Federation of Malaysia

Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə/ mə-lay-zhə or məˈleɪsiə/ mə-lay-see-ə; Malaysian pronunciation: [məlejsiə]) is a federal constitutional monarchy located in Southeast Asia. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 330,803 square kilometres (127,720 sq mi) separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions, Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia (Malaysian Borneo). Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with Thailand and maritime borders with Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. East Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with Brunei and Indonesia and a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. With a population of over 30 million, Malaysia is the 44th most populous country. The southernmost point of continental Eurasia, Tanjung Piai, is in Malaysia. Located in the tropics, Malaysia is one of 17 megadiverse countries on earth, with large numbers of endemic species.

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, whose establishment was followed by the Malay kingdoms becoming British protectorates. The territories on Peninsular Malaysia were 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 North Borneo, Sarawak, and Singapore on 16 September 1963. Less than two years later in 1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation.

The country is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, which plays a large role in politics. The constitution declares Islam the state religion while allowing freedom of religion for non-Muslims. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and the legal system is based on common law. The head of state is the king, known as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong. He is an elected monarch chosen from the hereditary rulers of the nine Malay states every five years. The head of government is the prime minister.

Since its independence, Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with its GDP growing at an average of 6.5% per annum for almost 50 years. The economy has traditionally been fuelled by its natural resources, but is expanding in the sectors of science, tourism, commerce and medical tourism. Today, Malaysia has a newly industrialised market economy, ranked third largest in Southeast Asia and 29th largest in the world. It is a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the East Asia Summit and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and a member of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Geography

Malaysia is the 66th largest country by total land area, with a land area of 329,613 km2 (127,264 sq mi). It has land borders with Thailand in West Malaysia, and Indonesia and Brunei in East Malaysia. It is linked to Singapore by a narrow causeway and a bridge. The country also has maritime boundaries with Vietnam and the Philippines. The land borders are defined in large part by geological features such as the Perlis River, the Golok River and the Pagalayan Canal, whilst some of the maritime boundaries are the subject of ongoing contention. Brunei forms what is almost an enclave in Malaysia, with the state of Sarawak dividing it into two parts. Malaysia is the only country with territory on both the Asian mainland and the Malay archipelago. Tanjung Piai, located in the southern state of Johor, is the southernmost tip of continental Asia. The Strait of Malacca, lying between Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia, is one of the most important thoroughfares in global commerce, carrying 40 per cent of the world's trade.

The two parts of Malaysia, separated from each other by the South China Sea, share a largely similar landscape in that both Peninsular and East Malaysia feature coastal plains rising to hills and mountains. Peninsular Malaysia, containing 40 per cent of Malaysia's land area, extends 740 km (460 mi) from north to south, and its maximum width is 322 km (200 mi). It is divided between its east and west coasts by the Titiwangsa Mountains, rising to a peak elevation of 2,183 metres (7,162 ft) at Mount Korbu, part of a series of mountain ranges running down the centre of the peninsula. These mountains are heavily forested, and mainly composed of granite and other igneous rocks. Much of it has been eroded, creating a karst landscape. The range is the origin of some of Peninsular Malaysia's river systems. The coastal plains surrounding the peninsula reach a maximum width of 50 kilometres (31 mi), and the peninsula's coastline is nearly 1,931 km (1,200 mi) long, although harbours are only available on the western side.

East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, has a coastline of 2,607 km (1,620 mi). It is divided between coastal regions, hills and valleys, and a mountainous interior. The Crocker Range extends northwards from Sarawak, dividing the state of Sabah. It is the location of the 4,095 m (13,435 ft) high Mount Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in Malaysia. Mount Kinabalu is located in the Kinabalu National Park, which is protected as one of the four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Malaysia. The highest mountain ranges form the border between Malaysia and Indonesia. Sarawak contains the Mulu Caves, the largest cave system in the world, in the Gunung Mulu National Park which is also a World Heritage Site.

Around these two halves of Malaysia are numerous islands, the largest of which is Banggi. The local climate is equatorial and characterised by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons. The temperature is moderated by the presence of the surrounding oceans. Humidity is usually high, and the average annual rainfall is 250 cm (98 in). The climates of the Peninsula and the East differ, as the climate on the peninsula is directly affected by wind from the mainland, as opposed to the more maritime weather of the East. Local climates can be divided into three regions, highland, lowland, and coastal. Climate change is likely to affect sea levels and rainfall, increasing flood risks and leading to droughts.

Info:

Motto: "Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu" | Unity is Strength
Anthem: "Negaraku" | My Country
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Official Language: Bahasa Malaysia 
Religion: Suni Islam
Demonym: Malaysian
Legislature: Parliament
Area: 330,803 km2
Currency: Ringgit (RM) (MYR)
Time Zone: MST (UTC+8)
Date Format: dd-mm-yyyy
Drives on the: left
Calling code: +60
ISO 3166 Code: MY
International TLD: .my

Largest Cities/Towns/Districts of Malaysia

1. Kuala Lumpur
2. Johor Bahru
3. Ipoh
4. Shah Alam
5. Petaling Jaya
6. Kuching
7. George Town
8. Khota Baru
9. Khota Kinabalu
10. Kuala Terengganu
11. Malacca City

Flag of Malaysia

The flag of Malaysia, also known as the Jalur Gemilang (Malay for "Stripes of Glory"), comprises a field of 14 alternating red and white stripes along the fly and a blue canton bearing a crescent and a 14-point star known as the Bintang Persekutuan (Federal Star).

Official Website: Malaysia.gov.my

Did You Know?

• Tunku Abdul Rahman first announced the date of Malaya's Independence at Padang Pahlawan in Bandar Hilir, Malacca, on Feb 20, 1956.
• Malaysia's first experiment with national service was in 1962, during the Indonesian Confrontation. Youths between 21 and 28 were eligible for a two-year call-up.
• Lembah Bujang in the foothills of Gunung Jerai is believed to be the location of an old Malay Langkasuka empire, holding ruins that may date back 1,500 years.
• "Tun" is the most senior federal title and there can be no more than 25 living recipients at any one time.
• The village of Wang Kelian in Perlis is the only place in the world where large-scale cave tin-mining was conducted.
• The largest cave chamber in the world is the Sarawak Chamber in Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, which can easily accommodate a Boeing 747-200.
• Malaysia shares with Qatar the world's lowest death rate of respiratory diseases, at 7.5 death per annum per 100 000 people.
• Tanjung Piai in sounthern Johor is the southernmost tip of continental Asia.
• Sabah is home to the Rafflesia, the lagest flower in the world.
• The Malaysian flag was adopted on Sept 16,1963. The flag was designed by Mohamed Hamzah, a 29-year old Public Works Department architect in Johor Baru who entered a design competition with two designs.Stalin didn't start learning Russian until he was 8. His mother tongue was Georgian.
• Kuala Kangsar district office is the site of the last surviving rubber tree from the original batch H. N. Ridley brought from London's Kew Gardens in 1877.
• Chinese documents written as far back as the 6th century refer to Kelantan as "Ho Lan Tan" and other names like "Tan-Tan" or "Chich Tu"
• Malaysia has 65,877 km of highway. This is more than the Earth's circumference of 40,075 km.
• There are more than 60 sub-ethnic groups in Sabah and Sarawak.
• Bursa Malaysia, formerly known as the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, dates back to 1930 when the Singapore Stockbroker's Accociation was set up to deal in securities in Malaysia.
• The Belum rainforest has more Malayan tigers per square kilometer than any other animal sanctuary here.
• The largest insect egg in Malaysia comes from the 15 cm Malaysian Stick Insect (Heteopteryx dilitata), which lays eggs that measure 1.3 cm, making them larger than a peanut.
• Tun Abdul Razak Hussein and Tun Hussein Onn, Malaysia's second and third prime ministers respectively, were among the more well known students of Silat Seni Gayong.
• Penang Free School is the oldest English school in Southeast Asia, founded by Rev. Sparke Hutchings in 1816.
• The Bintagor trees, found only in Sarawak, is believed to contain properties that could help fight the virus that causes AIDS.
• Malaysia produces a meagre 15 feature films annually but churns out 300 to 400 televsion dramas and seials. There are 250 movie theatres and cineplexes nationwide.
• Only 0.85% of 218,004 people in Malaysia use broadband services.
• The largest undivided leaf in the world, Alocasia macrorrhiza, comes from Sabah. A specimen found in 1966 was 3.02 metres long and 1.92 metres wide.
• The life expectancy of Malaysian men and women in 1957 was 55.8 years and 58.2 years respectively. Today, it is 71 for men and 74 for women.
• Malaysia is home to 14,500 species of flowering plants and trees, more than 200 species of mammals, 600 species of bids, 140 species of snakes and 60 species of lizards.
• Sipadan Island off Sabah is one of the worlds top diving spots.
• Malaysia has 18 ports : Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, George Town, Port Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjung Berhala, Tanjung Kidurong and Tawau.
• Kota Baru was the landing point for the Japanese invasion of Malaya during World War II in 1941. Riding bicyles, Japanese soldiers took an amazing 45 days to reach Singapore.
• At 421 metres high, the Kuala Lumpur Tower is the fourth tallest in the world and tallest in Southeast Asia.
• Penang's St. George Church, built in 1818, is the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia.
• The first railroad in Malaya was between Port Weld (now Kuala Sepetang) and Taiping, built by the British in 1885 and covering a distance of 13.6 km.
• Many global brands are produced in Malaysia, including Intel Pentium chips and Brooks Brother's shirts.
• Bank Negara (Malaysia's Central Bank) has been managed by six governors since its establishment in 1959.
• The spiritual pop group Raihan holds the record for the best-selling local album, 700,000 units of their Puji-Pujian album in 1996.

References

• Wikipedia
• KGomez
• Wikimedia