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Communications

Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

8 (1999)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 56, FM 31 (plus 13 repeater stations), shortwave 5 (1999)

Radios [time series]

9.1 million (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

international service good domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations international: submarine cables to India, Hong Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

4.4 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

2.17 million (1998)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

27 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions [time series]

3.6 million (1997)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber, pepper; timber

Budget [time series]

revenues: $23.2 billion expenditures: $27.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen

Debt - external [time series]

$43.6 billion (1999 est.)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Malaysia made a quick economic recovery in 1999 from its worst recession since independence in 1957. GDP grew 5%, responding to a dynamic export sector, which grew over 10% and fiscal stimulus from higher government spending. The large export surplus has enabled the country to build up its already substantial financial reserves, to $31 billion at yearend 1999. This stable macroeconomic environment, in which both inflation and unemployment stand at 3% or less, has made possible the relaxation of most of the capital controls imposed by the government in 1998 to counter the impact of the Asian financial crisis. Government and private forecasters expect Malaysia to continue this trend in 2000, predicting GDP to grow another 5% to 6%. While Malaysia's immediate economic horizon looks bright, its long-term prospects are clouded by the lack of reforms in the corporate sector, particularly those dealing with competitiveness and high corporate debt.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

53.423 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports [time series]

75 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports [time series]

83 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production [time series]

57.435 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 94.78% hydro: 5.22% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates [time series]

ringgits (M$) per US$1 - 3.8000 (January 2000), 3.8000 (1999), 3.9244 (1998), 2.8133 (1997), 2.5159 (1996), 2.5044 (1995)

Exports [time series]

$83.5 billion (1999 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, chemicals, palm oil, wood and wood products, rubber, textiles

Exports - partners [time series]

US 23%, Singapore 16%, Japan 11%, Hong Kong 5%, Netherlands 5%, Taiwan 5%, Thailand 3% (1999 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $229.1 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 12% industry: 46% services: 42% (1998)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $10,700 (1999 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 20.4% (1997 est.)

Imports [time series]

$61.5 billion (1999 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, chemicals, food, fuel and lubricants

Imports - partners [time series]

Japan 21%, US 18%, Singapore 14%, Taiwan 5%, South Korea 5%, Thailand 4%, China 3% (1999 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

8.5% (1999 est.)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.8% (1999)

Labor force [time series]

9.3 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

manufacturing 27%, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries 16%, local trade and tourism 17%, services 15%, government 10%, construction 9% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

6.8% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

3% (1999 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 329,750 sq km land: 328,550 sq km water: 1,200 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly larger than New Mexico

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates [time series]

2 30 N, 112 30 E

Geography - note [time series]

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

Irrigated land [time series]

2,941 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 2,669 km border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 12% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 68% other: 17% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

flooding, landslides

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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* note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is located within the federal territory of Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable

Capital [time series]

Kuala Lumpur

Constitution [time series]

31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152 telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000 FAX: [60] (3) 242-2207

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Dato' GHAZZALI Sheikh Abdul Khalid 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

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Paramount Ruler Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah (since 26 April 1999); Deputy Paramount Ruler Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin ibni A-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah head of government: Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since 8 January 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler elections: paramount ruler and deputy paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 27 February 1999 (next to be held NA 2004); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister election results: Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah elected paramount ruler; Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin ibni A-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah elected deputy paramount ruler

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

14 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

Government type [time series]

constitutional monarchy note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August 1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore) formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965); nominally headed by the paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, Penang, Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak - holds 28 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government

Independence [time series]

31 August 1957 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of nonelected Senate or Dewan Negara (69 seats; 43 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (193 seats; members elected by popular vote weighted toward the rural Malay population to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 29 November 1999 (next to be held 3 November 2004) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NF 56%, other 44%; seats by party - NF 148, PAS 27, DAP 10, NJP 5, PBS 3

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 31 August (1957)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

State Reform Party or STAR [PATAV Rubis]; Democratic Action Party or DAP [LIM Kit Siang]; Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia [LIM Keng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party [leader NA]; Malaysian Chinese Association or MCA [LING Liong Sik]; Malaysian Indian Congress or MIC [S. Samy VELLU]; National Front or NF [MAHATHIR bin Mohamad] (a coalition of 14 political parties, dominated by the UMNO, and including the UPKO, SAPP, and the Liberal Democratic Party); National Justice Party or NJP [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismail]; Parti Akar [Datuk PANDIKAR Amin Mulia]; Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak or PBDS [Datuk Leo MOGGIE]; Parti Bersekutu [HARRIS Salleh]; Parti Islam SeMalaysia or PAS [Ustaz Fadzil Mohamed NOOR]; Party Pesaka Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Sabah People's Progressive Party or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sabah People's United Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) or PBRS [Datuk Joseph KURUP]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Datuk Amar James WONG]; Sarawak United People's Party or SUPP [Datuk Dr. George CHAN Hong Nam]; United Kadazan People's Organization or UPKO (formerly Parti Demokratik Sabah) [Bernard DOMPOK]; United Malays National Organization or UMNO [OSU Sukam]; United Sabah Party (main opposition party) (Parti Bersatu Sabah) or PBS [Dr. Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan] note: subsequent to the election, the following parties were dissolved - Spirit of '46 or Semangat '46 [Tengku Tan Sri RAZALEIGH, president] and Sabah United Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah) or PBS [Datuk Seri Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Malaysia was created in 1963 through the merging of Malaya (independent in 1957) and the former British Singapore, both of which formed West Malaysia, and Sabah and Sarawak in north Borneo, which composed East Malaysia. The first three years of independence were marred by hostilities with Indonesia. Singapore seceded from the union in 1965.

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$1.211 billion (FY98)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

1.6% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 5,662,933 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 3,431,602 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

21 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 183,139 (2000 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 35% (male 3,914,112; female 3,697,731) 15-64 years: 61% (male 6,655,506; female 6,642,073) 65 years and over: 4% (male 386,387; female 497,484) (2000 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

25.3 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.25 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 26%, Indian 7%, others 9%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

20.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages [time series]

Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are Iban and Kadazan

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 70.83 years male: 68.22 years female: 73.63 years (2000 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.5% male: 89.1% female: 78.1% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Malaysian(s) adjective: Malaysian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region

Population [time series]

21,793,293 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.01% (2000 est.)

Religions [time series]

Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism; note - in addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.29 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; Philippines have not fully revoked claim to Sabah State; two islands in dispute with Singapore; Sipadan and Ligitan Islands in dispute with Indonesia

Illicit drugs [time series]

transit point for some illicit drugs going to Western markets; drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Transportation

Airports [time series]

115 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 32 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 6 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 83 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 74 (1999 est.)

Heliports [time series]

1 (1999 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 94,500 km paved: 70,970 km (including 580 km of expressways) unpaved: 23,530 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 361 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,000,706 GRT/7,393,915 DWT ships by type: bulk 61, cargo 119, chemical tanker 34, container 55, liquified gas 19, livestock carrier 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 57, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off 6, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5 (1999 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 1,307 km; natural gas 379 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

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

Railways [time series]

total: 1,801 km narrow gauge: 1,801 km 1.000-m gauge (148 km electrified) (2000)

Waterways [time series]

7,296 km (Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569 km, Sarawak 2,518 km)