February 18, 1999
Malaysia, in southeast Asia, consists of two tracts of territory that are separated by 400 miles of ocean. The western portion, known as Peninsular Malaysia, starts below Thailand and extends along the southeastern tip of Asia. The eastern portion, known as East Malaysia, occupies the northern coast of the island of Borneo, which otherwise belongs to Indonesia. Peninsular Malaysia is separated from East Malaysia by a 400-mile expanse of the South China Sea. With an area of 127,316 square miles, Malaysia is slightly larger than New Mexico.
Most of western Malaysia is covered with tropical jungle, as is the central mountain range that projects north-south along the peninsula. The western coast is marshy; the eastern is sandy. Eastern Malaysia consists of a wide, swampy coastal plain with interior jungles and mountains.
Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia. Other cities are Penang, Ipoh, Malacca, and Johore.
The population is 20,932,901.
Among Malaysia's ethnic groups, Malay and indigenous peoples make up 58 percent of the population; Chinese, 26 percent; Indian, 7 percent.
Life expectancy at birth is 67.4 years for males and 73.6 for females.
Malay is the official language. Other principal languages are English, Chinese dialects, and Indian languages.
The literacy rate in Malaysia is 83 percent.
Malaysia's government is a federal parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch.
Religions include Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity, among others. Under Malaysia's constitution all Malays are Muslim. Christians, 5 percent of the population, are forbidden by law to evangelize Muslims. They may preach only to Indians, Eurasians, Chinese, and such tribal peoples as the Iban and the Sengois.
The national monetary unit is the ringgit.
Gross domestic product (GDP) in 1996 amounted to $90 billion. Exports were valued at $78.2 billion and imports at $78.4 billion. In industry Malaysia is the world's fifth-biggest producer of rubber, after Japan, as well as a leading producer of tin. Other industries are logging, electronics, and the production of petroleum. Crude oil reserves in 1997 were put at 3.9 billion barrels. Mineral wealth also includes bauxite, copper, and iron. The land is 3 percent arable. Malaysia is the world's largest producer of palm oil, and the seventh-largest producer of cocoa. Other key crops are rice and pepper.
Throughout the past 2,000 years the Malayan Peninsula has played a key role in maritime trade, owing to both its location and diverse natural resources. As maritime traffic flourished among Middle Eastern, Indian, and Chinese ports, Malay ships grew to have a key part. Malay ports became key transshipment centers.
A Portuguese fleet conquered Malacca in 1511, setting in motion a European expansion in Southeast Asia. The Dutch later ousted the Portuguese and were in turn supplanted by the British.
In 1826 the British settlements of Malacca, Penang, and Singapore were combined to form the Colony of the Straits Settlements. During British control, a system of public administration was set up and large-scale rubber and tin production went forward.
The Japanese invaded the territory in 1942 during World War II and occupied it until their defeat in 1945. Strong popular sentiment for independence surged during and after the war. Malaya became independent in 1957. In 1963 the Federation of Malaysia was formed by the union of Malaya, the former British Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak.
Singapore broke away in 1965 to end tensions between Chinese, who were the majority in Singapore, and Malays, who controlled the Malaysian central government.
The fully independent Methodist Church in Malaysia has more than 100,000 members. It celebrated its centennial in 1984. The United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) supports numerous projects in Malaysia, including those that train women, young people, and lay leaders for leadership in the church.
Public Domain Map adapted from the Perry-Castaņeda Library Map Collection
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