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| Introduction | Malaysia |
| Background: | During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's history were marred by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in 1965. |
| People | Malaysia |
| Population: | 23,522,482 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 33.3% (male 4,033,037; female 3,806,451) 15-64 years: 62.1% (male 7,326,068; female 7,289,783) 65 years and over: 4.5% (male 469,499; female 597,644) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 23.8 years male: 23.2 years female: 24.4 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.83% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 23.37 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 5.08 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 18.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 15.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 21.23 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 71.95 years male: 69.29 years female: 74.81 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.1 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.4% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 52,000 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 2,000 (2003 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Malaysian(s) adjective: Malaysian |
| Ethnic groups: | Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%, others 10% (2000) |
| Religions: | Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia |
| Languages: | Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban and Kadazan |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.7% male: 92% female: 85.4% (2002) |
| Government | Malaysia |
| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia former: Federation of Malaysia |
| Government type: | constitutional monarchy note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August 1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore) formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the Federation on 9 August 1965); nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; all of the Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka and Penang; Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under the terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration controls); Sabah - currently holds 20 seats in House of Representatives and will hold 25 seats after the next election; Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives |
| Capital: | Kuala Lumpur note: Putrajaya is referred to as the administrative capital |
| Administrative divisions: | 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 3 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Putrajaya*, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan* note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is within the federal territory of Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable; |
| Independence: | 31 August 1957 (from UK) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day/Malaysia 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: | chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12 December 2001) head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since 31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister NAJIB Tun Razak (since 7 January 2004) elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12 December 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (219 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - BN 64%, PAS 16%, DAP 10%, other 10%; seats by party - BN 198, DAP 12, PAS 7, Keadilan 1, independent 1 elections: House of Representatives - last held 21 March 2004 (next must be held by 2009) |
| Judicial branch: | Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister) |
| Political parties and leaders: | ruling-coalition National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN, consisting of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [LIM Kheng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting]; Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy VELLU]; Parti Bangsa Dayak Sarawak or PBDS [leadership in dispute]; Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH Ahmad Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK]; People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Keyveas]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [leader NA]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP [William MAWANI]; opposition parties: Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]; People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismael]; opposition coalition Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA consists of PAS, PKM, and PKR |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalid chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882 telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Charge Robert A. POLLARD embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152 telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000 FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207 |
| Flag description: | 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 14-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US |
| Communications | Malaysia |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 4,571,600 (2003) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 11,124,100 (2003) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: modern system; international service excellent domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001) |
| Radios: | 10.9 million (1999) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001) |
| Televisions: | 10.8 million (1999) |
| Internet country code: | .my |
| Internet hosts: | 107,971 (2003) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 7 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 8,692,100 (2003) |
| Transportation | Malaysia |
| Railways: | total: 2,418 km (207 km electrified) standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified) narrow gauge: 2,361 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 65,877 km paved: 49,935 km (including 1,192 km of expressways) unpaved: 15,942 km (1999) |
| Waterways: | 7,200 km note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km, Sabah 1,500 km, Sarawak 2,500 km (2004) |
| Pipelines: | condensate 279 km; gas 5,047 km; oil 1,841 km; refined products 114 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, George Town (Penang), Port Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong, Tawau |
| Merchant marine: | total: 360 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,389,397 GRT/7,539,178 DWT foreign-owned: China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 8, Indonesia 2, Japan 2, South Korea 1, Liberia 1, Monaco 1, Norway 1, Philippines 2, Singapore 81, Vietnam 1 registered in other countries: 75 (2003 est.) by type: bulk 59, cargo 100, chemical tanker 38, container 66, liquefied gas 25, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 56, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 8 |
| Airports: | 117 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 38 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 79 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2003 est.) |
| Military | Malaysia |
| Military branches: | Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 6,193,587 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 3,746,960 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 223,466 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $1.69 billion (FY00 est.) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2.03% (FY00) |
| Transnational Issues | Malaysia |
| Disputes - international: | involved in complex dispute with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; disputes over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three years; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands off the coast of Sabah, also claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia; a 1 kilometer segment at the mouth of the Golok River remains in dispute with Thailand; Philippines retains a now dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue the Sultanate's sovereignty claim; in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their offshore and deepwater seabeds until negotiations progress to an agreement over allocation of disputed areas; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute |
| Illicit drugs: | transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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