s 59%, Chinese 32%, Indian 9%
Religions:
Peninsular Malaysia - Malays nearly all Muslim, Chinese predominantly
Buddhists, Indians predominantly Hindu; Sabah - Muslim 38%, Christian 17%,
other 45%; Sarawak - tribal religion 35%, Buddhist and Confucianist 24%,
Muslim 20%, Christian 16%, other 5%
Languages:
Peninsular Malaysia - Malay (official); English, Chinese dialects, Tamil;
Sabah - English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin and Hakka
dialects predominate among Chinese; Sarawak - English, Malay, Mandarin,
numerous tribal languages
Literacy:
78% (male 86%, female 70%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
7,258,000 (1991 est.)
Organized labor:
640,000; 10% of total labor force (1990)

:Malaysia Government

Long-form name:
none
Type:
Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963; constitutional monarchy nominally
headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament; Peninsular
Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, where governors are
appointed by Malaysian Pulau Pinang Government; powers of state governments
are limited by federal Constitution; Sabah - self-governing state, holds 20
seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal
security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak -
self-governing state within Malaysia, holds 27 seats in House of
Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other
powers delegated to federal government
Capital:
Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions:
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*
Independence:
31 August 1957 (from UK)
Constitution:
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963 when Federation of Malaya became
Federation of Malaysia
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the
Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
National Day, 31 August (1957)
Executive branch:
paramount ruler, deputy paramount ruler, prime minister, deputy prime
minist