About Malaysia
MALAYSIA is a country in Southeast Asia. It located
partly on a peninsula of the Asian mainland and partly on the northern third of
the island of Borneo.
Geographically, Malaysia is almost as diverse as its culture. 11 states
and 2 federal territories (Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya) form west Malaysia. West
Malaysia (Peninsular) has coastlines on the South China Sea and the Straits of
Malacca. It shares a border with Thailand
and is connected by a causeway and a bridge (the 'second link') to the island
state of Singapore; whereas, East
Malaysia (Borneo) includes the 2 states (Sabah and Sarawak), which shares
borders with Brunei and Indonesia. A third federal
territory is the island of Labuan.
“Malaysia, Truly Asia.” This sums up what Malaysia is all about. A
country offers a unique look into the rest of Asia as a melting pot of races,
cultures and religions. A fascinating fusion of colorful festivals, gastronomic
adventures, shopping splendors, natural wonders and many more thrills and
spills. It is a land of striking contrasts and diversity. On one hand, Malaysia
has the world’s tallest twin towers, the PETRONAS Twin Towers and many
skyscrapers.
On the other hand, it has some of the world’s finest treasure troves of
nature, from the 130 million years old rainforests, the biggest cave chamber
and the largest flower to the smallest elephant.
"Malaysia Truly Asia" is more than just a slogan. It reflects precisely who Malaysians are.
Yes, Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual nation where
people of diverse races and religions live in harmony.
To know Malaysia is to love Malaysia. A bubbling, bustling melting-pot
of races and religions where Malays, Indians, Chinese and many other ethnic
groups live together in peace and harmony. Multiculturalism has made Malaysia a
gastronomical paradise and home to hundreds of colorful festivals. Malaysians are humble, tolerant, and friendly. Most importantly,
they respect one another regardless of one’s race, religion and background.
It is this true Malaysian value that binds them together.
For a full of surprises perfect holidays, the place is Malaysia.
Fast Facts of Malaysia
Geography
Malaysia covers a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometers
separated by the South China Sea into two regions, the Peninsular Malaysia and
East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak). Malaysia consists of a total of thirteen
states and three federal territories (Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and
Labuan).
Government
Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy and the
Yang Di-Pertuan Agong commonly known as the King, is the Head of the nation.
The Government of the day is Barisan Nasional (National Front Coalition)
consisting of 13 component parties and led by the United Malays National
Organisation (UMNO). Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia while
Putrajaya is the heart of the administration of the Federal Government.
Population
The multi-ethnic communities that exist in this
country represent the demographics of Malaysia. The Department of Statistics
Malaysia reported Malaysia's population, as of April 2013, is estimated to be
29,620,200. Out of this number, the Bumiputeras including Malays were 62.3%,
the Chinese 22%, the Indians 6.7%, other races (citizens) 0.9% and non-citizens
at 8.1%.
Religion
Islam is the official religion of Malaysia. Other
religions are also widely practiced by its multi-racial society.
Climate & Weather
Malaysia has a tropical climate and the weather is warm
and sunny all year round. Average daily temperature is around 32ºC (90ºF)
during the day. It falls to around 24ºC (75ºF) at night. Annual rainfall varies
from 2,000 mm to 2,500 mm.
Economy
Malaysia has a newly industrialized market economy,
which is relatively open and state-oriented. In 2012, the economy of Malaysia
was the third largest economy in Southeast Asia and the GDP growth was
5.1 percent. Malaysia is one of the leading exporters of electrical appliances,
electronic parts and components, palm oil, petroleum and natural gas. Malaysia
is also externally competitive, ranking 12th out of 135 economies in the World
Bank in 2013. (Doing Business 2013 report).
Malaysia’s tourism sector contributed over RM47
billion to the Gross National Income (GNI) in 2012 and became a key pillar to
the country’s aspiration to be a high-income nation by 2020. The industry
experienced a remarkable growth and evolved to become one of the country’s
fastest growing economic sectors, contributing RM60.6 billion in tourist
receipts, with tourist arrivals registering at 25.03 million in 2012.
Time
Eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and 16
hours ahead of United States Pacific Standard Time.
