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; there may be a new federal territory named Putrajaya.
Population:
22,229,040 (July 2001 est.)
Currency:
ringgit (MYR)
Languages:
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
Elevation:
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Natural hazards:
flooding, landslides
Climate:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
GDP grew at 8.6% in 2000, mainly on the strength of double-digit export growth and continued government fiscal stimulus. As an oil exporter, Malaysia also benefited from higher petroleum prices. Higher export revenues allowed the country to register a current account surplus, but foreign exchange reserves have been declining - from a peak of $34.5 billion in April 2000 to $29.7 billion by December - as foreign investors pulled money out of the country. Despite this development, Kuala Lumpur is unlikely to abandon its currency peg soon. An economic slowdown in key Western markets, especially the United States, and lower world demand for electronics products will slow GDP growth to 3%-6% in 2001, according to private forecasters. Over the longer term, Malaysia's failure to make substantial progress on key reforms of the corporate and financial sectors clouds prospects for sustained growth and the return of critical foreign investment.
Industry:
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
Ethnicgroups:
Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 27%, Indian 8%, others 7% (2000)
Yellow fever:
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas. The countries and areas included in the endemic zones are considered as infected areas.
Malaria:
Malaria risk exists only in limited foci in the deep hinterland. Urban and coastal areas are free from malaria, except in Sabah, where there is a risk—predominantly due to P. falciparum—throughout the year. P. falciparum resistant to chloroquine and sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine reported.
