Country Details
| Land Area |
328,550 sq km |
Population |
22712000 |
| Capital City |
Kuala Lumpur |
People |
Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 27%, Indian 8%, others 7% (2000) |
| Language |
Bahasa Malaysia, English widely spoken |
Religion |
Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism; note - in addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia |
| Government Type |
constitutional monarchy
note: Malaya (what is n |
Life Expectancy |
71.11 years |
| HIV/AIDS Rate |
0.42% (1999 est.) |
GNP per Capita |
$10,300 |
| Currency |
ringgit (MYR) |
Major Exports |
electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natu |
| National Holiday |
Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957) |
Dialing Code |
60 |
| Electricity |
110/220V |
Malaria Risk |
Low Risk |
| Water Quality |
Unsafe |
Inoculations |
Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, Hepatitis A, Polio, Cholera, Typhoid |
| Crime |
|
Driving License |
Certain licences accepted otherwise International Driving Permit. |
| Photography |
|
Entry Regs |
Passport Visa not required for stays upto 90 days. |
| Time Zone |
GMT+8 |
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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 Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in 1965.
