Malaysia (i/məˈleɪʒə/ mə-lay-zhə or i/məˈleɪsiə/ mə-lay-see-ə) is
a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It
consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a
total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi) separated by
the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions, Peninsular
Malaysiaand Malaysian Borneo. HP 510 Battery
Land borders are shared
with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei, and maritime borders exist
withSingapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The capital city
is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal
government. In 2010 the population exceeded 27.5 million, with over
20 million living on the Peninsula. HP B2000 Battery
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. HP Envy 15-1100 Battery
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 Sabah, Sarawak,
and Singapore on 16 September 1963, with sibeing added to give the new country the name Malaysia. HP Envy 17-1000 Battery
However, less than two years later in
1965, Singapore was expelled from the federation. Since independence, Malaysia
has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with GDP growing an average
6.5% 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. HP Envy 17-1001tx Battery
The country
is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural, which plays a large role in
politics. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster
parliamentary system and the legal system is based on English Common
Law. Theconstitution declares Islam the state religion while
protecting freedom of religion. HP Envy 17-1001xx Battery
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.
Malaysia contains the southernmost point
of continental Eurasia, Tanjung Piai. HP Envy 17-1002TX Battery
Located in the tropics, it is
amegadiverse country, with large numbers of endemic flora and fauna. It is
a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and
the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and a member of Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation, the Commonwealth of Nations, and
the Non-Aligned Movement. HP Envy 17-1003tx Battery
The word Melayu is thought to derive from
the Sanskrit term Malaiur orMalayadvipa, which can be translated as "land of
mountains", the word used by ancient Indian traders when
referring to the Malay Peninsula. Other theories propose it originates
from the Tamil word Malai, meaning
"mountain".HP Envy 17-1003xx Battery
The term was later used as the name of the Melayu Kingdom,
which existed between the 7th and 13th centuries on Sumatra.[20]
Following his 1826 expedition
in Oceania, French navigator Jules Dumont d'Urville invented the
terms Malaysia, Micronesia and Melanesia, HP Envy 17-1004tx Battery
distinguishing these Pacific cultures and
island groups from the existing term Polynesia. In 1831, he proposed these
terms to the Société de Géographie. Dumont d'Urville described Malaysia as
"an area commonly known as the East Indies".[21] In
1850, the English ethnologist George Samuel Windsor Earl, HP Envy 17-1006tx Battery
writing in the Journal of the
Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia, proposed naming
the islands of Southeast Asia as Melayunesia or Indunesia, favouring the former.[22]
In 1957, the Federation of
Malaya was declared as an independent federation of the Malay states on
the Malay Peninsula.[23] HP Envy 17-1007tx Battery
The name "Malaysia" was
adopted in 1963 when the existing states of the Federation of Malaya, plus
Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak formed a new federation, with
"si" being added to Malaya in honour of the three joining states.[24] Prior
to that, the name itself had been used to refer to the whole Malay Archipelago.[25]
HP Envy 17-1008tx Battery
Politicians in the Philippines
contemplated renaming their state "Malaysia" before the modern
country took the name.[26] At the time of federation, other
names were considered: among them was Langkasuka, after the historic
kingdom located at the upper section of the Malay Peninsula in the 1st
millennium CE. HP Envy 17-1009tx Battery
Evidence of modern human habitation in
Malaysia dates back 40,000 years.[28] The first inhabitants
are thought to beNegritos.[29] Traders and settlers from India
and China arrived as early as the 1st century AD, establishing trading ports
and coastal towns in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. HP Envy 17-1010el Battery
Their presence resulted in strong Indian
and Chinese influence on the local cultures, and the people of the Malay
Peninsula adopted the religions
of Hinduism andBuddhism. Sanskrit inscriptions appear as
early as the 4th or 5th century.[30] HP Envy 17-1010ew Battery
The Kingdom of Langkasuka arose
around the 2nd century in the northern area of the Malay Peninsula, lasting
until about the 15th century.[27]Between the 7th and 13th centuries,
much of the southern Malay Peninsula was part of the
maritime Srivijaya empire. HP Envy 17-1010nr Battery
After the fall of Srivijaya,
the Majapahit empire had influence over most of Peninsular Malaysia
and the Malay Archipelago.[31] Islam began to spread among
Malays in the 14th century.[3] In the early 15th
century, Parameswara, a prince of the former Srivijayan empire, HP Envy 17-1010tx Battery
founded the Malacca Sultanate, commonly considered the first
independent state in the peninsula.[32] Malacca was an
important commercial centre during this time, attracting trade from around the
region. Parameswara became a Muslim, accelerating the spread of Islam.
In 1511 Malacca was conquered
by Portugal,[3] after which it was taken by
theDutch in 1641. HP Envy 17-1011nr Battery
In 1786 the British
Empire established a presence in Malaya, when the Sultan of Kedah
leased Penang to the British East India Company. The British
obtained the town of Singapore in 1819,[33] and in
1824 took control of Malacca following the Anglo-Dutch Treaty. HP Envy 17-1011tx Battery
By 1826 the British directly controlled
Penang, Malacca, Singapore, and the island of Labuan, which they established
as the crown colony of the Straits Settlements. By the 20th century, the
states of Pahang, Selangor, Perak, and Negeri Sembilan,
known together as the Federated Malay States, had
British Residents appointed to advise the Malay rulers, HP Envy 17-1012nr Battery
to whom the rulers were bound to defer by
treaty.[34]The remaining five states in the peninsula, known as
the Unfederated Malay States, while not directly under British rule, also
accepted British advisers around the turn of the 20th century. Development on
the Peninsula and Borneo were generally separate until the 19th century. HP Envy 17-1013tx Battery
Under British rule the immigration of
Chinese and Indians to serve as labourers was encouraged.[35] Sabah
was governed as the crown colony of British North Borneo after it was
leased from the Sultanate of Sulu in 1878.[36] In
1842, Sarawak was ceded by the Sultan of Brunei to James Brooke,
HP Envy 17-1017tx Battery
whose successors ruled as the White Rajahs over an
independent kingdom until 1946, when it became a British colony.[37]
In the Second World War the Japanese
army invaded and subsequently occupied Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and
Singapore for over three years. HP Envy 17-1018tx Battery
During this time, ethnic tensions were
raised and nationalism grew.[38] Popular support for
independence increased after Malaya was reconquered by Allied Forces.[39] Post-war
British plans to unite the administration of Malaya under a single crown colony
called the Malayan Union met with strong opposition from theMalays, HP Envy 17-1020el Battery
who opposed the weakening of the Malay
rulers and the granting of citizenship to the ethnic Chinese. The Malayan
Union, established in 1946 and consisting of all the British possessions in the
Malay Peninsula with the exception of Singapore, was quickly dissolved and
replaced by the Federation of Malaya, HP Envy 17-1050ea Battery
which restored the autonomy of the rulers
of the Malay states under British protection.[40] During this
time, mostly Chinese rebels under the leadership of the Malayan Communist
Party launched guerrilla operations designed to force the British out of
Malaya. The Malayan Emergency lasted from 1948 to 1960, and involved
a long anti-insurgency campaign by Commonwealth troops in Malaya.[41] HP Envy 17-1050eb Battery
After this a plan was put in place to
federate Malaya with the British crown colonies of Sabah, Sarawak, and
Singapore. The proposed date of federation was 31 August 1963, however, the
date was delayed until 16 September 1963 due to opposition from
Indonesia's Sukarno and the Sarawak United Peoples' Party. HP Envy 17-1050ef Battery
Federation brought heightened tensions
including a conflict with Indonesia, Singapore's eventual exit in 1965,[43][44] and
racial strife. This strife culminated in the 13 May race riots in
1969.[45] After the riots, the controversial New Economic
Policy was launched by Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak, trying to
increase the share of the economy held by thebumiputra. HP Envy 17-1050ep Battery
Under Prime Minister Mahathir
Mohamad there was a period of rapid economic growth and urbanisation
beginning in the 1980s. The economy shifted from being agriculturally-based to
one based on manufacturing and industry. Numerous mega-projects were completed,
such as the Petronas Towers, the North-South Expressway,
the Multimedia Super Corridor, and the new federal administrative capital
of Putrajaya.[24] HP Envy 17-1050es Battery
However, in the late 1990s the Asian financial crisis almost
caused the collapse of the currency and the stock and property markets.[47]
Governance
The system of government is closely
modelled on that of the Westminster parliamentary system, a legacy
of British colonial rule.[48] The head of state is
the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, commonly referred to as the king. The
King is elected to a five-year term by and from among the nine
hereditary rulers of the Malay states; the other four states, HP Envy 17-1085eo Battery
which have titular Governors, do not
participate in the selection. By informal agreement the position is
systematically rotated among the nine,[48]and has been held
by Abdul Halim of Kedah since December 2011.[49] The
King's role has been largely ceremonial since changes to
the constitution in 1994, picking ministers and members of the upper
house.[50] HP Envy 17-1090ca Battery
Legislative power is divided between
federal and state legislatures. The bicameral
federal parliament consists of the lower house, the House
of Representatives and the upper house, the Senate.[51] The
222-member House of Representatives is elected for a maximum term of five years
from single-member constituencies. HP Envy 17-1090eo Battery
All 70 senators sit for three-year terms;
26 are elected by the 13 state assemblies, and the remaining 44 are appointed
by the King upon the Prime Minister's recommendation.[3] The
parliament follows a multi-party system and the government is elected through
a first-past-the-post system. HP Envy 17-1090ez Battery
Since independence Malaysia has been governed by a multi-party coalition
known as the Barisan Nasional.[3]
Each state has a unicameral State
Legislative Assembly whose members are elected from single-member
constituencies. HP Envy 17-1100 Battery
State governments are led by Chief
Ministers,[3] who are state assembly members from the majority
party in the assembly. In each of the states with a hereditary ruler, the Chief
Minister is required to be a Malay, appointed by the ruler upon the
recommendation of the Prime Minister.[52] HP Envy 17-1103tx Battery
Parliamentary elections are held
at least once every five years, the most recent of which took place in March
2008.[3] Registered voters of age 21 and above may vote for the
members of the House of Representatives and, in most of the states, for the
state legislative chamber. Voting is not mandatory.[53] HP Envy 17-1104tx Battery
Except for elections in Sarawak, all state elections are held concurrently
with the federal election.
Executive power is vested in
the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister. The prime minister must be a
member of the house of representatives, who in the opinion of the King, HP Envy 17-1190ea Battery
commands a majority in parliament. The
cabinet is chosen from members of both houses of Parliament.[3] The
Prime Minister is both the head of cabinet and the head of government.[50] The
incumbent, Najib Razak, appointed in 2009, is the sixth prime minister.[54]
HP Envy 17-1193eo Battery
Malaysia's legal system is based
on English Common Law.[3] Although the
judiciary is theoretically independent, its independence has been called into
question and the appointment of judges lacks accountability and transparency.[55] The
highest court in the judicial system is the Federal Court, followed by
the Court of Appeal and two high courts, HP Envy 17-1195ea Battery
one for Peninsular Malaysia and one for
East Malaysia. Malaysia also has a special court to hear cases brought by or
against Royalty.[56] Separate from the civil courts are
theSyariah Courts, which apply Shariah law to cases which involve
Malaysian Muslims[57] and run parallel to the secular court
system.[58] HP Envy 17-1200 Battery
The Internal Security Act allows detention without trial, and the death
penalty is in use for crimes such as drug trafficking.[59]
Race is a significant force in politics,
and many political parties are ethnically based.[3] Actions
such as the New Economic Policy[46] HP Envy 17-1202TX Battery
and the National Development
Policy which superseded it, were implemented to advance the standing of
the bumiputra, consisting of
Malays and the indigenous tribes who are considered the original inhabitants of
Malaysia, over non-bumiputra such as Malaysian Chinese and Malaysian Indians.[60] HP Envy 17-1203TX Battery
These policies provide preferential
treatment to bumiputra in employment, education, scholarships, business, and
access to cheaper housing and assisted savings. However, it has generated
greater interethnic resentment.[61] There is
ongoing debate over whether the laws and society of Malaysia should
reflect secular or Islamic principles.[62] HP Envy 17-2000 Battery
Islamic laws passed by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party in state
legislative assemblies have been blocked by the federal government.[63]
Foreign relations and military
A founding member of the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)[64] and
the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation(OIC),[65] HP Envy 17-2000ef Battery
the country participates in many
international organisations such as the United Nations,[66] the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation,[67] the Developing 8 Countries,[68] and
the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).[69] It has chaired
ASEAN, the OIC, and the NAM in the past.[3] HP Envy 17-2000eg Battery
A former British colony, it is also a member of the Commonwealth of
Nations.[70] Kuala Lumpur was the site of the first East
Asia Summit in 2005.[71]
Malaysia's foreign policy is officially
based on the principle of neutrality and maintaining peaceful relations with
all countries, regardless of their political system.[72] HP Envy 17-2001eg Battery
The government attaches a high priority to
the security and stability ofSoutheast Asia,[71] and seeks to
further develop relations with other countries in the region. Historically the
government has tried to portray Malaysia as a progressive Islamic nation[72] while
strengthening relations with other Islamic states.[71] HP Envy 17-2001tx Battery
A strong tenet of Malaysia's policy is national sovereignty and the right
of a country to control its domestic affairs.[50]
The policy towards territorial disputes by
the government is one of pragmatism, with the government solving disputes in a
number of ways, HP Envy 17-2001xx Battery
such as bringing the case to
the International Court of Justice.[73] The Spratly
Islands are disputed by many states in the area, although tensions have
eased since the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China
Sea. Brunei and Malaysia in 2008 announced an end to claims of each other's
land, and to resolve issues related to their maritime borders. HP Envy 17-2002xx Battery
The Philippines has a dormant claim to Sabah. Singapore's land
reclamation has caused tensions, and maritime border disputes exist with
Indonesia.
Malaysia has never recognised Israel and
has no diplomatic ties with it.[75] It has remained a strong
supporter of the State of Palestine,[76] HP Envy 17-2003ef Battery
and has called for Israel to be taken to the International Criminal
Court over the Gaza flotilla raid.[77]Malaysian
peacekeeping forces are present in Lebanon[78] and have
contributed to many other UN peacekeeping missions.[3]
Malaysian defence requirements are
assigned to the Malaysian Armed Forces. HP Envy 17-2008tx Battery
The armed forces has three branches,
the Royal Malaysian Navy, the Malaysian Army, and the Royal
Malaysian Air Force. There is no conscription, and the required age for
voluntary military service is 18. The military uses 1.9 per cent of the
country's GDP, and employs 1.23 per cent of Malaysia's manpower.[79]
HP Envy 17-2009tx Battery
The Five Power Defence
Arrangements is a regional security initiative which has been in place for
almost 40 years. It involves joint military exercises held among Malaysia,
Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.[80] Joint
exercises and war games have been held with Indonesia for years.[81]
HP Envy 17-2012tx Battery
Malaysia and the Philippines have
agreed to host joint security force exercises in order to secure their maritime
border and tackle issues such as illegal immigration.[82] There
are fears that unrest in the Muslim areas of the southern Philippines[83] and
southern Thailand[84] could spill over into Malaysia. HP Envy 17-2013tx Battery
Subdivisions
Malaysia is a federation of 13
states and three federal territories. These are divided between two regions,
with 11 states and two federal territories onPeninsular Malaysia and the
other two states and one federal territory in East Malaysia. HP Envy 17-2014tx Battery
Governance of the states is divided between the federal and the state
governments, and the Federal government has direct administration of the
federal territories.[85]
The 13 states are based on historical
Malay Kingdoms, and 9 of the 11 Peninsular states, known as the Malay
states, retain their royal families. HP Envy 17-2070nr Battery
The King is elected by and from the
nine rulers to serve a five-year term.[3] Each state has a
unicameral legislature known as the State Legislative Assembly. The states
of East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) have separate immigration
policies and controls, and a unique residency status.[86] HP Envy 17-2090eg Battery
For citizens of one of these states or
Peninsular Malaysia, the other areas of Malaysia are considered foreign
countries under immigration laws.[87] Each state is further
divided into districts, which are then divided into mukim. In Sabah
and Sarawak districts are grouped into divisions.[88] HP Envy 17-2090nr 3D Battery
The federal parliament is
permitted to legislate on issues of land, the Islamic religion and local
government, in order to provide for a uniform law among all states. It may also
intervene at the request of the state assembly concerned. Except for some land
related laws, the in question must also be passed by the state assembly. HP Envy 17-2093eg Battery
Non-Islamic issues that fall under the purview of the state may also be
legislated at the federal level for the purpose of conforming with Malaysian
treaty obligations.[89]
Geography
Malaysia is the 67th largest country
by total land area, with a land area of 329,847 square kilometres (127,355
sq mi). HP Envy 17-2096eg Battery
It has
land borders with Thailand in West Malaysia,
and Indonesia and Brunei in East Malaysia.[2] It
is linked to Singapore by a narrow causeway, and also
has maritime boundaries with Vietnam[90] and the
Philippines.[91] The land borders are defined in large part by
geological features such as the Perlis River, HP Envy 17 Notebook PC Battery
the Golok River and the
Pagalayan Canal, whilst some of the maritime boundaries are the subject of
ongoing contention.[2] Brunei forms what is almost an enclave
in Malaysia,[92] 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.[93] HP Envy 17t-1000 Battery
Tanjung Piai, located in the southern
state of Johor, is the southernmost tip of continental Asia.[94]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.[95] HP Envy 17t-2000 CTO 3D
Battery
The two parts of Malaysia, separated from
each other by the South China Sea, share a largely similar landscape in that
bothPeninsular and East Malaysia feature coastal plains rising
to hills and mountains.[2] Peninsular Malaysia, containing 40
per cent of Malaysia's land area,[93] HP Envy 17t-2000 CTO Battery
extends 740 kilometres (460 mi) from
north to south, and its maximum width is 322 kilometres (200 mi).[96] It
is divided between its east and west coasts by the Titiwangsa Mountains,[97] part
of a series of mountain ranges running down the centre of the peninsula.[93] HP Envy 17t Battery
These mountains are heavily forested,[98] and
mainly composed of granite and other igneous rocks. Much of it has
been eroded, creating a karstlandscape.[93] The range is
the origin of some of Peninsular Malaysia's river systems.[98] The
coastal plains surrounding the peninsula reach a maximum width of 50 kilometres
(31 mi), HP G32 Battery
and the peninsula's coastline is nearly 1,931 kilometres (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 kilometres (1,620 mi).[2]
HP G42 Battery
HP G42 Battery
It is
divided between coastal regions, hills and valleys, and a mountainous interior.[93] The Crocker
Range extends northwards from Sarawak,[93] dividing the
state of Sabah. It is the location of the 4,095.2 metres (13,436 ft)
high Mount Kinabalu,[99] the tallest mountain in Malaysia.
HP
G42-100 Battery
Mount Kinabalu is
protected as the Kinabalu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site.[100] The highest mountain ranges form the border between
Malaysia and Indonesia. Sarawak contains the Mulu Caves, the largest cave
system in the world.[93] HP
G42-101XX Battery
Around these two
halves of Malaysia are numerous islands, the largest of which
is Banggi.[101] The local climate is equatorialand
characterised by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October
to February) monsoons.[96] The temperature is moderated by
the presence of the surrounding oceans.[93] HP
G42-154CA Battery
Humidity is
usually high, and the average annual rainfall is 250 centimetres (98 in).[96] 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. HP
G42-164LA Battery
Climate change is likely to affect sea levels and rainfall,
increasing flood risks and leading to droughts.[93]
Biodiversity
Malaysia is
a megadiverse country with a high number of species and high levels
of endemism.[102] It is estimated to contain
20 per cent of the world's animal species.[103]
HP
G42-240LA Battery
High levels
of endemism are found on the diverse forests of Borneo's mountains, as species
are isolated from each other by lowland forest.[93] There are
about 210 mammal species in the country.[104] Over 620 species
of birds have been recorded in Peninsular Malaysia,[103] with
many endemic to the mountains there. HP
G42-250LA Battery
A high number of
endemic bird species are also found in Malaysian Borneo.[93] 250
reptile species have been recorded in the country, with about 150 species of
snakes[105] and 80 species of lizards.[104] There
are about 150 species of frogs,[104]and thousands of insect species.[104] HP
G42-301NR Battery
Malaysia's exclusive
economic zone is 1.5 times larger than its land area,[106] and
some of its waters are in the Coral Triangle, a biodiversity hotspot.[107] The
waters around Sipadan island are the most biodiverse in the world.[103] Bordering
East Malaysia, the Sulu Sea is a biodiversity hotspot, with around
600 coral species and 1200 fish species.[108]
HP
G42-303DX Battery
About
two thirds of Malaysia is covered in forest,[96] with some
forests believed to be 130 million years old.[104] The
forests are dominated by dipterocarps.[109] Lowland forest
occurs below 760 metres (2,493 ft),[96] and formerly East
Malaysia was covered in such rainforest,[109]which is supported
by its hot wet climate.[93] HP
G42-328CA Battery
There are around
14,500 species of flowering plants and trees.[104] Besides
rainforests, there are over 1,425 square kilometres (550 sq mi)
of mangroves in Malaysia,[96] and a large amount of
peat forest. At higher altitudes, oaks, chestnuts, and rhododendrons replace
dipterocarps.[93] HP
G42-352TU Battery
There are an
estimated 8,500 species of vascular plants in Peninsular Malaysia,
with another 15,000 in the East.[110] The forests of East
Malaysia are estimated to be the habitat of around 2,000 tree species, and are
one of the most biodiverse areas in the world, with 240 different species of
trees every hectare.[93] HP
G42-352TX Battery
These forests host many members of the Rafflesia genus,
the largest flowers in the world,[109] with a maximum diameter
of 1 metre (3 ft).
Logging, along
with cultivation practices has devastated tree cover, causing severe
environmental degradation in the country. HP
G42-360TU Battery
Over
80 per cent of Sarawak's rainforest has been cleared.[93] Floods
in East Malaysia have been worsened by the loss of trees, and over
60 per cent of the Peninsular's forest have been cleared.[104] With
current rates of deforestation, the forests are predicted to be extinct by
2020.[93] HP
G42-360TX Battery
Deforestation is
a major problem for fauna, as the forest is cut to make room for plantations.[111] Most
remaining forest is found inside national parks.[104] Habitat
destruction has proved a threat for marine life.[108] Illegal
fishing is another major threat,[108] with fishing methods such
as dynamite fishing and poisoning depleting marine ecosystems.[112] HP
G42-361TU Battery
Leatherback turtle numbers
have dropped 98 per cent since the 1950s.[105] Hunting
has also been an issue for some animals,[104] with
overconsumption and the use of animal parts for profit endangering many
animals, from marine life[108] to tigers.[111] Marine
life is also detrimentally affected by uncontrolled tourism.[113]
HP
G42-361TX Battery
The Malaysian
government aims to balance economic growth with environmental protection, but
has been accused of favouring big business over the environment.[104] Some
state governments are now trying to counter the environmental impact and
pollution created by deforestation;[109] HP
G42-364TX Battery
and the
federal government is trying to cut logging by 10 per cent each
year. 28 national parkshave been established; 23 in East Malaysia and five
in the Peninsular.[104] Tourism has been limited in biodiverse
areas such as Sipadan island.[113] Animal trafficking is a
large issue, and the Malaysian government is holding talks with the governments
of Brunei and Indonesia to standardise anti-trafficking laws.[114]
HP
G42-365TX Battery
Economy
Malaysia is a
relatively open state-oriented and newly
industrialised market economy.[115][116] The state plays a
significant but declining role in guiding economic activity through
macroeconomic plans. HP
G42-366TU Battery
Malaysia has had one of the best economic records in Asia, with GDP
growing an average 6.5 per cent annually from 1957 to 2005.[3] In
2010 the GDP (PPP) was $414,400 billion, the 3rd largest economy in ASEAN
and 29th largest in the world.
In the 1970s, the
predominantly mining and agricultural-based economy began a transition towards
a more multi-sector economy. HP
G42-366TX Battery
Since the 1980s the
industrial sector has led Malaysia's growth.[118] High levels
of investment played a significant role in this.[3] The economy
recovered from the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis sooner than
neighbouring countries, and has since recovered to the levels of the pre-crisis
era with a GDP per capita of $14,800.[ HP
G42-367CL Battery
Inequalities exist between different ethnic groups. The Chinese make up
about one-third of the population but accounts for 70 per cent of the country's
market capitalisation.[121]
International
trade, facilitated by the adjacent Strait of Malacca shipping route,
and manufacturing are key sectors of the country's economy.
HP
G42-367TU Battery
Malaysia is an
exporter of natural and agricultural resources, the most valuable exported
resource being petroleum.[3] At one time, it was the largest
producer of tin,[125] rubber and palm
oil in the world. Manufacturing has a large influence in the country's
economy,[126] HP
G42-368TX Battery
although Malaysia’s economic structure has been moving away from it.[127] Malaysia
remains one of the world's largest producers of palm oil.[128]
In an effort to
diversify the economy and make it less dependent on exported goods, the
government has pushed to increasetourism to Malaysia. HP G42-369TU
Battery
As a result,
tourism has become Malaysia’s third largest source of income from foreign
exchange, although it is threatened by the negative effects of the growing
industrial economy, with large amounts of air and water pollution along with deforestation
affecting tourism.[129] HP
G42-370TU Battery
The country has developed into a centre of Islamic banking, and is
the country with the highest numbers of female workers in that industry.[130] Knowledge-based
services are also expanding.[127]
Science policies
in Malaysia are regulated by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and
Innovation. HP
G42-370TX Battery
The country is one
of the world's largest exporters of semiconductor devices, electrical goods,
and information and communication technology products.[3] Malaysia
began developing its own space programme in 2002, and in 2006 Russia
agreed to transport one Malaysian to the International Space
Station as part of a multi-billion dollar purchase of 18 Russian Sukhoi
Su-30MKM fighter jets by the Royal Malaysian Air Force.[
HP
G42-371TU Battery
In an effort
to create a self-reliant defensive ability and support national development,
Malaysia privatised some of its military facilities in the 1970s. This has
created a defence industry, which in 1999 was brought under the Malaysia
Defence Industry Council. The government continues to try and promote this
sector and its competitiveness, actively marketing the defence industry.[134]
HP
G42-372TU Battery
Demographics
As of the 2010
census, the population of Malaysia was 28,334,135,[7] making it
the 43rd most populated country. The population of Malaysia consists of
many ethnic groups. Malays make up 50.4 per cent of the population,
while other bumiputra make up
another 11 per cent.[2] HP
G42-372TX Battery
According to
constitutional definition, Malays are Muslims who practice Malay
customs and culture. They play a dominant role politically. Bumiputra status is also accorded to certain
non-Malayindigenous peoples, including
ethnic Thais, Khmers, Chams and the natives
of Sabah and Sarawak. HP
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Non-Malay
bumiputra make up more than half of Sarawak's population and over two thirds of
Sabah's population.[2] There also
exist aboriginal groups in much smaller numbers on the peninsula,
where they are collectively known as the Orang Asli.[135] Laws
over who gets bumiputra status vary
between states. HP
G42-378TX Battery
Other minorities
who lack bumiputra status make
up a large amount of the population. 23.7 per cent of the population
are of Chinese descent, while those of Indian descent comprise
7.1 per cent of the population.[2] The Chinese have
historically been dominant in the business and commerce community, and form a
plurality of the population of Penang. HP G42-380TX
Battery
Indians began migrating to Malaysia in the early 19th century.[137] The
majority of the Indian community are Tamils.[138]
Malaysian
citizenship is not automatically granted to those born in Malaysia, but is
granted to a child born of two Malaysian parents outside Malaysia.
HP
G42-381TX Battery
Dual citizenship
is not permitted.[139] Citizenship in the states
of Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo are
distinct from citizenship in Peninsular Malaysia for immigration purposes.
Every citizen is issued a biometric smart chip identity card known
as MyKad at the age
of 12, and must carry the card at all times.[140]
HP
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The education
system features a non-compulsory kindergarten education followed by six
years of compulsory primary education, and five years of optional secondary
education.[141] Schools in the primary education system are
divided into two categories: HP
G42-383TX Battery
national primary
schools, which teach in Malay, and vernacular schools, which teach in Chinese
or Tamil.[142] Secondary education is conducted for five years.
In the final year of secondary education, students sit for theMalaysian
Certificate of Education examination.[143] HP
G42-384TX Battery
Since the
introduction of the matriculation programme in 1999, students who
completed the 12-month programme in matriculation colleges can enroll in local
universities. However, in the matriculation system, only 10 per cent of places
are open to non-bumiputra students.[144] HP
G42-385TX Battery
The infant
mortality rate in 2009 was 6 deaths per 1000 births, and life expectancy
at birth in 2009 was 75 years.[145] With the aim of developing
Malaysia into a medical tourism destination, 5 per cent of the government
social sector development budget is spent on health care.[146] HP
G42-386TX Battery
The population in
concentrated on Peninsular Malaysia[147] where 20 million
of approximately 28 million Malaysians live.[3] 70 per
cent of the population is urban.[2] Kuala Lumpur is the
capital[2] and the largest city in Malaysia,[148] as
well as its main commercial and financial centre.[149] HP
G42-387TX Battery
Putrajaya, a purpose-built city constructed from 1999, is the seat of
government,[150] as many executive and judicial branches of the
federal government were moved there to ease growing congestion within Kuala
Lumpur.[151]
Due to the rise in
labour intensive industries,[152] the country is estimated to
have over 3 million migrant workers; HP
G42-388TX Battery
about 10 per cent
of the population.[153]Sabah-based NGOs estimate that out of the
3 million that make up the population of Sabah, 2 million are illegal
immigrants.[154] Malaysia hosts a population of refugees and
asylum seekers numbering approximately 171,500. Of this population, approximately
79,000 are from Burma, HP
G42-394TX Battery
72,400 from the
Philippines, and 17,700 from Indonesia. Malaysian officials are reported to
have turned deportees directly over to human smugglers in 2007, and Malaysia
employs RELA, a volunteer militia with a history of controversies, to
enforce its immigration law. HP
G42-397TX Battery
Religion
The Malaysian
constitution guarantees freedom of religion while
making Islam the state religion.[158] According to
the Population and Housing Census 2010 figures, ethnicity and religious beliefs
correlate highly. HP
G42-398TX Battery
Approximately
61.3% of the population are practicing Islam. 19.8%
practice Buddhism; 9.2% Christianity; 6.3% Hinduism; and 1.3%
practice Confucianism,Taoism and other traditional Chinese
religions.[159] 0.7% declared no religion and the remaining
1.4% practised other religions or did not provide any information.[159]
HP G42t Battery
All ethnic
Malays are considered Muslim by law of the Constitution.[158] Statistics
from the 2010 Census indicate that 83.6% of the Chinese population identify as
Buddhist, with significant numbers of adherents following Taoism (3.4%) and
Christianity (11.1%), along with small Hui-Muslim populations in
areas like Penang. HP
G42T-200 CTO Battery
The majority of
the Indian population follow Hinduism (86.2%), with a significant minority
identifying as Christians (6.0%) or Muslims (4.1%). Christianity is the
predominant religion of the non-Malay bumiputra community (46.5%) with an additional
40.4% identifying as Muslims.[159] HP
G42t-300 CTO Battery
Muslims are
obliged to follow the decisions of Syariah courts in matters
concerning their religion. The Islamic judges are expected to follow
the Shafi`i legal school of Islam, which is the main madh'hab of Malaysia.[160] The
jurisdiction of Shariahcourts is limited to Muslims in matters such
as marriage, HP G42t
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inheritance, divorce, apostasy, religious
conversion, and custody among others. No other criminal or civil offences are
under the jurisdiction of the Shariah courts, which have a similar hierarchy to
the Civil Courts. Despite being the supreme courts of the land, the Civil
Courts do not hear matters related to Islamic practices.[161]
HP G56
Battery
Language
The official
language of Malaysia is Bahasa Malaysia,[2] a standardised
form of the Malay language.[162] Historically English was
the de facto administrative language, with Malay becoming predominant after the
1969 race riots.[163] HP
G56-100SA Battery
English remains an active second language, and serves as the medium
of instruction for maths and sciences in all public schools.[164][165] Malaysian
English, also known as Malaysian Standard English, is a form
of English derived from British English. Malaysian English is
widely used in business, HP
G56-105SA Battery
along with Manglish, which is a colloquial form of English with
heavy Malay, Chinese, and Tamilinfluences. The government
discourages the misuse of Malay and has instituted fines for public signs that
mix Malay and English.
Many other
languages are used in Malaysia, which contains speakers of 137 living
languages.[
HP G56-106EA Battery
HP G56-106EA Battery
Peninsular
Malaysia contains speakers of 41 of these languages.[169] The
native tribes of East Malaysia have their own languages which are related to,
but easily distinguishable from, Malay. Iban is the main tribal
language in Sarawak while Dusunic languages are spoken by
the natives in Sabah.[170] HP
G56-106SA Battery
Chinese Malaysians
predominately speak Chinese dialects from the southern provinces of China.
The more common dialects in the country
are Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainanese,
and Fuzhou. Tamil is used predominantly by Tamils, who form a
majority of Malaysian Indians. HP
G56-107SA Battery
Other south Asian
languages are also widely spoken in Malaysia, as well as Thai[2] A
small number of Malaysians have Caucasian ancestry and
speak creole languages, such as the Portuguese based Malaccan
Creoles,[171] and the Spanish based Chavacano language.[172]
HP
G56-108SA Battery
Culture
Malaysia has a
multi-ethnic, multicultural, and multilingual society. The original culture of
the area stemmed from indigenous tribes that inhabited it, along with
the Malays who later moved there. HP
G56-109SA Battery
Substantial
influence exists from Chinese and Indianculture, dating back to
when foreign trade began. Other cultural influences include
the Persian, Arabic, and British cultures. Due to the
structure of the government, coupled with the social contract theory,
there has been minimal cultural assimilation of ethnic minorities.[173]
HP
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In 1971, the
government created a "National Cultural Policy", defining Malaysian
culture. It stated that Malaysian culture must be based on the culture of the
indigenous peoples of Malaysia, that it may incorporate suitable elements from
other cultures, and that Islam must play a part in it.[174]
HP
G56-130SA Battery
It also
promoted the Malay language above others.[175] This government
intervention into culture has caused resentment among non-Malays who feel their
cultural freedom was lessened. Both Chinese and Indian associations have
submitted memorandums to the government, accusing it of formulating an
undemocratic culture policy.[174] HP G62
Battery
Some cultural
disputes exist between Malaysia and neighbouring countries, notably Indonesia.
The two countries have a similar cultural heritage, sharing many traditions and
items. However, disputes have arisen over things ranging from culinary dishes
to Malaysia's national anthem. HP
G62-100 Battery
Strong feelings
exist in Indonesia about protecting their national heritage.[176] The
Malaysian government and the Indonesian government have met to defuse some of
the tensions resulting from the overlaps in culture.[177]Feelings
are not as strong in Malaysia, where most recognise that many cultural values
are shared.[176] HP
G62-100EB Battery
Fine arts
Traditional
Malaysian art was mainly centred around the areas of carving, weaving, and
silversmithing.[178] Traditional art ranges from handwoven
baskets from rural areas to the silverwork of the Malay courts. HP
G62-100EE Battery
Common artworks
included ornamental kris,beetle nut sets, and
woven batik and songket fabrics. Indigenous East Malaysians
are known for their wooden masks.[93] Each ethnic group have
distinct performing arts, with little overlap between them. However, Malay art
does show some North Indian influence due to the historical influence of India.
HP
G62-100EJ Battery
Traditional Malay
music and performing arts appear to have originated in
theKelantan-Pattani region with influences from India, China, Thailand and
Indonesia. The music is based around percussion instruments,[179] the
most important of which is thegendang (drum). HP
G62-100SL Battery
There are at least
14 types of traditional drums.[180] Drums and other traditional
percussion instruments and are often made from natural materials.[180] Music
is traditionally used for storytelling, celebrating life-cycle events, and
occasions such as a harvest.[179] It was once used as a form of
long-distance communication.[180] HP
G62-101TU Battery
In East
Malaysia, gong-based musical ensembles such
as agung and kulintang are commonly used in ceremonies such
as funerals and weddings.[181] These ensembles are also common
in neighbouring regions such as in the southern
Philippines, Kalimantan in Indonesia, and Brunei.[181]
HP
G62-101XX Battery
Malaysia has a
strong oral tradition that has existed since before the arrival of writing, and
continues today. Each of the Malay Sultanates created their own literary
tradition, influenced by pre-existing oral stories and by the stories that came
with Islam.[182] The first Malay literature was in the Arabic
script. HP G62-103XX
Battery
The earliest known
Malay writing is on the Terengganu stone, made in 1303.[93] Chinese
and Indian literature became common as the numbers of speakers increased in
Malaysia, and locally produced works based in languages from those areas began to
be produced in the 19th century.[182] HP
G62-104SA Battery
English has
also become a common literary language.[93] In 1971, the
government took the step of defining the literature of different languages.
Literature written in Malay was called "the national literature of
Malaysia", literature in otherbumiputra languages
was called "regional literature",HP
G62-105SA Battery
while literature in other languages was called "sectional
literature".[175] Malay poetry is highly developed, and
uses many forms. The Hikayat form is
popular, and the pantun has spread
from Malay to other languages.[182]
Cuisine
Many cultures from
within the country and from surrounding regions have greatly influenced the
cuisine. Much of the influence comes from the Malay, Chinese, Indian, Thai,
Javanese, and Sumatran cultures,[93] largely due to the country
being part of the ancient spice route.[ HP
G62-107SA Battery
The cuisine is very similar to that of Singapore and Brunei,[104] and
also bears resemblance to Filipino cuisine.[93] The different
states have varied dishes,[104] and often the food in Malaysia
is different from the original dishes.[138]
for example,
Chinese restaurants in Malaysia often serve Malay dishes.[185] Food
from one culture is sometimes also cooked using styles taken from another
culture,[104] This means that although much of Malaysian food
can be traced back to a certain culture, they have their own identity.[184] Rice
is popular in many dishes. HP
G62-110EE Battery
Chili is commonly found in local cuisine, although this does not
necessarily make them spicy.[183]
Holidays and festivals
Malaysians observe
a number of holidays and festivities throughout the year. Some are federally
gazetted public holidays and some are observed by individual states. HP
G62-110EO Battery
Other festivals
are observed by particular ethnic or religion groups, and the main holiday of
each major group has been declared a public holiday. The most observed national
holiday is Hari Merdeka(Independence Day)
on 31 August, commemorating the independence of the Federation of
Malaya in 1957.[93] HP
G62-110EY Battery
Malaysia Day on 16 September commemorates federation in 1963.[186] Other
notable national holidays are Labour Day (1 May) and the King's
birthday (first week of June).[93]
Muslim
holidays are prominent as Islam is the state religion; Hari Raya Puasa (also called Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Malay forEid al-Fitr),
HP G62-110SA
Battery
Hari Raya Haji (also called Hari Raya Aidiladha, the translation of Eid
ul-Adha), Maulidur Rasul (birthday of
the Prophet), and others being observed.[93] Malaysian
Chinese celebrate festivals such as Chinese New Year and others
relating to traditional Chinese beliefs. Hindus in Malaysia celebrate Deepavali, the festival of lights,[158]
HP
G62-110SO Battery
while Thaipusamis a religious rite which sees pilgrims from
all over the country converge at the Batu Caves.[187] Malaysia's
Christian community celebrates most of the holidays observed by Christians
elsewhere, most notably Christmas and Easter. East Malaysians also celebrate a
harvest festival known as Gawai.[188] HP
G62-110SS Battery
Despite most festivals being identified with a particular ethnic or
religious group, celebrations are universal. In a custom known as "open
house" Malaysians participate in the celebrations of others, often
visiting the houses of those who identify with the festival.[189]
Sports
badminton, field
hockey, bowls, tennis, squash, martial arts, horse
riding,sailing, and skate boarding.[189] Badminton matches
attract thousands of spectators, and since 1948 Malaysia has been one of three
countries to hold the Thomas Cup.[190] The Malaysian Lawn
Bowls Federation was registered in 1997.[191] HP
G62-111EE Battery
Squash was brought
to the country by members of the British army, with the first competition being
held in 1939. The Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia was created on 25
June 1972.[192] Malaysia has proposed a Southeast Asian
football league.[193] The men's national field hockey
team ranked 15th in the world as of August 2010.[194]
HP
G62-112EE Battery
The
3rd Hockey World Cup was hosted atMerdeka Stadium in Kuala
Lumpur, as well as the 10th cup.[195] The country also has its
own Formula One track–the Sepang International Circuit. It runs
for 310.408 kilometres (192.88 mi), and held its first Grand
Prix in 1999.[196] HP
G62-112SO Battery
The Federation of
Malaya Olympic Council was formed in 1953, and received recognition by the IOC
in 1954. It first participated in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. The
council was renamed the Olympic Council of Malaysia in 1964,
and has participated in all but one Olympic games since its inception.
HP
G62-113SO Battery
The largest number
of athletes ever sent to the Olympics was 57 to the 1972 Munich Olympic
Games.[197] Malaysian athletes have won a total of four Olympic
medals, all of which are in badminton.[198] The country has
competed at the Commonwealth Games since 1950 as Malaya, and 1966 as
Malaysia, and the games were hosted in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.
HP
G62-115SE Battery
For the martial arts, there's two types of styles are being practiced in
Malaysia; the Silat and the Malaysian kickboxing called Tomoi.
Media
Malaysia's main
newspapers are owned by the government and political parties in the ruling
coalition,[201] although some major opposition parties also
have their own. HP
G62-115SO Battery
A divide
exists between the media in the two halves of the country. Peninsular-based
media gives low priority to news from the East, and often treats the eastern
states as colonies of the Peninsula.[203] HP
G62-117SO Battery
The media has been blamed for increasing tension between Indonesia and
Malaysia, and giving Malaysians a bad image of Indonesians.[204] The
country has Malay, English, Chinese, and Tamil dailies.[203]
There is very
little freedom of the press, leading to very little government
accountability. HP
G62-118EO Battery
The government has
previously tried to crack down on opposition papers before elections.[202] In
2007, a government agency issued a directive to all private television and
radio stations to refrain from broadcasting speeches made by opposition
leaders,[206] a move condemned by politicians from the
opposition Democratic Action Party. HP
G62-120EC Battery
Sabah, where all tabloids but one are independent of government control,
has the freest press in Malaysia.[203] Laws such as
the Printing Presses and Publications Act have also been cited as
curtailing freedom of expression.[208]
Infrastructure
Its telecommunications network
is second only to Singapore's in Southeast Asia, with 4.7 million
fixed-line subscribers and more than 30 million cellular subscribers.[210][211] The
country has seven international ports, the major one being the Port Klang.
There are 200 industrial parks along with specialised parks such
asTechnology Park Malaysia and Kulim Hi-Tech Park.[
HP
G62-120EG Battery
Fresh water is
available to over 95 per cent of the population. During the colonial period,
development was mainly concentrated in economically powerful cities and in
areas forming security concerns. Although rural areas have been the focus of
great development, they still lag behind areas such as the West Coast of
Peninsular Malaysia.[ HP
G62-120EH Battery
The telecommunication network, although strong in urban areas, is less
available to the rural population.[210]
Malaysia's road
network covers 98,721 kilometres (61,342 mi) and includes 1,821 kilometres
(1,132 mi) of expressways.[2] HP
G62-120EK Battery
The longest
highway of the country, the North-South Expressway, extends over 800
kilometres (497 mi) between the Thai border and Singapore. The road
systems in East Malaysia are less developed and of lower quality in comparison
to that of Peninsular Malaysia.[213] Malaysia has 118
airports, of which 38 are paved. HP
G62-120EL Battery
The country's
official airline is Malaysia Airlines, providing international and
domestic air service alongside two other carriers. The railway system is
state-run, and covers a total of 1,849 kilometres (1,149 mi).[2] Relatively
inexpensive elevated Light Rail Transit systems are used in some
cities, such as Kuala Lumpur. HP
G62-120EP Battery
The Asean Rail Express is a railway service that connects Kuala
Lumpur to Bangkok, and is intended to eventually stretch from Singapore to
China.[209]
Traditionally,
energy production in Malaysia has been based on oil and natural gas.[215] The
country has 13 GW of electrical generation capacity. HP
G62-120EQ Battery
However, the
country only has 33 years of natural gas reserves, and 19 years of oil
reserves, while the demand for energy is increasing. In response, the
government is expanding into renewable energy sources.[215] Sixteen
per cent of electricity generation is hydroelectric, the remaining 84 per cent being
thermal. HP
G62-120ER Battery
The oil and gas
industry is dominated by state owned Petronas,[217] and
the energy sector as a whole is regulated by the Energy Commission of
Malaysia, a statutory commission that governs the energy in the peninsula and
Sabah, under the terms of the Electricity Commission Act of 2001.
HP
G62-120ES Battery
The environment of Malaysia refers to
the biotas and geologies that constitute the natural
environment of this Southeast Asian nation. Ecologically,
Malaysia is a megadiverse nation with a biodiverse range
of flora and fauna found in variousecoregions throughout the
country. HP
G62-120ET Battery
Tropical rainforests encompass between 59% to 70% of Malaysia's total
land area, of which 11.6% is pristine.[1][2][3] Malaysia has
the world's fifth largest mangrove area, which totals over a half a million
hectares (over 1.2 million acres).[2]
Human intervention
poses a significant threat to the natural environment of this country. HP
G62-120EY Battery
Agriculture, forestry
and urbanisation contribute to the destruction of forests, mangroves and other
thriving ecosystems in the country.[4][5]Ecosystems and landscapes
are dramatically altered by human development, including but not limited to the
construction of roads and damming of rivers.[6] HP
G62-120SE Battery
Geographical
phenomena, such as landslides and flooding in
the Klang Valley, along with haze, stem from widespread
deforestation. Subtle climate change occurs as a direct result
of air pollution and the greenhouse effect, which in turn is
caused by the emission of greenhouse gases. HP
G62-120SL Battery
Low-lying areas near the coastline
of Sabah and Sarawak are under threat from current sea level rise.[7]
The environment is
the subject of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment at the federal
level.
HP G62-120SS Battery
HP G62-120SS Battery
The Department
of Wildlife and National Parks is responsible for the preservation of
flora and fauna in Malaysia. Several environmental organisations have
been established to raise awareness regarding the environmental issues in Malaysia.
Malaysia is home
to 15500 species of higher plants, 746 birds, 379 reptiles, 198 amphibians, HP
G62-120SW Battery
and 368 species of
fish.[3]There are also 286 species of mammals in Malaysia, of which
27 are endemic and 51 are threatened. Some of these mammals are found
in both Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. The former has 193 species of
mammals, while the latter has 215. HP
G62-121EE Battery
Among the mammals
that are native to Malaysia include the Asian elephant,
the Indochinese tiger, the Leopard Cat and the Pot-bellied
pig. Endangered species include the orangutan, the tiger, the Asian
elephant, the Malayan tapir, the Sumatran rhinoceros and
the Singapore roundleaf horseshoe bat. HP
G62-125EK Battery
The tropical moist
broadleaf forests of Peninsular Malaysia consist of 450 species of birds and over
6000 different species of trees, of which 1000 are vascular
plants that occur naturally inkarsts.[8] The rainforests
of East Malaysia are denser, with over 400 species of
tall dipterocarps and semihardwoods.[1]
HP
G62-125EL Battery
The national flower of Malaysia is the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, an evergreen that was
introduced into the Malay peninsula in the 12th century. The rafflesia is also widely found in the country.
Ecoregions and land use
Major forests
account for 45% of all ecoregions in the country, interrupted woods represent
33%, major wetlands constitute 3%, grass and shrubs make up 2% while other
coastal aquatic regions form 8% of the country's land area, with crops and
settlements taking up the remaining space.[9] HP
G62-125SL Battery
Malaysia has many national parks, although most of them are de facto state parks. The Taman Negara
National Park in central Peninsular Malaysia is 130 million years old,
making it one of the oldest rainforests in the world.[3]
19% is categorised as "medium human disturbance" and 40% falls
under the "high human disturbance" category. 2.7% of the land is
totally protected, 1.77% is partially protected and 4.47% is totally or
partially protected.[9]
Climate
Malaysia lies
along the 1st parallel north to the 7th parallel
north circles of latitude, HP
G62-130EG Battery
roughly equal
to Roraima(Brazil), the Democratic Republic of the
Congo and Kenya. According to the Köppen climate
classification system, Malaysia has a tropical rainforest
climate due to its proximity to the equator. The country is hot and
humid all year round, with an average temperature of 27
°C (80.6 °F) and almost no variability in the yearly
temperature.[10] HP
G62-130EK Battery
The country
experiences two monsoon seasons, the Northeast Monsoon and the
Southwest Monsoon. The Northeast Monsoon brings heavy rainfall to the east
coast of Peninsular Malaysia and western Sarawak, while the Southwest
Monsoon signifies dryer conditions throughout the country except Sabah. HP
G62-130ET Battery
During the
Southwest Monsoon, most states experience minimal rainfall due to the stable
atmospheric conditions in the region and the Sumatran mountain range, which
brings about therain shadow effect. Sabah experiences more rainfall
because of the tail effect of typhoons in the Philippines.[11]
HP
G62-130EV Battery
The urban heat island effect is caused
by overdevelopment and general human activities in the cities of
Malaysia.
Air Pollution Index
The Air
Pollution Index (API) is used by the government to describe the air
quality in Malaysia. HP
G62-130SD Battery
The API value is
calculated based on average concentrations of air pollutants,
namely sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon
monoxide, ozone and fine dust (PM10). The air pollutant
with the highest concentration is the pollutant that will determine the value
of the API. Fine dust is typically the dominant pollutant.[12]
HP
G62-130SL Battery
The API is
reported on a scale starting from 0. A score of 0 to 50 is considered good, 51
to 100 is moderate, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy and
anything higher than 300 is hazardous. A state of emergency is
declared in the reporting area if the API exceeds 500, which occurred
in Port Klangin 2005. HP
G62-134CA Battery
Non-essential government services are suspended, and all ports and schools
in the affected area are closed. Private sector commercial and industrial
activities in the reporting area might be prohibited.
Environmental law and conservation
The Environmental
Quality Act of 1974 and other environmental laws are administered by the
Division of Environment. HP
G62-135EV Battery
Clean-air legislation was adopted in 1978, limiting industrial and
automobile emissions. However, air pollution remains a problem in Malaysian
cities.[2]
The National
Forestry Act of 1984 was enacted for sustainable forest management, but
the act has not been enforced. HP
G62-140EL Battery
Environmental issues
There are a number
of environmental issues faced by Malaysia, such as deforestation and
pollution. According to a study by Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies in
2008, about 30% of Malaysian coastline is subject to varying degrees of
erosion.[14] HP
G62-140EQ Battery
According to the
United Nations, Malaysia's deforestation rate is the highest among tropical
nations. The country's annual deforestation rate increased 86% between
1999–2000 and 2000-2005. Malaysia lost an average of 140,200 hectares of its
forests or 0.65% of its total forest area every year since 2000, HP
G62-140ES Battery
whereas in the 1990s, the country lost an average of 78,500 hectares, or
0.35 percent of its forests annually.[3]
Widespread
urbanisation, agricultural fires and forest conversion for oil
palm plantations and other forms of agriculture are the main causes of
Malaysia's high deforestation rate. HP
G62-140ET Battery
Logging is responsible for forest degradation in the country, and local
timber companies have been accused by environmental organisations of failing to
practice sustainable forest management.[3]
Deforestation, pollution of rivers, and siltation have resulted in losses
of agriculture, and road projects have opened new areas to colonisation.[3]
Air
pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions is a major issue in the
urban areas of Malaysia. HP
G62-140SS Battery
Malaysia
is ranked 42nd in the world in terms of vehicle ownership per capita,
with 273 Malaysians having vehicles out of every 1000. Public
transportation has been introduced in the form of bus networks and railway
systems as mitigation, but utilisation rates are low.[15]
HP
G62-140US Battery
Water pollution
occurs due to the discharge of untreated sewage; the west coast of the
Peninsular Malaysia is the most heavily populated area. 40% of the rivers
in Malaysia are heavily polluted. The country has 580 cubic km of water,
of which 76% is used for farming and 13% is used for industrial activity.
HP
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Cities in Malaysia produce an average of 1.5 million tons of solid waste
per year.[2]
In 2000, Malaysia
was ranked fourth in the world in terms of per capita greenhouse gas
emissions after taking into account land use change with 37.2 tonnes
ofcarbon dioxide equivalent per capita. HP
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Periodic fires,
which usually coincide with the events of el Niño, burn thousands of
hectares of forests across Malaysia, especially in Malaysian Borneo. The haze
originating from these fires and the fires
in Kalimantan, Indonesia typically have adverse health effects
on the populace, besides causing air pollution.[3]
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In particular, the 1997 Southeast Asian haze, the 2005 Malaysian
haze and the 2006 Southeast Asian haze were caused by slash
and burn activities in neighbouring Indonesia.
The geography of Malaysia deals with
the physical and human geography of Malaysia, a
country located in Southeast Asia. HP
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There are two
distinct parts to this country being Peninsular Malaysia to the west
and East Malaysia to the east. Peninsular Malaysia is located south
of Thailand, north of Singapore and east of
the Indonesian island ofSumatra. East Malaysia is located on the
island of Borneo and shares borders
with Brunei and Indonesia. HP
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Climate
Located near
the equator, Malaysia's climate is categorised as equatorial, being
hot and humid throughout the year. The average rainfall is 250 centimetres
(98 in) a year[1] and the average temperature is 27 °C (80.6 °F).
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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. Malaysia is exposed to the El Niño effect, which reduces
rainfall in the dry season. HP
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Climate change is likely to have a significant effect on
Malaysia, increasing sea levels and rainfall, increasing flooding
risks and leading to large droughts.[3]
Malaysia faces
two monsoon winds seasons, the Southwest Monsoon from late May to
September, and the Northeast Monsoon from November to March. HP
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The Northeast
Monsoon brings in more rainfall compared to the Southwest Monsoon,[4] originating
in China and the north Pacific. The southwest monsoon originates
from the deserts of Australia. March and October form transitions between
the two monsoons.[3] HP
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Local climates are
affected by the presence of mountain ranges throughout Malaysia, and climate
can be divided into that of the highlands, the lowlands, and coastal regions.
The coasts have a sunny climate, with temperatures ranging between 23 °C (73.4 °F) and 32
°C (89.6 °F), and rainfall ranging from 10 centimetres (4 in) to
30 centimetres (12 in) a month. HP
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The lowlands have
a similar temperature, but follow a more distinctive rainfall pattern and show
very high humidity levels. The highlands are cooler and wetter, and display a
greater temperature variation. A large amount of cloud cover is present over
the highlands, which have humidity levels that do not fall below 75%.[3]
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The highest
temperature was recorded at Chuping, Perlis on 9 April 1998
at 40.1 °C (104.2 °F). The lowest temperature was recorded
at Cameron Highlands on 1 February 1978 at 7.8
°C (46.0 °F). The highest rainfall recorded in a day was 608 mm
(23.9 in) in Kota Bharu, Kelantan on 6 January 1967. HP
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The highest
rainfall recorded in a year was 5,687 mm (223.9 in)
at Sandakan, Sabah in 2006. Meanwhile, the lowest rainfall
recorded in a year was 1,151 mm (45.3 in) at Tawau, Sabahin
1997.[5] The wettest place in Malaysia is
Kuching, Sarawak with an average rainfall of 4,128 mm
(162.5 in) with 247 days of rain a year. HP
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The driest place in Malaysia is in Chuping, Perlis with
average rainfall of only 1,746 mm (68.7 in) a year.[5]
Geology
Malaysia is
located on the Sunda shelf, and is tectonically inactive. The oldest rocks
in the country date from 540million years ago, and are mostlysedimentary. HP
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The most common
form of rock is limestone, formed during the Paleozoic era. Limestone
laid down in East Malaysia during the Tertiary period has since
eroded, and such erosion forms basins of sedimentary rocks rich
in oil and natural gas. The mountain ranges in Malaysia were
formed through orogenesisbeginning in the Mesozoic era.[3]
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Land
The total land
area of Malaysia is 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi), the
67th largest country in the world in terms of area.[6] It
is the only country to contain land on both mainland Asia and
the Malay archipelago.[3] HP
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Peninsular Malaysia
makes up 132,090 square kilometres (51,000 sq mi),[1] or
39.7%, while East Malaysia covers 198,847 square kilometres (76,780
sq mi), or 60.3% of the total land of the country. From the total land
area, 1,200 square kilometres (460 sq mi) or 0.37% is made up of
water such as lakes, rivers, or other internal waters. HP
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Malaysia has a
total coastline of 4,675 kilometres (2,905 mi), whereby Peninsular
Malaysia has 2,068 kilometres (1,285 mi), while East Malaysia has 2,607
kilometres (1,620 mi) of coastline.[6] Malaysia has the
29th longest coastline in the world. The two distinct parts of
Malaysia, HP
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separated from each other by the South China Sea, share a largely
similar landscape in that both West (Peninsula) and East
Malaysia feature coastal plains rising to hills and mountains.
Peninsula
Malaysia covers the southern half of the Malay Peninsula,[3] and
extends 740 kilometres (460 mi) from north to south,
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and its maximum
width is 322 kilometres (200 mi).[1] It is very
mountainous, with more than half of it over 150 metres (492 ft)
above sea level.[3] About half of Peninsular Malaysia is
covered by granite and other igneous rocks, a third more is
covered by stratified rocks older than the granite, and the remainder is
covered by alluvium.[7] HP
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Harbours are
only available on the peninsula's western side,[1] and the most
fertile land occurs when river valleys flow out to the sea. The coastal plains
bordering the straits of Malacca are the most densely populated areas of
Malaysia, and contains Malaysia's capital,Kuala Lumpur.[3]
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East Malaysia, on
the island of Borneo, has a coastline of 2,607 kilometres (1,620 mi).[6] It
is divided between coastal regions, hills and valleys, and a mountainous
interior. There are only two major cities, Kuching and Kota
Kinabalu. Much of southern Sarawak is coastal lowlands, which shifts to a
series of plateaus going north, ending in the mountainous regions of Sabah.[3]
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Mountain ranges
The highest
mountain range in Malaysia is the Crocker Range in Sabah, which
divides the state in half. This range housesMount Kinabalu, the highest
mountain in the country,[8] as well as Mount Tambuyukon,
the third highest in the country. HP
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Mount Kinabalu, at
4,095.2 metres (13,436 ft), is the tallest mountain in Malaysia and is
protected as Kinabalu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[9] Mountain
ranges in the East tend to follow north-south or northeast-southwest paths, and
the highest ranges form the border between Malaysia and Indonesia. HP
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The mountains contain many jagged limestone peaks.[3] The Trus
Madi Range, also in Sabah, houses Mount Trus Madi, the second highest peak
in Malaysia. Bombalai Hill in Sabah is the only
active volcano in Malaysia.
Peninsula Malaysia
contains numerous mountain ranges running parallel from north to south along
the peninsula.[3] HP
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The main mountain
range is the Titiwangsa Mountains, which divides the peninsula between its
east and west coasts.[10] It houses Mount Korbu, the
second highest peak in the Peninsular. These mountains are heavily forested,
and mainly composed of granite. The range is the origin of some of
Peninsula Malaysia's river systems.[11] HP
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To the east of
this range is theBintang Range.[1] The highest peak in the
Peninsular is Mount Tahan, located on the Tahan Range.
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