Statistical information Malaysia 1999
Malaysia in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates: 2 30 N, 112 30 E
Map reference:
Southeast AsiaAreaTotal: 329,750 km²
Land: 328,550 km²
Water: 1,200 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundariesTotal: 2,669 km
Border countries: (3) Brunei 381 km;
, Indonesia 1,782 km;
, Thailand 506 kmCoastline: 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claimsContinental 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
Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Terrain: coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land useArable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 12%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 68%
Other: 17% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,941 km² (1998 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: flooding, landslides
GeographyNote: strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
top of pagePopulation: 21,376,066 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 2.08% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: 15.5% (1989 est.)
NationalityNoun: Malaysian(s)
Adjective: Malaysian
Ethnic groups: Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 26%, Indian 7%, others 9%
Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malalalam, Panjabi, Thai; note_in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are Iban and Kadazan
Religions: Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism; note_in addition, Shamanism is practiced on East Malaysia
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 35% (male 3,879,012; female 3,680,895)
15-64 years: 61% (male 6,478,910; female 6,482,909)
65 years and over: 4% (male 369,639; female 484,701) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.08% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 26.05 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.29 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Note: does not include illegal immigrants_large numbers from Indonesia and smaller numbers from the Philippines, Bangladesh, Burma, China, and India
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
International agreements 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 21.68 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 70.67 years
Male: 67.62 years
Female: 73.9 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.35 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 83.5%
Male: 89.1%
Female: 78.1% (1995 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Malaysia
Former: Malayan Union
Government type: 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 (king) 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 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*
Note: the city of Kuala Lumpur is located within the federal territory of Wilayah Persekutuan; the terms therefore are not interchangeable
Dependent areasIndependence: 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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: Paramount Ruler TUANKU JA'AFAR ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman (since 26 April 1994) and Deputy Paramount Ruler Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah (since 26 April 1994)
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 4 February 1994 (next to be held NA 1999); 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: TUANKU JA'AFAR ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman elected paramount ruler; Sultan TUNKU SALAHUDDIN Abdul Aziz Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Hisammuddin Alam Shah elected deputy paramount ruler
Legislative branch: 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 (192 seats; members elected by popular vote directly weighted toward the rural Malay population to serve five-year terms)
Elections: House of Representatives_last held 24-25 April 1995 (next to be held by April 2000)
Election results: House of Representatives_percent of vote by party_National Front 63%, other 37%; seats by party_National Front 162, DAP 9, PBS 8, PAS 7, Spirit of '46 6; note_subsequent to the election there was a change in the distribution of seats, the current distribution is_National Front 168, DAP 8, PAS 8, PBS 5, independents 3
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNOMIL, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Dato' GHAZZALI Sheikh Abdul Khalid
In the us chancery: 2,401 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 328-2,700
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 483-7,661
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles and New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE
From the us embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50,400 Kuala Lumpur
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10,035, 50,700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96,535-8,152
From the us telephone: [60] (3) 248-9,011
From the us FAX: [60] (3) 242-2,207
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 fourteen-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: After a decade of 8% average GDP growth, the Malaysian economy_severely hit by the regional financial crisis_declined 7% in 1998. Malaysia will likely remain in recession for the first half of 1999; official statistics continue to show anemic exports, and some private financial analysts forecast a further drop in GDP of 1% in 1999. Prime Minister MAHATHIR has imposed capital controls to protect the local currency while cutting interest rates to stimulate the economy. Kuala Lumpur also announced an expansionary budget for 1999 to combat rising unemployment. Malaysia continues to seek funding from domestic and international sources to help finance its budget deficit and recapitalize its weakened banking sector.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: -7% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita pppGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 13%
Industry: 46%
Services: 41% (1997 est.)
Agriculture products: Peninsular Malaysia_rubber, palm oil, rice; Sabah_subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak_rubber, pepper; timber
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
Industrial production growth rate: 14.4% (1995)
Labor force: 8.398 million (1996 est.)
By occupation manufacturing: 25%
By occupation agriculture forestry andfisheries: 21%
By occupation localtradeandtourism: 17%
By occupation services: 12%
By occupation government: 11%
By occupation construction: 8% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 2.6% (1996 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: 15.5% (1989 est.)
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $22.6 billion
Expenditures: $22 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.3 billion (1996 est.)
Public debtTaxes and other revenuesRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Current account balanceInflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $74.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Commodities: electronic equipment, petroleum and petroleum products, palm oil, wood and wood products, rubber, textiles
Partners: US 21%, Singapore 20%, Japan 12%, Hong Kong 5%, UK 4%, Thailand 4%, Germany 3% (1995)
Imports: $59.3 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, food
Partners: Japan 27%, US 16%, Singapore 12%, Taiwan 5%, Germany 4%, South Korea 4% (1995)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $39.8 billion (1998)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: ringgits (M$) per US$1_3.8000 (January 1999), 3.9244 (1998), 2.8133 (1997), 2.5159 (1996), 2.5044 (1995), 2.6243 (1994)
top of pageElectricity accessElectricity production: 48 billion kWh (1996)
By source fossil fuel: 83.33%
By source hydro: 16.67%
By source nuclear: 0%
By source other: 0% (1996)
Electricity consumption: 47.977 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity exports: 174 million kWh (1996)
Electricity imports: 151 million kWh (1996)
Electricity installed generating capacityElectricity transmission distribution lossesElectricity generation sourcesPetroleumRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones fixed linesTelephones mobile cellularTelephone system: 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)
Broadcast mediaInternet country codeInternet usersBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $2.1 billion (1998)
Percent of gdp: 2.1% (1998)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 115 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 32
With paved runways over 3047 m: 5
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 11
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With paved runways under 914 m: 6 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 83
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 8
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 74 (1998 est.)
Airports with paved runwaysTotal: 32
Over 3047 m: 5
2438 to 3047 m: 4
15-24 to 2437 m: 11
914 to 1523 m: 6
Under 914 m: 6 (1998 est.)
Airports with unpaved runwaysTotal: 83
15-24 to 2437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 8
Under 914 m: 74 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 1,307 km; natural gas 379 km
RailwaysTotal: 1,798 km
Narrow gauge: 1,798 km 1.000-m gauge (148 km electrified) (1998 est.)
RoadwaysWaterways: 7,296 km (Peninsular Malaysia 3,209 km, Sabah 1,569 km, Sarawak 2,518 km)
Merchant marineTotal: 378 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,059,272 GRT/7,428,623 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 62, cargo 128, chemical tanker 30, container 58, liquefied gas tanker 19, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 61, passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 7 (1998 est.)
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: 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; two islands in dispute with Indonesia
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: transit point for some illicit drugs going to Western markets; drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties