Malaysia
This article is about the country. For the biogeographical region, see Malesia.
Malaysia (
i /məˈleɪʒə/ mə-LAY-zhə or i /məˈleɪsiə/ mə-LAY-see-ə) is a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists ofthirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi). It is separated by theSouth China Sea into two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo (also known as West and East Malaysia respectively). Land borders are shared with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei, and maritime borders exist with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Peninsular Malaysia is connected to Singapore via two bridges, one which transports water and one just for traffic. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population is over 27.5 million.
i /məˈleɪʒə/ mə-LAY-zhə or i /məˈleɪsiə/ mə-LAY-see-ə) is a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists ofthirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi). It is separated by theSouth China Sea into two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo (also known as West and East Malaysia respectively). Land borders are shared with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei, and maritime borders exist with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Peninsular Malaysia is connected to Singapore via two bridges, one which transports water and one just for traffic. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. The population is over 27.5 million.Malaysia has its origins in the Malay Kingdoms present in the area which, from the 18th century, became subject to the British Empire. The first British territories were known as the Straits Settlements, with the other states forming protectorates. The states on Peninsular Malaysia, then known as Malaya, was first unified as the Malayan Union in 1946. Malaya was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948, and achieved independence on 31 August 1957. Malaya united with Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore to form Malaysia on 16 September 1963. However, less than two years later in 1965, Singapore withdrew from the federation, and became an independent city state. Since independence, Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with GDP growing an average 6.5% for almost 50 years. The economy has traditionally been fuelled by its natural resources, but is now expanding in the sectors of science, tourism, commerce and medical tourism.
The head of state is the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, an elected monarch chosen from the hereditary rulers of the nine Malay states every five years. The head of government is the Prime Minister. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and the legal system is based on English Common Law. The country is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, factors that influence its culture and play a large role in politics.
Malaysia contains the southernmost point of continental Eurasia, Tanjung Piai, and is located near the equator and has a tropical climate. It has a biodiverse range of flora and fauna, and is considered a megadiverse country. It is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, and a member of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Non-Aligned Movement.
| Malaysia | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||
| Motto: "Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu" "Unity Is Strength" [1] | ||||||
| Anthem: Negaraku (My Country) | ||||||
 | ||||||
| Capital | Kuala Lumpur[a] Putrajaya (administrative centre) 3°08′N 101°42′E | |||||
| Largest city | Kuala Lumpur | |||||
| Official language(s) | Bahasa Malaysia[b] | |||||
| Official for some purposes | English[c] | |||||
| Official script | Malay alphabet | |||||
| Ethnic groups | 50.4% Malay 23.7% Chinese 11.0% Indigenous 7.1% Indian 7.8% Other[2] | |||||
| Demonym | Malaysian[3] | |||||
| Government | Federal constitutionalelective monarchy andFederal parliamentary democracy | |||||
| - | Yang di-Pertuan Agong | Mizan Zainal Abidin | ||||
| - | Prime Minister | Najib Tun Razak | ||||
| - | Deputy Prime Minister | Muhyiddin Yassin | ||||
| Independence | ||||||
| - | From the United Kingdom (Malayaonly) | 31 August 1957[4] | ||||
| - | Federation (withSabah, Sarawakand Singapore[d]) | 16 September 1963[5] | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 329,847 km2 (66th) 127,354 sq mi | ||||
| - | Water (%) | 0.3 | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | 2010[6] census | 27,565,821 | ||||
| - | Density | 83.57/km2 (114th) 216.45/sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2010 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $403.042 billion[7] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $14,275.371[7] | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2010 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $213.065 billion[7] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $7,546.559[7] | ||||
| Gini (2002[2]) | 46.1 (36) | |||||
| HDI (2010) |  0.744[8] (high) (57th) | |||||
| Currency | Ringgit (RM) (MYR) | |||||
| Time zone | MST (UTC+8) | |||||
| - | Summer (DST) | Not observed (UTC+8) | ||||
| Date formats | dd-mm-yyyy | |||||
| Drives on the | Left | |||||
| ISO 3166 code | MY | |||||
| Internet TLD | .my | |||||
| Calling code | +60 | |||||
| ^ a. Kuala Lumpur is the capital city and is home to the legislative branch of the Federal government. Putrajayais the primary seat of the federal government where the executive and judicial branches are located. ^ b. The current terminology as per government policy isBahasa Malaysia (literally Malaysian language)[9] but legislation continues to refer to the official language asBahasa Melayu (literally Malay language). ^ c. English may continue to be used for some official purposes under the National Language Act 1967. ^ d. Singapore became an independent country on 9 August 1965.[10] | ||||||
Adilan's Club : More Info Monday, March 07, 2011 : 9:39 PM
History of Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in South East Asia whose strategic sea-lane position brought trade and foreign influences that fundamentally influenced its history. Hindu and Buddhist cultures imported from India dominated early Malaysian history. They reached their peak in the Sumatran-basedSrivijaya civilization, whose influence extended through Sumatra, Java, the Malay Peninsula and much of Borneo from the 7th to the 14th centuries.
Although Muslims had passed through Malaysia as early as the 10th century, it was not until the 14th and 15th centuries that Islam first established itself on the Malayan Peninsular. The adoption of Islam by the 15th century saw the rise of number sultanates, the most prominent of which was the Melaka (Malacca). Islamic culture has had a profound influence on the Malay people, but has also been influenced by them. The Portuguese were the first European colonial powers to establish themselves in Malaysia, capturing Malacca in 1511, followed by the Dutch. However, it was the British, who after initially establishing bases at Jesselton, Kuching, Penang and Singapore, ultimately secured their hegemony across the territory that is now Malaysia. The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 defined the boundaries between British Malaya and the Netherlands East Indies (which became Indonesia). A fourth phase of foreign influence was immigration of Chinese and Indian workers to meet the needs of the colonial economy created by the British in the Malay Peninsula and Borneo.[1]
Japanese invasion during World War II ended British domination in Malaysia. The subsequent occupation from 1942 to 1945 unleashed nationalismin Malaya and Borneo. In the Peninsula, the Malayan Communist Party took up arms against the British. A tough military response was needed to end the insurgency and bring about the establishment of an independent, multi-racial Federation of Malaya in 1957. On 31 August 1963, the British territories in North Borneo and Singapore were granted independence and formed Malaysia with the Peninsular states on 16 September 1963. Approximately two years later, Singapore was expelled from the Federation. A confrontation with Indonesia occurred in the early-1960s. Race riotsin 1969 led to the imposition of emergency rule, and a curtailment of political life and civil liberties which has never been fully reversed. Since 1970 the "National Front coalition" headed by United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has governed Malaysia. Economic growth dramatically increased living standards by the 1990s. This growing prosperity helped minimise political discontent.[citation needed]
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AdiLan's Club : Wednesday, March 09, 2011 : 11:13 PM
