Match 150 DB Rec# - 7,602 Dataset-WOFACT
Title :Malaysia
Text :
Malaysia
Geography
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
Area:
total area:
329,750 sq km
land area:
328,550 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total 2,669 km, Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Coastline:
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South
China Sea
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
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
Land use:
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
10%
meadows and pastures:
0%
forest and woodland:
63%
other:
24%
Irrigated land:
3,420 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from
raw sewage; deforestation
natural hazards:
flooding
Geography
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
Population:
19,723,587 (July 1995 est.)
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.)
Population growth rate:
2.24% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
27.95 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
5.56 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
24.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
69.48 years
male:
66.55 years
female:
72.56 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.47 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Malaysian(s)
adjective:
Malaysian
Ethnic divisions:
Malay and other indigenous 59%, Chinese 32%, Indian 9%
Religions:
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%
Languages:
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 ***
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
78%
male:
86%
People
female:
70%
Labor force:
7.627 million (1993)
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Malaysia
former:
Malayan Union
Digraph:
MY
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
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
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
Government
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
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, 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
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.)
National product real growth rate:
8.7% (1994)
National product per capita:
$8,650 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.7% (1994)
Unemployment rate:
2.9% (1994)
Budget:
revenues:
$18.7 billion
expenditures:
$19.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.8 billion (1994)
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.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 12% (1994); accounts for 38% of GDP (1993 est.)
Electricity:
capacity:
6,700,000 kW
production:
31 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
1,528 kWh (1993)
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
Economy
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
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)
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:
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
Airports:
total:
115
with paved runways over 3,047 m:
3
with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:
5
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:
11
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:
6
with paved runways under 914 m:
82
with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m:
1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:
7
Communications
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
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)
| Index to 1995 World Factbook... | UMSL Govt. Docs... | UMSL Libraries... | UMSL Home... |
This publication is also available online from the CIA (http://www.odci.gov/cia) as 1995 World Factbook (http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/95fact/index.html).
The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995
Select this link for contact information about the UM-St. Louis Librarians maintaining this site. Updated: March 12, 1996