Introduction
Malaysia was formed in 1963 through a federation of the former British colonies of Malaya and Singapore including the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo. 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.
Location
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
Geographic coordinates
2 30 N, 112 30 E
Area
total: 329,750 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km
land: 328,550 sq km
Land boundaries
total: 2,669 km
border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Coastline
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
Natural resources
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Irrigated land
3,650 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards
flooding, landslides, forest fires
Environment - current issues
air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
Population
23,522,482 (July 2004 est.)