| GENERAL
INFORMATION |
- Official Name
- Persekutuan Tanah Malaysia
- (Federation of Malaysia)
|
- Capital
- Kuala Lumpur
|
- Flag
- The Malaysian flag, adopted in 1963, was
inspired by the United States flag. The 14 stripes and the 14 points on the star stand for
the original 14 Malaysian states. After Singapore seceded in 1965, the extra stripe and
point were retained to represent the capital territory of Kuala Lumpur. The star and
crescent represent Islam. Yellow is the official color of the monarchy; blue reflects the
British colonial influence in Malaysia; and red and white are traditional Malaysian
colors.
|
- Anthem
- "Negara-Ku"
("My
Country")
|
- Sources:
- Book of World Flags
- National Anthems of the World
|
| LAND |
- Area
- 329,758 sq km
- (127,320 sq mi)
|
- Highest Point
- Mount Kinabalu
- 4101 m (13,455 ft)
- above sea level
|
- Lowest Point
- Sea level along the coast
|
| CLIMATE |
- Average Temperatures
- Kuala Lumpur
- January
|
- 27° C
|
- 81° F
|
- July
|
- 28° C
|
- 82° F
|
|
- Average Annual Precipitation
- Kuala Lumpur
- 2440 mm (96 in)
- Kuching
- 3900 mm (154 in)
|
- Sources:
- Europa World Year Book 1994
- Statesman’s Year-Book 1994-95
- World Weather Guide
|
| POPULATION |
- Population
- 19,962,893
- (1996 estimate)
|
- Population Density
- 61 persons/sq km
- (157 persons/sq mi)
- (1996 estimate)
|
- Urban/Rural Breakdown
- 47% Urban
- 53% Rural
- (1995 estimate)
|
- Largest Cities
- Kuala Lumpur 1,145,075
- Ipoh 382,633
- Johor Baharu 328,646
- (1991 census)
|
- Ethnic Groups
- 59% Indigenous peoples
- (including ethnic Malays, Orang Asli, Ibans, Bidayuh, and
Kadazans)
- 32% Chinese
- 9% Indian
|
- Languages
- Official Language
- Bahasa Malaysia
- Other Languages
English, Chinese, Tamil, Iban, other
minority languages
|
- Religions
53% Islam
19% Buddhism
11% Christianity
8% Hinduism
9% Other(including indigenous beliefs)
|
- Sources:
- Book of Vital World Statistics
- Europa World Year Book 1994
- World Factbook 1996
- World Population Prospects:The 1992 Revision
|
| ECONOMY |
- Gross Domestic Product
- $70.6 billion
- (1994)
|
- Chief Economic Products
Agriculture and Forestry
Rice, palm oil, rubber, cacao, pepper, coconuts, pineapples,
timber
Mining
Petroleum, natural gas, tin, bauxite, iron ore, copper
Manufacturing
Semiconductors and electronic products,
rubber products, refined petroleum, motor vehicles
|
- Employment Breakdown
47% Services
32% Industry
21% Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing
|
- Major Exports
- Semiconductors and electronic products, petroleum and
petroleum products, palm oil, wood and wood products, rubber, textiles
|
- Major Imports
- Machinery and transportation equipment, basic manufactures,
chemicals, fuels, food
|
- Major Trading Partners
Japan, Singapore, United States, Taiwan, Germany, Great
Britain
|
- Currency
- Ringgit
- Exchange Rate
- 2.51 ringgits = U.S.$1 (1997)
|
- Sources:
- Europa World Year Book 1994
- The Wall Street Journal
- World Factbook 1994
- World Bank
|
| GOVERNMENT |
- Form of Government
- Federal constitutional monarchy
|
- Head of State
- Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Supreme Head of the Federation)
- Selected by and from the nine hereditary rulers for a
five-year term
|
- Head of Government
- Prime minister
- Appointed by the head of state upon advice of parliament
|
- Legislature
- Bicameral legislature
- Dewan Rakyat
- (House of Representatives - 192 members)
- Dewan Negara
- (Senate - 70 senators)
|
- Voting Qualifications
- Universal suffrage for all citizens age 21 and older
|
- Highest Court
- Federal Court of Malaysia
|
- Armed Services
- Army, Navy, Air Force
- 114,500 troops
|
- Political Divisions
- 13 states and two federal territories
|
| EDUCATION |
- Major Universities and Colleges
- University of Malaya -
Kuala Lumpur
- University of Science - George
Town
- National University - Bangi
- International Islamic
University - Petaling Jaya
- University of Technology - Johor
Baharu
|
- Sources:
- Europa World Year Book 1994
- World Factbook 1994
|
| HISTORY |
- IMPORTANT DATES
- about 200 BC
- The western coast of the Malay Peninsula
emerged as an important cultural and trading center.
- AD 900s
- Some Malayan states were ruled by the
Sumatra-based empire of Sri Vijaya. Other Southeast Asian empires also exerted control
over peninsular states over several hundred years.
- about 1400
- A kingdom was founded at Malacca (now
Melaka) on the western coast of the Malay Peninsula. It quickly became a thriving trade
center and helped spread Islam throughout the region.
- 1511
- After Portuguese forces captured Malacca,
the sultanate moved to Johor.
- 1641
- The Dutch ousted the Portuguese and assumed
control of Malacca. Local Malay states traded and occasionally fought with the Dutch, but
remained independent.
- 1786
- Francis Light, representing the British East
India Company, established British control of Pinang (now George Town) and opened the port
to trade.
- 1824
- The Anglo-Dutch Treaty ended the Dutch
presence on the Malay Peninsula.
- 1826
- The British East India Company united
Pinang, Malacca, and Singapore as the colony of the Straits Settlements.
- 1900s
- Many Chinese and Indians migrated to North
Borneo, Sarawak, and the Malay Peninsula to work in the booming rubber and tin industries.
- 1941
- Japan invaded Malaya in December, conquering
the entire Malay Peninsula in barely three months. Sarawak and North Borneo also fell to
the Japanese in early 1942.
- 1957
- The Federation of Malaya on Peninsular
Malaysia gained independence from Great Britain.
- 1963
- Sarawak, North Borneo (later Sabah), and
Singapore joined Malaya to form Malaysia. Singapore withdrew from the union two years
later.
- 1969
- Riots erupted in Kuala Lumpur between ethnic
Malays and Chinese. The government exercised emergency powers to restore order.
- 1993-1994
- Constitutional amendments reduced the power
of the nine herditary rulers. They were stripped of legal immunity, and the head of state,
always one of the nine rulers, was prohibited from delaying legislation.
|
