ATHIR bin Mohamad
(1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy
from dependence on exports of raw materials, to expansion in
manufacturing, services, and tourism.
Geography Malaysia
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
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 329,750 sq km
land: 328,550 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico
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
Climate:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
(October to February) monsoons
Terrain:
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
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
Land use:
arable land: 5.46%
permanent crops: 17.54%
other: 77% (2005)
Irrigated land:
3,650 sq km (2003)
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
Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China
Sea
People Malaysia
Population:
24,385,858 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 32.6% (male 4,093,859/female 3,862,730)
15-64 years: 62.6% (male 7,660,680/female 7,613,537)
65 years and over: 4.7% (male 509,260/female 645,792) (2006 est.)
Median age:
total: 24.1 years
male: 23.6 years
female: 24.8 years (2006 est.)
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