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Malaysia is a federation of thirteen states in Southeast Asia. The country consists of two geographical regions divided by the South China Sea:
Peninsular Malaysia (or West Malaysia) on the Malay Peninsula shares a land border on the north with Thailand and is connected by the Johor-Singapore Causeway and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link to the south with Singapore. It consists of nine sultanates (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor and Terengganu), two states headed by governors (Malacca and Penang), and two federal territories (Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur).Malaysian Borneo (or East Malaysia) occupies the northern part of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and surrounding the Sultanate of Brunei. It consists of the states of Sabah and Sarawak and the federal territory of Labuan.
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Full country name : Federation of Malaysia |
Area : 329,750 sq km (204,445 sq mi) |
Population : 22 million |
Capital city : Kuala Lumpur (pop 1.2 million) |
People : 50% Malay, 33% Chinese, 9% Indian, plus indigenous tribes such as Orang Asli and Iban |
Language : Bahasa Malaysia, English, Chinese dialects, Tamil, indigenous dialects |
Religion : 52% Muslim, 17% Buddhist, 12% Taoist, 8% Christian, 8% Hindu, 2% tribal |
Government : Parliamentary monarchy |
Head of state : King: Tuanku Salehuddin Abdul Aziz Shah ibni al-Marhum Hisamuddin Alam Shah |
Prime Minister : Dr Mahathir Mohamad |
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Currency : Malaysian ringgit (dollar) |
GDP : US$99 billion |
GDP per head : US$4530 |
Annual growth : 2% |
Inflation : 4% |
Major products/industries : Tin, rubber, palm oil, timber, oil, textiles, electronics |
Major trading partners : Singapore, Japan, USA |
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Visas : Commonwealth citizens and most European nationals do not need visas for visits of less than three months. Visitors are usually issued an extendable 30 or 60-day visa on arrival. |
Health risks : Dengue fever, hepatitis, malaria, rabies |
Time : GMT/UTC plus eight hours |
Electricity : 220-240V, 50 Hz |
Weights & measures : Metric |
| Malaysia is hot and humid all year so you're going to have sunshine and sweat pretty much whenever you visit. It is, however, best to avoid the November to January rainy season on Peninsula Malaysia's east coast if you want to enjoy the beaches. The time to see turtles on the east coast is between May and September. |
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The major Islamic events are connected with Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. The major Malaysian festival is Hari Raya Puasa, which marks the end of Ramadan with three days of joyful celebrations. Hari Raya Haji marks the successful completion of the hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) with a two-day feast of cakes and sweets. Chinese New Year, in January or February, is welcomed in with dances, parades and much good cheer. The festival of Thaipusam in late January is one of the most dramatic Hindu festivals (now banned in India) during which devotees honour Lord Subramaniam with acts of amazing masochism - definitely not for the squeamish. In KL, devotees march to nearby Batu Caves; in Penang, the event is celebrated at the Waterfall Temple. The Kota Belud Tamu Besar is a huge tribal gathering held in May at Kota Belud near Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. It includes a massive market, traditional ceremonies, ornately decorated horsemen, medicine men and tribal handicrafts. A smaller tamu is held in Kota Belud every Sunday if you're not visiting during May.
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