|
|
|
Background:
|
During
the late 18th and 19th centuries,
Great Britain established colonies and
protectorates in the area of current
Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan
from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the
British-ruled territories on the Malay
Peninsula formed the Federation of
Malaya, which became independent in
1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when
the former British colonies of
Singapore and the East Malaysian
states of Sabah and Sarawak on the
northern coast of Borneo joined the
Federation. The first several years of
the country's history were marred by a
Communist insurgency, Indonesian
confrontation with Malaysia,
Philippine claims to Sabah, and
Singapore's secession from the
Federation in 1965. During the 22-year
term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin
Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was
successful in diversifying its economy
from dependence on exports of raw
materials to expansion in
manufacturing, services, and tourism.
|
|
|
|
Location:
|
Southeastern
Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and
northern one-third of the island of
Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei,
and the South China Sea, south of
Vietnam
|
|
Geographic
coordinates:
|
2
30 N, 112 30 E
|
|
Map
references:
|
Southeast
Asia
|
|
Area:
|
total:
329,847
sq km
country
comparison to the world: 66
land:
328,657
sq km
water:
1,190
sq km
|
|
Area
- comparative:
|
slightly
larger than New Mexico
|
|
Land
boundaries:
|
total:
2,669
km
border
countries: 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:
|
territorial
sea: 12
nm
exclusive
economic zone: 200
nm
continental
shelf: 200
m depth or to the depth of
exploitation; specified boundary in
the South China Sea
|
|
Climate:
|
Current
Weather
tropical;
annual southwest (April to October)
and northeast (October to February)
monsoons
|
|
Terrain:
|
coastal
plains rising to hills and mountains
|
|
Elevation
extremes:
|
lowest
point: Indian
Ocean 0 m
highest
point: Gunung
Kinabalu 4,100 m
|
|
Natural
resources:
|
tin,
petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore,
natural gas, bauxite
|
|
Land
use:
|
arable
land: 5.46%
permanent
crops: 17.54%
other:
77%
(2005)
|
|
Irrigated
land:
|
3,650
sq km (2003)
|
|
Total
renewable water resources:
|
580
cu km (1999)
|
|
Freshwater
withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
|
total:
9.02
cu km/yr (17%/21%/62%)
per
capita: 356
cu m/yr (2000)
|
|
Natural
hazards:
|
flooding;
landslides; forest fires
|
|
Environment
- current issues:
|
air
pollution from industrial and
vehicular emissions; water pollution
from raw sewage; deforestation;
smoke/haze from Indonesian forest
fires
|
|
Environment
- international agreements:
|
party
to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands
signed,
but not ratified: none
of the selected agreements
|
|
Geography
- note:
|
strategic
location along Strait of Malacca and
southern South China Sea
|
|
|
|
Population:
|
28,274,729
(July 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 43 |
|
Age
structure:
|
0-14
years: 31.4%
(male 4,153,621/female 3,914,962)
15-64
years: 63.6%
(male 8,210,373/female 8,143,043)
65
years and over: 5%
(male 569,245/female 724,575) (2010
est.)
|
|
Median
age:
|
total:
26.5
years
male:
26.4
years
female:
26.7
years (2010 est.)
|
|
Population
growth rate:
|
1.609%
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 76 |
|
Birth
rate:
|
21.41
births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 84 |
|
Death
rate:
|
4.92
deaths/1,000 population (July 2010
est.)
country
comparison to the world: 190 |
|
Net
migration rate:
|
-0.4
migrant(s)/1,000 population
country
comparison to the world: 139
note:
does
not reflect net flow of an unknown
number of illegal immigrants from
other countries in the region (2009
est.)
|
|
Urbanization:
|
urban
population: 70%
of total population (2008)
rate
of urbanization: 3%
annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
|
|
Sex
ratio:
|
at
birth: 1.069
male(s)/female
under
15 years: 1.06
male(s)/female
15-64
years: 1.01
male(s)/female
65
years and over: 0.79
male(s)/female
total
population: 1.01
male(s)/female (2010 est.)
|
|
Infant
mortality rate:
|
total:
15.5
deaths/1,000 live births
country
comparison to the world: 121
male:
17.92
deaths/1,000 live births
female:
12.91
deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
|
|
Life
expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 73.55
years
country
comparison to the world: 112
male:
70.81
years
female:
76.48
years (2010 est.)
|
|
Total
fertility rate:
|
2.7
children born/woman (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 78 |
|
HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate:
|
0.5%
(2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 77 |
|
HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
80,000
(2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 50 |
|
HIV/AIDS
- deaths:
|
3,900
(2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 52 |
|
Major
infectious diseases:
|
degree
of risk: high
food
or waterborne diseases: bacterial
diarrhea
vectorborne
diseases: dengue
fever and malaria
note:
highly
pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has
been identified in this country; it
poses a negligible risk with extremely
rare cases possible among US citizens
who have close contact with birds
(2009)
|
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Malaysian(s)
adjective:
Malaysian
|
|
Ethnic
groups:
|
Malay
50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%,
Indian 7.1%, others 7.8% (2004 est.)
|
|
Religions:
|
Muslim
60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%,
Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism,
other traditional Chinese religions
2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8%
(2000 census)
|
|
Languages:
|
Bahasa
Malaysia (official), English, Chinese
(Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka,
Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,
Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
note:
in
East Malaysia there are several
indigenous languages; most widely
spoken are Iban and Kadazan
|
|
Literacy:
|
definition:
age
15 and over can read and write
total
population: 88.7%
male:
92%
female:
85.4%
(2000 census)
|
|
School
life expectancy (primary to tertiary
education):
|
total:
13
years
male:
12
years
female:
13
years (2007)
|
|
Education
expenditures:
|
4.5%
of GDP (2007)
country
comparison to the world: 90
|
|
|
|
Country
name:
|
conventional
long form: none
conventional
short form: Malaysia
local
long form: none
local
short form: Malaysia
former:
Federation
of Malaya
|
|
Government
type:
|
constitutional
monarchy
note:
nominally
headed by paramount ruler (commonly
referred to as the King) and a
bicameral Parliament consisting of a
nonelected upper house and an elected
lower house; all Peninsular Malaysian
states have hereditary rulers
(commonly referred to as sultans)
except Melaka and Pulau Pinang (Penang);
those two states along with Sabah and
Sarawak in East Malaysia have
governors appointed by government;
powers of state governments are
limited by federal constitution; under
terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak
retain certain constitutional
prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain
their own immigration controls)
|
|
Capital:
|
name:
Kuala
Lumpur
geographic
coordinates: 3
10 N, 101 42 E
time
difference: UTC+8
(13 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
note:
Putrajaya
is referred to as administrative
center not capital; Parliament meets
in Kuala Lumpur
|
|
Administrative
divisions:
|
13
states (negeri-negeri, singular -
negeri) Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka,
Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis,
Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor,
and Terengganu; and 1 federal
territory (Wilayah Persekutuan) with
three components, city of Kuala
Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya
|
|
Independence:
|
31
August 1957 (from the UK)
|
|
National
holiday:
|
Independence
Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)
|
|
Constitution:
|
31
August 1957; amended many times the
latest in 2007
|
|
Legal
system:
|
based
on English common law; judicial review
of legislative acts in the Supreme
Court at request of supreme head of
the federation; Islamic law is applied
to Muslims in matters of family law
and religion; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
|
|
Suffrage:
|
21
years of age; universal
|
|
Executive
branch:
|
chief
of state: King
- Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since 13
December 2006); (the position of the
king is primarily ceremonial)
head
of government: Prime
Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak
(since 3 April 2009); Deputy Prime
Minister MUHYIDDIN bin Mohamed Yassin
(since 9 April 2009)
cabinet:
Cabinet
appointed by the prime minister from
among the members of Parliament with
consent of the king
(For
more information visit the World Leaders
website )
elections:
kings
elected by and from the hereditary
rulers of nine of the states for
five-year terms; selection based on
principle of rotation among rulers of
states; election last held on 3
November 2006 (next to be held in
2011); prime minister designated from
among the members of the House of
Representatives; following legislative
elections, the leader who commands the
support of the majority of members in
the House becomes prime minister
(since independence this has been the
leader of the UMNO party)
election
results: Sultan
MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected king
|
|
Legislative
branch:
|
bicameral
Parliament or Parlimen consists of
Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44
members appointed by the king, 26
elected by 13 state legislatures to
serve three-year terms with a two term
limit) and House of Representatives or
Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve up to
five-year terms)
elections:
House
of Representatives - last held on 8
March 2008 (next to be held by June
2013)
election
results: House
of Representatives - percent of vote -
BN coalition 50.3%, opposition parties
46.8%, others 2.9%; seats - BN
coalition 140, opposition parties 82
|
|
Judicial
branch:
|
civil
courts include Federal Court, Court of
Appeal, High Court of Malaya on
peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of
Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo
(judges are appointed by the king on
the advice of the prime minister);
sharia courts include Sharia Appeal
Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia
Subordinate Courts at state-level and
deal with religious and family matters
such as custody, divorce, and
inheritance only for Muslims;
decisions of sharia courts cannot be
appealed to civil courts
|
|
Political
parties and leaders:
|
National
Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (ruling
coalition) consists of the following
parties: Gerakan
Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [KOH Tsu
Koon]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti
Liberal Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [LIEW
Vui Keong]; Malaysian Chinese
Association (Persatuan China Malaysia)
or MCA [CHUA Soi Lek]; Malaysian
Indian Congress (Kongres India
Malaysia) or MIC [Govindasamy
PALANIVEL]; Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah
or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti Bersatu
Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan];
Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB
[Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti Rakyat
Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sarawak
United People's Party (Parti Bersatu
Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN
Hong Nam]; United Malays National
Organization or UMNO [NAJIB bin Abdul
Razak]; United Pasokmomogun
Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan
Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu)
or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK]; People's
Progressive Party (Parti Progresif
Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Kayveas];
Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party
or SPDP [William MAWAN])
People's
Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) or PR
(opposition coalition) consists of the
following parties: Democratic
Action Party (Parti Tindakan
Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh];
Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam
se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang];
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan
Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismail];
Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin
DUNDANG]
independent
party: Sabah
Progressive Party (Parti Progresif
Saban) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]
|
|
Political
pressure groups and leaders:
|
Bar
Council; BERSIH (electoral reform
coalition); PEMBELA (Muslim NGO
coalition)
other:
religious
groups; women's groups; youth groups
|
|
International
organization participation:
|
ADB,
APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA
(observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO, G-15,
G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO,
MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF
(partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT,
UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO
|
|
Diplomatic
representation in the US:
|
chief
of mission: Ambassador
JAMALUDDIN Jarjis
chancery:
3516
International Court NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone:
[1]
(202) 572-9700
FAX:
[1]
(202) 572-9882
consulate(s)
general: Los
Angeles, New York
|
|
Diplomatic
representation from the US:
|
chief
of mission: Ambassador
Paul W. JONES
embassy:
376
Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing
address: US
Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP
96535-8152
telephone:
[60]
(3) 2168-5000
FAX:
[60]
(3) 2142-2207
|
|
Flag
description:
|
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 14-pointed star;
the flag is often referred to as Jalur
Gemilang (Stripes of Glory); the 14
stripes stand for the equal status in
the federation of the 13 member states
and the federal government; the 14
points on the star represent the unity
between these entities; the crescent
is a traditional symbol of Islam; blue
symbolizes the unity of the Malay
people and yellow is the royal color
of Malay rulers
note:
the
design is based on the flag of the US
|
|
National
anthem:
|
name:
"Negaraku"
(My Country)
lyrics/music:
collective,
led by Tunku ABDUL RAHMAN/Pierre Jean
DE BERANGER
note:
adopted
1957; the full version is only
performed in the presence of the king;
the tune, which was adopted from a
popular French melody titled "La
Rosalie," was originally the
anthem of the state of Perak
|
|
|
|
Economy
- overview:
|
Malaysia,
a middle-income country, has
transformed itself since the 1970s
from a producer of raw materials into
an emerging multi-sector economy.
Under current Prime Minister NAJIB,
Malaysia is attempting to achieve
high-income status by 2020 and to move
farther up the value-added production
chain by attracting investments in
Islamic finance, high technology
industries, medical technology, and
pharmaceuticals. The NAJIB
administration also is continuing
efforts to boost domestic demand and
to wean the economy off of its
dependence on exports. Nevertheless,
exports - particularly of electronics
- remain a significant driver of the
economy. As an oil and gas exporter,
Malaysia has profited from higher
world energy prices, although the
rising cost of domestic gasoline and
diesel fuel, combined with strained
government finances, has forced Kuala
Lumpur to reduce government subsidies.
The government is also trying to
lessen its dependence on state oil
producer Petronas, which supplies at
least 40% of government revenue. The
central bank maintains healthy foreign
exchange reserves and its
well-developed regulatory regime has
limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier
financial instruments and the global
financial crisis. Nevertheless,
decreasing worldwide demand for
consumer goods hurt Malaysia's exports
and economic growth in 2009, although
both showed signs of recovery in 2010.
In order to attract increased
investment, NAJIB has also sought to
revise the special economic and social
preferences accorded to ethnic Malays
under the New Economic Policy of 1970,
but he has encountered significant
opposition, especially from Malay
nationalists.
|
|
GDP
(purchasing power parity):
|
$416.4
billion (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 30
$388.8
billion (2009 est.)
$395.5
billion (2008 est.)
note:
data
are in 2010 US dollars
|
|
GDP
(official exchange rate):
|
$219
billion (2010 est.)
|
|
GDP
- real growth rate:
|
7.1%
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 18
-1.7%
(2009 est.)
4.7%
(2008 est.)
|
|
GDP
- per capita (PPP):
|
$14,700
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 77
$14,000
(2009 est.)
$14,500
(2008 est.)
note:
data
are in 2010 US dollars
|
|
GDP
- composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
9.1%
industry:
41.6%
services:
49.3%
(2010 est.)
|
|
Labor
force:
|
11.62
million (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 45 |
|
Labor
force - by occupation:
|
agriculture:
13%
industry:
36%
services:
51%
(2005 est.)
|
|
Unemployment
rate:
|
3.5%
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 28
3.7%
(2009 est.)
|
|
Population
below poverty line:
|
5.1%
(2002 est.)
|
|
Household
income or consumption by percentage
share:
|
lowest
10%: 2.6%
highest
10%: 28.5%
(2005 est.)
|
|
Distribution
of family income - Gini index:
|
46.1
(2002)
country
comparison to the world: 36
49.2
(1997)
|
|
Investment
(gross fixed):
|
20.1%
of GDP (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 85 |
|
Public
debt:
|
52.6%
of GDP (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 48
53.3%
of GDP (2009 est.)
|
|
Inflation
rate (consumer prices):
|
1.8%
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 50
0.6%
(2009 est.)
note:
approximately
30% of goods are price-controlled
|
|
Central
bank discount rate:
|
1%
(31 December 2009)
NA%
(31 December 2008)
|
|
Commercial
bank prime lending rate:
|
5.08%
(31 December 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 135
6.08%
(31 December 2008 est.)
|
|
Stock
of narrow money:
|
$69.03
billion (31 December 2010 est)
country
comparison to the world: 38
$57
billion (31 December 2009 est)
|
|
Stock
of broad money:
|
$337.6
billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 25
$280.7
billion (31 December 2009 est.)
|
|
Stock
of domestic credit:
|
$314.7
billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 33
$265.2
billion (31 December 2009 est.)
|
|
Market
value of publicly traded shares:
|
$256
billion (31 December 2009)
country
comparison to the world: 25
$187.1
billion (31 December 2008)
$325.7
billion (31 December 2007)
|
|
Agriculture
- products:
|
Peninsular
Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa,
rice; Sabah - subsistence crops,
coconuts, rice; rubber, timber;
Sarawak - rubber, timber; pepper
|
|
Industries:
|
Peninsular
Malaysia - rubber and oil palm
processing and manufacturing, light
manufacturing, pharmaceuticals,
medical technology, electronics, tin
mining and smelting, logging, timber
processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum
production; Sarawak - agriculture
processing, petroleum production and
refining, logging
|
|
Industrial
production growth rate:
|
8.5%
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 22 |
|
Electricity
- production:
|
103.2
billion kWh (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 32 |
|
Electricity
- consumption:
|
99.25
billion kWh (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 30 |
|
Electricity
- exports:
|
2.268
billion kWh (2007 est.)
|
|
Electricity
- imports:
|
0
kWh (2008 est.)
|
|
Oil
- production:
|
693,700
bbl/day (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 27 |
|
Oil
- consumption:
|
536,000
bbl/day (2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 31 |
|
Oil
- exports:
|
511,900
bbl/day (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 30 |
|
Oil
- imports:
|
314,600
bbl/day (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 35 |
|
Oil
- proved reserves:
|
2.9
billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 32 |
|
Natural
gas - production:
|
57.3
billion cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 17 |
|
Natural
gas - consumption:
|
26.27
billion cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 30 |
|
Natural
gas - exports:
|
31.03
billion cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 8 |
|
Natural
gas - imports:
|
0
cu m (2008 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 98 |
|
Natural
gas - proved reserves:
|
2.35
trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 16 |
|
Current
account balance:
|
$34.83
billion (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 13
$34.08
billion (2009 est.)
|
|
Exports:
|
$192.8
billion (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 25
$157.5
billion (2009 est.)
|
|
Exports
- commodities:
|
electronic
equipment, petroleum and liquefied
natural gas, wood and wood products,
palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals
|
|
Exports
- partners:
|
Singapore
13.9%, China 12.2%, US 10.9%, Japan
9.8%, Thailand 5.4%, Hong Kong 5.2%
(2009)
|
|
Imports:
|
$149.2
billion (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 29
$117.3
billion (2009 est.)
|
|
Imports
- commodities:
|
electronics,
machinery, petroleum products,
plastics, vehicles, iron and steel
products, chemicals
|
|
Imports
- partners:
|
China
13.9%, Japan 12.5%, US 11.2%,
Singapore 11.1%, Thailand 6%,
Indonesia 5.3% (2009)
|
|
Reserves
of foreign exchange and gold:
|
$104.1
billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 14
$96.71
billion (31 December 2009 est.)
|
|
Debt
- external:
|
$62.82
billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 47
$58.79
billion (31 December 2009 est.)
|
|
Stock
of direct foreign investment - at home:
|
$77.44
billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 43
$74.64
billion (31 December 2009 est.)
|
|
Stock
of direct foreign investment - abroad:
|
$82.65
billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 27
$75.62
billion (31 December 2009 est.)
|
|
Exchange
rates:
|
ringgits
(MYR) per US dollar - 3.2182 (2010),
3.5246 (2009), 3.33 (2008), 3.46
(2007), 3.6683 (2006)
|
|
|
|
Communications
::Malaysia |
Telephones
- main lines in use:
|
4.312
million (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 34 |
|
Telephones
- mobile cellular:
|
30.379
million (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 31 |
|
Telephone
system:
|
general
assessment: modern
system featuring good intercity
service on Peninsular Malaysia
provided mainly by microwave radio
relay and an adequate intercity
microwave radio relay network between
Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei;
international service excellent
domestic:
domestic
satellite system with 2 earth
stations; combined fixed-line and
mobile-cellular teledensity 135 per
100 persons
international:
country
code - 60; landing point for several
major international submarine cable
networks that provide connectivity to
Asia, Middle East, and Europe;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
(1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean)
(2008)
|
|
Broadcast
media:
|
state-owned
television broadcaster operates 2 TV
networks with relays throughout the
country, and the leading private
commercial media group operates 4 TV
stations with numerous relays
throughout the country; satellite TV
subscription service is available;
state-owned radio broadcaster operates
multiple national networks as well as
regional and local stations; large
number of private commercial radio
broadcasters and some subscription
satellite radio services are
available; about 400 radio stations
overall (2008)
|
|
Internet
country code:
|
.my
|
|
Internet
hosts:
|
344,452
(2010)
country
comparison to the world: 56 |
|
Internet
users:
|
15.355
million (2009)
country
comparison to the world: 26
|
|
|
|
Transportation
::Malaysia |
Airports:
|
118
(2010)
country
comparison to the world: 51 |
|
Airports
- with paved runways:
|
total:
38
over
3,047 m: 7
2,438
to 3,047 m: 10
1,524
to 2,437 m: 6
914
to 1,523 m: 8
under
914 m: 7
(2010)
|
|
Airports
- with unpaved runways:
|
total:
80
914
to 1,523 m: 7
under
914 m: 73
(2010)
|
|
Heliports:
|
3
(2010)
|
|
Pipelines:
|
condensate
3 km; gas 1,965 km; oil 31 km; refined
products 114 km (2009)
|
|
Railways:
|
total:
1,849
km
country
comparison to the world: 75
standard
gauge: 57
km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
narrow
gauge: 1,792
km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified)
(2008)
|
|
Roadways:
|
total:
98,721
km
country
comparison to the world: 44
paved:
80,280
km (includes 1,821 km of expressways)
unpaved:
18,441
km (2004)
|
|
Waterways:
|
7,200
km
country
comparison to the world: 20
note:
Peninsular
Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km;
Sarawak 2,500 km (2011)
|
|
Merchant
marine:
|
total:
321
country
comparison to the world: 30
by
type: bulk
carrier 9, cargo 97, carrier 2,
chemical tanker 45, container 44,
liquefied gas 35, passenger/cargo 4,
petroleum tanker 79, roll on/roll off
2, vehicle carrier 4
foreign-owned:
35
(Denmark 1, Hong Kong 8, Japan 4,
Nigeria 1, Russia 2, Singapore 19)
registered
in other countries: 79
(Bahamas 13, India 1, Indonesia 1,
Malta 1, Marshall Islands 11, Panama
12, Papua New Guinea 1, Philippines 1,
Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Sierra Leone
1, Singapore 27, Thailand 3, Tuvalu 1,
US 2, unknown 3) (2010)
|
|
Ports
and terminals:
|
Bintulu,
Johor Bahru, George Town (Penang),
Port Kelang (Port Klang), Tanjung
Pelepas
|
|
Transportation
- note:
|
the
International Maritime Bureau reports
the territorial and offshore waters in
the Strait of Malacca and South China
Sea as high risk for piracy and armed
robbery against ships; numerous
commercial vessels have been attacked
and hijacked both at anchor and while
underway; hijacked vessels are often
disguised and cargo diverted to ports
in East Asia; crews have been murdered
or cast adrift; increased naval
patrols in 2009 resulted in
significantly reduced numbers of
incidents
|
|
|
|
Military
branches:
|
Malaysian
Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera
Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army (Tentera
Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy
(Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM),
Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera
Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2010)
|
|
Military
service age and obligation:
|
18
years of age for voluntary military
service (2005)
|
|
Manpower
available for military service:
|
males
age 16-49: 6,692,438
females
age 16-49: 6,494,413
(2010 est.)
|
|
Manpower
fit for military service:
|
males
age 16-49: 5,612,642
females
age 16-49: 5,501,129
(2010 est.)
|
|
Manpower
reaching militarily significant age
annually:
|
male:
267,646
female:
253,529
(2010 est.)
|
|
Military
expenditures:
|
2.03%
of GDP (2005 est.)
country
comparison to the world: 70
|
|
|
|
Transnational
Issues ::Malaysia |
Disputes
- international:
|
Malaysia
is involved in a complex dispute with
Brunei, China, Philippines, Taiwan,
and Vietnam over claims to part or all
of the Spratly Islands; while the 2002
"Declaration on the Conduct of
Parties in the South China Sea"
has eased tensions over the Spratly
Islands, it is not the legally binding
"code of conduct" sought by
some parties; Malaysia was not party
to the March 2005 joint accord among
the national oil companies of China,
the Philippines, and Vietnam on
conducting marine seismic activities
in the Spratly Islands; disputes
continue over deliveries of fresh
water to Singapore, Singapore's land
reclamation, bridge construction, and
maritime boundaries in the Johor and
Singapore Straits; in 2008, ICJ awards
sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Pulau
Batu Puteh/Horsburgh Island) to
Singapore, and Middle Rocks to
Malaysia, but does not rule on
maritime regimes, boundaries, or
disposition of South Ledge; ICJ
awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands,
also claimed by Indonesia and
Philippines, to Malaysia but left
maritime boundary and sovereignty of
Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich
Celebes Sea in dispute; separatist
violence in Thailand's predominantly
Muslim southern provinces prompts
measures to close and monitor border
with Malaysia to stem terrorist
activities; Philippines retains a
dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah
State in northern Borneo; Brunei and
Malaysia agreed in September 2008 to
resolve their offshore and deepwater
seabed dispute, resume hydrocarbon
exploration, and renounce any
territorial claims along their land
boundary; piracy remains a problem in
the Malacca Strait
|
|
Refugees
and internally displaced persons:
|
refugees
(country of origin): 15,174
(Indonesia); 21,544 (Burma) (2007)
|
|
Trafficking
in persons:
|
current
situation: Malaysia
is a destination and, to a lesser
extent, a source and transit country
for women and children trafficked for
the purpose of commercial sexual
exploitation, and men, women, and
children for forced labor; Malaysia is
mainly a destination country for men,
women, and children who migrate
willingly from South and Southeast
Asia to work, some of whom are
subjected to conditions of involuntary
servitude by Malaysian employers in
the domestic, agricultural,
construction, plantation, and
industrial sectors; to a lesser
extent, some Malaysian women,
primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are
trafficked abroad for commercial
sexual exploitation
tier
rating: Tier
2 Watch List - the Government of
Malaysia does not fully comply with
the minimum standards for the
elimination of trafficking and is not
making significant efforts to do so,
despite some progress in enforcing the
2007 comprehensive anti-trafficking
law; it has yet to fully address labor
trafficking in Malaysia; there are
credible allegations of involvement of
Malaysian immigration officials in
trafficking and extorting Burmese
refugees; the government did not
develop mechanisms to effectively
screen victims of trafficking in
vulnerable groups and condones the
confiscation of passports of migrant
workers by employers (2009)
|
|
Illicit
drugs:
|
Drug
trafficking is prosecuted vigorously and
carries severe penalties; heroin still
primary drug of abuse (heroin
treatment is available), but synthetic
drug demand remains strong; continued
ecstasy and methamphetamine producer
for domestic users and, to a lesser
extent, the regional drug market.
|
|
|
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