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.

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

slightly larger than New Mexico

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

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

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

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

flooding; landslides; forest fires

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

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

25,715,819 (July 2010 est.)

22.24 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

5.02 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

2.92 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8% (2004 est.)

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)

Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai

constitutional monarchy

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

31 August 1957 (from the UK)

Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

31 August 1957; amended many times the latest in 2007

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

21 years of age; universal

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)

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

Bar Council BERSIH (electoral reform coalition); PEMBELA (Muslim NGO coalition)

ADB, APEC, APT, 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, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. After coming to office in 2003, former Prime Minister ABDULLAH tried to move the economy farther up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in high technology industries, medical technology, and pharmaceuticals, an effort that continues under current Prime Minister NAJIB. 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 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 began showing signs of recovery late in the year. In June 2010 NAJIB will introduce the Tenth Malaysia Plan, outlining new reforms. NAJIB already has introduced several reforms in the services sector in a bid to attract direct foreign investment, which has stagnated in recent years.

$383.6 billion (2009 est.)

$390.2 billion (2008 est.)

$372.7 billion (2007 est.)

$191.5 billion (2009 est.)

11.38 million (2009 est.)

20.4% of GDP (2009 est.)

53.7% of GDP (2009 est.)

41.5% of GDP (2008 est.)

6.08% (31 December 2008)

6.41% (31 December 2007)

$51.51 billion (31 December 2008)

$49.41 billion (31 December 2007)

$200.9 billion (31 December 2008)

$187.6 billion (31 December 2007)

$246.7 billion (31 December 2008)

$220 billion (31 December 2007)

$263.4 billion (31 December 2009)

$187.1 billion (31 December 2008)

$325.7 billion (31 December 2007)

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

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

103.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

99.25 billion kWh (2007 est.)

2.268 billion kWh (2007 est.)

693,700 bbl/day (2009 est.)

536,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

511,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

314,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

4 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

57.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)

26.27 billion cu m (2008 est.)

31.03 billion cu m (2008 est.)

2.35 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

$30.46 billion (2009 est.)

$38.91 billion (2008 est.)

$157.6 billion (2009 est.)

$199.7 billion (2008 est.)

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

Singapore 14.94%, US 12.4%, China 10.19%, Japan 9.13%, Thailand 4.93%, Hong Kong 4.75% (2009)

$119.3 billion (2009 est.)

$148.5 billion (2008 est.)

electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

Singapore 20.16%, China 12.31%, Japan 11.02%, US 9.41%, Thailand 6.15%, South Korea 4.21% (2009)

$95.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$91.21 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$48.26 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$75.33 billion (31 December 2008)

$88.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$84.12 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$79.96 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$73.38 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

ringgits (MYR) per US dollar - 3.55 (2009), 3.33 (2008), 3.46 (2007), 3.6683 (2006), 3.8 (2005)

4.292 million (2008)

27.125 million (2008)

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)

16.903 million (2008)

condensate 3 km; gas 1,965 km; oil 31 km; refined products 114 km (2009)

Bintulu, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Labuan, George Town (Penang), Port Kelang (Port Klang), Tanjung Pelepas

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

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)

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

2.03% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties; heroin still primary drug of abuse, but synthetic drug demand remains strong; continued ecstasy and methamphetamine producer for domestic users and, to a lesser extent, the regional drug market