Malaysia

Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963Independence 31 August 1957 (from UK)

Malaysia as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 75 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalKuala Lumpur

Area329,750 km2

Populationas each edition published it

18.41 million July 1992 · 17.51m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.32% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.6 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 68.82 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.6 children per woman 1992 · 3.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

27 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 30 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $2,960 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 8% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

329,750km2

Comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico

Coastline

4,675km

Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 kmContinental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation, specified boundary in the South China SeaExclusive fishing zone: 200 nmExclusive economic zone: 200 nmTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

2,669km

Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782, Thailand 506 km

Land area

328,550 km2

Disputes

involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei;
State of Sabah claimed by the Philippines;
Brunei may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides Brunei into two parts;
two islands in dispute with Singapore

Climate

tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

Terrain

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Natural resources

tin, crude oil, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Land use

arable land 3%;
permanent crops 10%;
meadows and pastures NEGL%;
forest and woodland 63%;
other 24%;
includes irrigated 1%

Environment

subject to flooding; air and water pollution

Note

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

People

14 fields

Population

18,410,920

(July 1992), growth rate 2.4% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

29Death

6Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Malay and other indigenous 59%Chinese 32%Indian 9%

Labor force

7,258,000

(1991 est.)

Literacy

78%

(male 86%, female 70%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

27 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth

66 years male, 71 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate

3.6 children born/woman (1992)

Nationality

noun - Malaysian(s); adjective - Malaysian

Religions

Peninsular Malaysia - Malays nearly all Muslim, Chinese predominantly Buddhists, Indians predominantly Hindu;
Sabah - Muslim 38%, Christian 17%, other 45%;
Sarawak - tribal religion 35%, Buddhist and Confucianist 24%, Muslim 20%, Christian 16%, other 5%

Languages

Peninsular Malaysia - Malay (official);
English, Chinese dialects, Tamil;
Sabah - English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate among Chinese;
Sarawak - English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages

Organized labor

640,000; 10% of total labor force (1990)

Government

Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963

18 fields

Long-form name

none

Type

Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963;
constitutional monarchy nominally headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament;
Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, where governors are appointed by Malaysian Pulau Pinang Government;
powers of state governments are limited by federal Constitution;
Sabah - self-governing state, holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government;
Sarawak - self-governing state within Malaysia, holds 27 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government

Capital

Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions

13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 2 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah persekutuan);
Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*

Independence

31 August 1957 (from UK)

Constitution

31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963 when Federation of Malaya became Federation of Malaysia

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

National holiday

National Day, 31 August (1957)

Executive branch

paramount ruler, deputy paramount ruler, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament (Parlimen) consists of an upper house or Senate (Dewan Negara) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State:: Paramount Ruler AZLAN Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Sultan Yusof Izzudin (since 26 April 1989); Deputy Paramount Ruler JA'AFAR ibni Abdul Rahman (since 26 April 1989)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister Abdul GHAFAR Bin Baba (since 7 May 1986)

Political parties and leaders

Peninsular Malaysia:: National Front, a confederation of 13 political parties dominated by United Malays National Organization Baru (UMNO Baru), MAHATHIR bin Mohamad;
Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), LING Liong Sik;
Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, Datuk LIM Keng Yaik;
Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), Datuk S. Samy VELLU
Sabah:: Berjaya Party, Datuk Haji Mohammed NOOR Mansor;
Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Joseph Pairin KITINGAN;
United Sabah National Organizaton (USNO), leader NA
Sarawak:: coalition Sarawak National Front composed of the Party Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu (PBB), Datuk Patinggi Amar Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud;
Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP), Datuk Amar James WONG Soon Kai;
Sarawak National Party (SNAP), Datuk Amar James WONG;
Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS), Datuk Leo MOGGIE;
major opposition parties are Democratic Action Party (DAP), LIM Kit Siang and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), Fadzil NOOR

Suffrage

universal at age 21

Elections

House of Representatives:: last held 21 October 1990 (next to be held by August 1995);
results - National Front 52%, other 48%;
seats - (180 total) National Front 127, DAP 20, PAS 7, independents 4, other 22;
note - within the National Front, UMNO got 71 seats and MCA 18 seats

Member of

APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIIMOG, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Abdul MAJID Mohamed;
Chancery at 2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008;
telephone (202) 328-2700;
there are Malaysian Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York

US:: Ambassador Paul M. CLEVELAND;
Embassy at 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur (mailing address is P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur);
telephone [60] (3) 248-9011;
FAX [60] (3) 242-2207

Flag

fourteen 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 fourteen-pointed star;
the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam;
the design was based on the flag of the US

Economy

During the period 1988-91 booming exports helped Malaysia continue to | recover from the severe 1985-86 recession.

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

4.5%

(1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.8%

(1991 est.)

External debt

$21.3billion

(1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$12.2 billionExpenditures

$14.4 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $3.2 billion (1991 est.)

Overview

During the period 1988-91 booming exports helped Malaysia continue to recover from the severe 1985-86 recession. Real output grew by 8.8% in 1989, 10% in 1990, and 8.6% in 1991, helped by vigorous growth in manufacturing output, further increases in foreign direct investment - particularly from Japanese and Taiwanese firms facing higher costs at home - and increased oil production.

Malaysia has become the world's third-largest producer of semiconductor devices (after the US and Japan) and the world's largest exporter of semiconductor devices. Inflation has remained low; unemployment has stood at 6% of the labor force; and the government has followed prudent fiscal/monetary policies.

The country is not self-sufficient in food, and some of the rural population subsist at the poverty level. Malaysia's high export dependence leaves it vulnerable to a recession in the OECD countries or a fall in world commodity prices.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $48.0 billion, per capita $2,670; real growth rate 8.6% (1991 est.)

Exports

$35.4 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:: electrical manufactures, crude petroleum, timber, rubber, palm oil, textiles
partners:: Singapore, US, Japan, EC

Imports

$38.7 billion (c.i.f., 1991)

commodities:: food, crude oil, consumer goods, intermediate goods, capital equipment, chemicals
partners:: Japan, US, Singapore, Germany, UK

Industrial production

growth rate 18% (1990); accounts for 40% of GDP

Electricity

5,600,000 kW capacity; 16,500 million kWh produced, 940 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

Peninsular Malaysia:: rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing timber
Sabah:: logging, petroleum production
Sarawak:: agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging

Agriculture

Peninsular Malaysia:: natural rubber, palm oil, rice
Sabah:: mainly subsistence, but also rubber, timber, coconut, rice
Sarawak:: rubber, timber, pepper;
there is a deficit of rice in all areas;
fish catch of 608,000 metric tons in 1987

Illicit drugs

transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe, and the Third World

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-84), $170 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.7 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $42 million

Currency

ringgit (plural - ringgits); 1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen

Exchange rates

ringgits (M$) per US$1 - 2.6930 (January 1992), 2.7501 (1991), 1.7048 (1990), 2.7088 (1989), 2.6188 (1988), 2.5196 (1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields

Merchant marine, 167 ships by type

passenger-cargo 1short-sea passenger 1cargo 64container 27vehicle carrier 2roll-on/roll-off 2livestock carrier 1petroleum tanker 37chemical tanker 5liquefied gas 6bulk 21167 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,653,633 GRT/2,444,393 DWT

Airports, 115 total, 108 usable

permanent-surface runways

33runways | over 3,659 m

1runways 2,440-3,659 m

7runways 1,220-2,439 m

Railroads

Peninsular Malaysia: 1,665 km 1.04-meter gauge; 13 km double track, government owned

Railroads

Sabah: 136 km 1.000-meter gauge

Highways

Peninsular Malaysia:: 23,600 km (19,352 km hard surfaced, mostly bituminous-surface treatment, and 4,248 km unpaved)
Sabah:: 3,782 km
Sarawak:: 1,644 km

Inland waterways

Peninsular Malaysia:: 3,209 km
Sabah:: 1,569 km
Sarawak:: 2,518 km

Pipelines

crude oil 1,307 km; natural gas 379 km

Ports

Tanjong Kidurong, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Tawau

Civil air

53 major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

good intercity service provided to Peninsular Malaysia mainly by radio relay;
adequate intercity radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei;
international service good;
good coverage by radio and television broadcasts;
994,860 telephones (1984);
broadcast stations - 28 AM, 3 FM, 33 TV;
submarine cables extend to India and Sarawak;
SEACOM submarine cable links to Hong Kong and Singapore;
satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT, and 2 domestic