Category: Malaysia

Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia and the country has three federal territories and thirteen states. Malaysia is bordered by Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei and the country shares marine borders with Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore. Malaysian Peninsula is connected with a bridge and causeway to Singapore. Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia. Malaysia was ruled by Malay Kingdoms but became the colony of British from 18th century onwards. Malaysia got independence from British in the year 1957. Malaysia has evidences of human inhabitation back to 40,000 years. The first settlers of Malay Peninsula were Negritos. Malaysia is in 63rd position in terms of total land area all over the world.

Several islands are there in Malaysia and Labuan is largest among them. Malaysia is a country with mega diversity as the country consists of some bio-diverse areas of the earth. Malaysia is federal constitutional country with an elective monarchy. The federal head of the state is usually referred as the ‘King’. This ‘King’ is elected for a period of five years among the nine hereditary rulers. Legislative power is shared between Federal as well as state legislatures. Executive power is on the Cabinet and the head of the Cabinet is Prime Minister. Judiciary system is independent theoretically but government supporters are appointed in several judicial positions.

Malaysia economy is open, state-oriented and industrialized economy. Malaysia holds 29th position of the world among the largest economies and 3rd in Southeast Asia. The population of Malaysia is more than 28.25 million and several ethnic groups made up the population. According to the constitution, the people of Malaysia are Muslims who follows Malay culture and customs. Malays consist of 50.4% of the total population and 11% are Bumiputra. Bumiputra status is given to people who are non-Malay indigenous people such as Chams, Khmers, Thais and natives of Sarawak and Sabah.

The official religion of Malaysia is Islam but the constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Other religions found are Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism and other Chinese religions. Bahasa Malaysia is the official language of the country and other languages uses are Malaysian English, Iban, Tamil and other South Asian languages. Wide range of tourist destinations is available in Malaysia which includes Kuala Lumpur, colonial hill stations of Genting, Cameron Highlands, several pristine beaches, National Parks, island of Langkawi and oldest tropical rainforest of the world.

Malacca is the seaside city of Malaysia famous for the cultural heritage. Enjoy the Portuguese architecture of colonial past in Malacca. Penang is a famous tourist destination which attracts tourists with its golden beaches, delicious cuisine, lush greenery and warm seas. Sabah is a tourist paradise with its rugged landscape, cultural diversity and scenic beauty. Sarawak is famous for its adventure tourism, natural beauty and culture. Sarawak’s rainforests are the most riches and diverse ecosystem in the world. Terengganu is another popular tourist spot in Malaysia with several small villages, serene environment, secluded beaches and islands and quiet roads. In Kelantan, you can enjoy paddy fields, river rafting, river cruises, jungle trekking and bird watching.