Malaysia

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"When I hear people say that money seldom brings happiness, they forget to add the word "obsession" before "money." Heck, nobody can survive in this modern world without money, let alone be happy." ― Franklin H. Maletsky

OFFICIAL NAME OF MALAYSIA:

• Malaysia

Geography of Malaysia

• Area: 329,749 sq. km. (127,316 sq. mi.); slightly larger than New Mexico.
• Cities: Capital--Kuala Lumpur. Other cities--Penang, Ipoh, Malacca, Johor Baru, Shah Alam, Klang, *Kuching, Kota Kinabalu
• Terrain: Coastal plains and interior, jungle-covered mountains. The South China Sea separates peninsular Malaysia from East Malaysia on Borneo.
• Climate: Tropical.

People of Malaysia

• Nationality: Noun and adjective--Malaysian(s).
• Population (2006): 26.9 million.
• Annual growth rate: 1.8%.
• Ethnic groups: Malay 50.2%, Chinese 24.5%, indigenous 11.0%, Indian 7.2%, non-Malaysian citizens 5.9%, others 1.2%.
• Religions: Islam (60.4%), Buddhism (19.2%), Christianity (9.1%), Hinduism (6.3%), Confucianism (2.6%), tribal/folk (0.8%), other (0.4%), none/unknown (1.2%).
• Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), Chinese (various dialects), English, Tamil, indigenous.
• Education: Years compulsory--6. Attendance--98.5% (primary), 82% (secondary). Literacy--93.5%.
• Health: Infant mortality rate (2005)--5.1 /1,000. Life expectancy (2005)--female 76.2 yrs., male 71.8 yrs.
• Work force (10.55 million, 2005): Services--51%; industry--36% (manufacturing--28.4%, mining and construction--7.6%); agriculture--13%.

Government of Malaysia

• Type: Federal parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch.
• Independence: August 31, 1957. (Malaya, which is now peninsular Malaysia, became independent in 1957. In 1963 Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore formed Malaysia. Singapore became an independent country in 1965.)
• Constitution: 1957.
• Subdivisions: 13 states and three federal territories (Kuala Lumpur, Labuan Island, Putrajaya federal administrative territory). Each state has an assembly and government headed by a chief minister. Nine of these states have hereditary rulers, generally titled "sultans," while the remaining four have appointed governors in counterpart positions.
• Branches:
  • Executive--Yang di-Pertuan Agong (head of state and customarily referred to as the king; has ceremonial duties), prime minister (head of government), cabinet.
  • Legislative--bicameral parliament, comprising 70-member Senate (26 elected by the 13 state assemblies, 44 appointed by the king on the prime minister's recommendation) and 219-member House of Representatives (elected from single-member districts).
  • Judicial--Federal Court, Court of Appeals, high courts, session's courts, magistrate's courts, and juvenile courts. Sharia courts hear cases on certain matters involving Muslims only.
• Political parties: Barisan Nasional (National Front)--a coalition comprising the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and 13 other parties, most of which are ethnically based; Democratic Action Party (DAP); Parti Islam se Malaysia (PAS); Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR). There are more than 30 registered political parties, including the foregoing, not all of which are represented in the federal parliament.
• Suffrage: Universal adult (voting age 21).