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Malaysia is situated 7 degrees north of the equator in Southeast
Asia. The country consists of 13 states: 11 located in Peninsular Malaysia, and the two
East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. The northern part of Peninsular Malaysia
borders Thailand. To the east is the South China Sea, to the south is Singapore and to
the west are the Straits of Melaka. Sabah and Sarawak are on the northern coast of the
island of Borneo. |
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Malaysia has a warm and humid climate. The humidity is about 80%
all year round and temperatures range from 21 to 32°C. The climate is affected by
the northeast and southwest monsoons, tropical winds that alternate during the course
of the year. The northeast monsoon blows from November to March, and the southwest
monsoon from May to September. The periods between the monsoons are marked by heavy
rainfall. |
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Much of Malaysia is mountainous. Its mountains include two of the
highest in southeast Asia: the Gunung Tahan, which rises 2,190 metres above the central
spine of the Titiwangsa mountain range in Peninsular Malaysia, and the Gunung Kinabalu,
4,100 metres high, in Sabah. There are dramatic limestone outcrops, fascinating caves
and spectacular waterfalls in the mountains of Malaysia.
About four-fifths of Malaysia is covered by tropical rainforest,
one of the most complex and rich ecosystems in the world. It is home to about 15,000
species of flowering plants and trees, 600 species of birds and 210 species of mammals.
The Malaysian government has set aside more than 1.49 million hectares to protect them
from development and has enacted legislation to save Malaysia's precious rainforest
and its rare wildlife.
Malaysia is richly endowed with natural resources. It
has the world's largest tin deposits and extensive reserves of oil and gas.
Its forests contain valuable tropical hardwood trees. |
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| Official Name: |
Malaysia |
| Capital: |
Kuala Lumpur |
| Type of Government: |
Constitutional monarchy |
| Population: |
22 million |
| Area: |
336,700 sq. km |
| Major Ethnic Groups: |
Malay, Chinese, Indian, Pakistani |
| Languages: |
Malay, English, Chinese dialects, Tamil |
| Religions: |
Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Christianity |
| Unit of Currency: |
Ringgit |
| National Flag: |
Fourteen equal horizontal stripes of red
and white, with a blue rectangle in the upper corner on the hoist side,
bearing a yellow crescent and a fourteen-pointed star |
| Date of Independence: |
August 31, 2021 |
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