Malaysia

Malaysia, Federation of Malaysia, independent federation in Southeast Asia, comprising West Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula and East Malaysia, formed by Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo.

Land and climate

East Malaysia is separated from the Malay Peninsula for a distance of about 400 mi (644 km) by the South China Sea. West Malaysia is bordered by Thailand to the north, Singapore to the south, the South China Sea to the east, and the Strait of Malacca and the Andaman Sea to the west. East Malaysia is bordered on the south and west by Indonesia, on the north by the South China and Sulu Seas and by Brunei, and on the east by the Celebes Sea. West Malaysia is mainly mountainous with narrow coastal plains and lush equatorial forests. Sarawak and Sabah also have mountainous interiors and large areas of rain forest.

People

The majority of Malaysians live on the peninsula and most are Malays or Chinese with sizable minorities of Indians and Pakistanis. Malay is the official language, but many Malaysians also speak other languages including Chinese, English, and Tamil. Islam is the official religion. The capital is Kuala Lumpur.

Economy

Malaysia is rich in natural resources, but the economy is still largely agricultural. Rice is the chief food crop, but bananas, yams, cocoa, pepper, tea, and tobacco are also grown. In addition, the forests yield valuable timber, palm oil, and coconuts. The relatively small industrial sector produces petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, coal, and gold. The country's principal exports are petroleum, rubber, tin, palm oil, and timber.

History

In the 9th century Malaysia was the seat of the Buddhist Srivajava Empire. Beginning in the 14th century the population was converted to Islam. The Portuguese took Malacca in 1511, but were ousted by the Dutch in 1641. The British formed a trading base of the East India Company in Penang in 1786, and in 1826 united Penang, Singapore, and Malacca into the Straits Settlement. Between 1888 and 1909 the British established many protectorates in Malaya and Borneo. After the Japanese occupation in World War II (1941–45), Malaya was reorganized as the Federation of Malaya (1948), gaining independence within the British Commonwealth in 1957. In 1963 the union of Malaya with Singapore, Sarawak, and Sabah formed the Federation of Malaysia. Indonesia waged guerilla warfare against the Federation from 1963 to 1965. In 1965, Singapore seceded and became an independent republic. Parliament was suspended for 22 months beginning in 1969 after race riots broke out between Malays and Chinese in West Malaysia. Racial and religious strife again broke out among Malays, Chinese, and Hindus in the late 1970s and early 80s. Ethnic and religious differences still lie behind the major divisions in national politics. In the 1980s and 90s the exportoriented economy florished. At the end of the 1990s the country suffered from terrible forest fires. 1998 saw an economic recession.