Malaysia

constitutional monarchyIndependence 31 August 1957 (from UK)

Malaysia as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 96 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 sq km
LocationSoutheastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the
1995

Every edition of Malaysia

Populationas each edition published it
19.72 million July 1995 est. · 17.51m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.24% 1995 est. · 2.32% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 23.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
69.48 years 1995 est. · 68.82 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.47 children per woman 1995 est. · 3.5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
24.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 30 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$8,650 1994 est. · $2,960 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
8.7% 1994 · 8% in 1993

Geography

Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the | island of Borneo bordering the Java Sea and the South China Sea, south | of Vietnam

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Land useshare of 329,750 sq km

arable land 3%permanent crops 10%meadows and pastures 0%forest and woodland 63%other 24%irrigated 3,420 sq km (1989 est.)
Area
329,750sq km
land area: 328,550 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico
Coastline
4,675km
(Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)continental 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
total · Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Location

Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island of Borneo bordering the Java Sea and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Map references

Southeast Asia

International 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;
  • two islands in dispute with Indonesia

Climate

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

Terrain

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Natural resources

tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Environment

current issues:
  • air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions;
  • water pollution from raw sewage;
  • deforestation
natural hazards:
flooding
international agreements:
  • party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83;
  • signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Note

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

People

19 fields
Population
19,723,587
(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.24% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth
27.95Death
5.56Net migration
0

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years69.48
66.55 · 72.56
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy78%
86% · 70%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Malay and other indigenous 59%Chinese 32%Indian 9%
Labor force
7.627million
(1993)

Age structure

0-14 years:
37% (female 3,559,434; male 3,690,310)
15-64 years:
59% (female 5,871,131; male 5,844,568)
65 years and over:
4% (female 423,539; male 334,605) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.47 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Malaysian(s)
adjective:
Malaysian

Peninsular Malaysia

Muslim (Malays), Buddhist (Chinese), Hindu (Indians)

Sabah

Muslim 38%, Christian 17%, other 45%

Sarawak

tribal religion 35%, Buddhist and Confucianist 24%, Muslim 20%, Christian 16%, other 5%

Peninsular Malaysia

Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects, Tamil

Sabah

English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Chinese (Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate)

Sarawak

English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages *** No data for this item ***

Government

Constitutional monarchy; Paramount Ruler JA'AFAR ibni Abdul Rahman (since 26 April 1994); Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981)

24 fields

Legislature, 180 seatsone dot, one seat

DAP 20PAS 7independents 4other 22

Names

conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Malaysia
former:
Malayan Union

Type

constitutional monarchy

note: Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963; 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, 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)

National holiday

National Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution

31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
Paramount Ruler JA'AFAR ibni Abdul Rahman (since 26 April 1994); Deputy Paramount Ruler SALAHUDDIN ibni Hisammuddin Alam Shah (since 26 April 1994)
head of government:
Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister ANWAR bin Ibrahim (since 1 December 1993)
cabinet:
Cabinet; appointed by the Paramount Ruler from members of parliament

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament (Parlimen)

Senate (Dewan Negara)

  • consists of 58 members, 32 appointed by the paramount ruler and 26 elected by the state legislatures (2 from each state) for six-year terms;
  • elections last held NA (next to be held NA);
  • results - NA

House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat)

  • consists of 180 members, elected for five-year terms;
  • elections last held 21 October 1990 (next to be held by December 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 won 71 seats and MCA won 18 seats

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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, LIM Keng Yaik;
  • Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), S. Samy VELLU

Sabah

National Front, SALLEH Said Keruak, Sabah Chief Minister, Sakaran DANDAI, head of Sabah State; 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

Member of

APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNOMIL, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Abdul MAJID bin Mohamed
chancery:
2401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 328-2700

FAX

[1] (202) 483-7661; consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador John S. WOLF
embassy:
376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address:
P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; APO AP 96535-8152
telephone:
[60] (3) 2489011

FAX

[60] (3) 2422207

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

The Malaysian economy, a mixture of private enterprise and a | soundly managed public sector, has posted a remarkable record of 9% | average annual growth in 1988-94.

24 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$8,650
(1994 est.)
Real growth rate
8.7%
(1994)industrial production growth: growth rate 12% (1994); accounts for 38% of GDP (1993 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$18.7 billionExpenditures
$19.1 billion (1994)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $4.8 billion

Installed generating capacity, 6,700,000 kW

Electricity production
31 billionElectricity consumption per capita
1,528 (1993)

Overview

The Malaysian economy, a mixture of private enterprise and a soundly managed public sector, has posted a remarkable record of 9% average annual growth in 1988-94. The official growth target for 1995 is 8.5%. This growth has resulted in a substantial reduction in poverty and a marked rise in real wages.

Manufactured goods exports expanded rapidly, and foreign investors continued to commit large sums in the economy. The government is aware of the inflationary potential of this rapid development and is closely monitoring fiscal and monetary policies.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $166.8 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$56.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities:
electronic equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, palm oil, wood and wood products, rubber, textiles
partners:
Singapore 22%, US 20%, Japan 13%, UK 4%, Germany 4%, Thailand 4% (1993)

Imports

$55.2 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, food, petroleum products
partners:
Japan 27%, US 17%, Singapore 15%, Taiwan 5%, Germany 4%, UK 3%, South Korea 3% (1993)

External debt

$35.5 billion (1994 est.)

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

accounts for 16% of GDP (1993 est.)

Peninsular Malaysia

natural rubber, palm oil, rice

Sabah

mainly subsistence, but also rubber, timber, coconut, rice

Sarawak

rubber, timber, pepper; deficit of rice in all areas

Illicit drugs

  • transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe, and the Third World despite severe penalties for drug trafficking;
  • increasing indigenous abuse of methamphetamine

Economic aid

recipient:
  • 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

1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen

Exchange rates

ringgits (M$) per US$1 - 2.5542 (January 1995), 2.6242 (1994), 2.5741 (1993), 2.5474 (1992), 2.7501 (1991), 1.7048 (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 115 in all

3
over 3,047 m
5
2,438 to 3,047 m
11
1,524 to 2,437 m
6
914 to 1,523 m
7
82
under 914 m
1,524 to 2,438 m
1
PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways
29,028Railroads
1,801
Highways: (Peninsular Malaysia 23,602 km, Sabah 3,782 km, Sarawak 1,644 km) · paved: NA (Peninsular Malaysia 19,354 km mostly bituminous treated) · unpaved: NA (Peninsular Malaysia 4,248 km) · Railroads: (Peninsular Malaysia 1,665 km; Sabah 136 km; Sarawak 0 km) · narrow gauge: 1,801 km 1.000-m gauge (Peninsular Malaysia 1,665 km; Sabah 136 km)

Railroads

total:
1,801 km (Peninsular Malaysia 1,665 km; Sabah 136 km; Sarawak 0 km)
narrow gauge:
1,801 km 1.000-m gauge (Peninsular Malaysia 1,665 km; Sabah 136 km)

Highways

total:
29,028 km (Peninsular Malaysia 23,602 km, Sabah 3,782 km, Sarawak 1,644 km)
paved:
NA (Peninsular Malaysia 19,354 km mostly bituminous treated)
unpaved:
NA (Peninsular Malaysia 4,248 km)

Peninsular Malaysia

3,209 km

Sabah

1,569 km

Sarawak

2,518 km

Pipelines

crude oil 1,307 km; natural gas 379 km

Ports

Kota Kinabalu, Kuantan, Kuching, Kudat, Lahad Datu, Labuan, Lumut, Miri, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Port Dickson, Port Kelang, Sandakan, Sibu, Tanjong Berhala, Tanjong Kidurong, Tawau

Merchant marine

total:
213 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,410,823 GRT/3,635,966 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 34, cargo 73, chemical tanker 11, container 27, liquefied gas tanker 9, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 50, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 3

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

994,860 telephones (1984); international service good

local:
NA
intercity:
  • good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay;
  • adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei;
  • 2 domestic satellite links
international:
  • submarine cables extend to India and Sarawak;
  • SEACOM submarine cable links to Hong Kong and Singapore;
  • satellite earth stations - 2 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio

broadcast stations:
AM 28, FM 3, shortwave 0
radios:
NA

Television

broadcast stations:
33
televisions:
NA

Defense Forces

Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air | Force, Royal Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border | Scouts

3 fields

Branches

Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Police Force, Marine Police, Sarawak Border Scouts

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 5,041,003;
  • males fit for military service 3,058,445;
  • males reach military age (21) annually 183,760 (1995 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $2.1 billion, 2.9% of GDP (1994) MALDIVES

Central Intelligence Agency. “Malaysia.” The World Factbook 1995. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/malaysia/1995.

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