sulted in a substantial reduction in poverty and
a marked rise in real wages. Despite sluggish growth in the major world
economies in 1992, demand for Malaysian goods remained strong and foreign
investors continued to commit large sums in the economy. The government is
aware of the inflationary potential of this rapid development and is closely
monitoring fiscal and monetary policies.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $54.5 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
8% (1992 est.)
National product per capita: $2,960 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.7% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.1% (1992 est.)
Budget:
revenues $15.6 billion; expenditures $18.0 billion, including capital
expenditures of $4.5 billion (1992 est.)
Exports:
$39.8 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
electronic equipment, palm oil, petroleum and petroleum products, wood and
wood products, rubber, textiles
partners:
Singapore 23%, US 18.6%, Japan 13.2%, UK 4%, Germany 4%
Imports:
$39.1 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities:
food, consumer goods, petroleum products, chemicals, capital equipment
partners:
Japan 26%, US 15.8%, Singapore 15.7%, Taiwan 5.6%, Germany 4.2%
External debt:
$25.7 billion (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 13% (1992); accounts for NA% of GDP
Electricity:
8,000,000 kW capacity; 30,000 million kWh produced, 1,610 kWh per capita
(1992)
Industries:
Peninsular Malaysia:
rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing
industry, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging and processing
timber
Sabah:
logging, petroleum production
Sarawak:
agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging
Agriculture:
accounts for 20% of GDP
Peninsular Malaysia:
natural rubber, palm oil, rice
Sabah:
mainly subsistence, but also rubber, timber, coconut, rice

*Malaysia, Economy

Sarawak:
rubber, timber, pepper; deficit of rice in all areas; fish catch of 608,000
metric tons in 1987
Illicit drugs:
transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe,
and the Third World
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-84), $170 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.7 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $42 million
Currency:
1 ringgit (M$) = 100 sen
Exchange rates:
ringgits (M$