 63%, other 37%; seats - (192 total) National Front 162, DAP 9, PBS 8, PAS 7, Semangat'46 6. Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount ruler. International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WtrO. Diplomatic representation in US:Chief of mission: Ambassador DALI Mahmud Hashim.
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.
US diplomatic representation:Chief of mission: Ambassador John R. MALOTT.
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur.
Mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152.
Telephone: [60] (3) 2489011
FAX: [60] (3) 2422207
Flag: 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.
Defense
[Geography] [People] [Government] [Defense]
Branches: Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts.
Manpower availability:Males age 15-49: 5,360,884.
Males fit for military service: 3,129,626
Males reach military age (21) annually: 184,236 (1996 est.).
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $2.4 billion, 2.9% of GDP (1995).
[Geography] [People] [Government] [Defense]
