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Malaysia:
Country Guide

Malaysia - general country guide

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^{Source: CIA World Factbook}

Summary Data

summary data
Total Area (km²)	329,750
Land (km²)	328,550
Water (km²)	1,200
Population	25,274,133
Population Density (/km²)	77
Capital	Kuala Lumpur
Religion (%)	Muslim 60.4% Buddhist 19.2% Christian 9.1% Hindu 6.3%
Time	GMT +8
Climate	Tropical. Annual monsoons: April to October in southwest, and October to February in northeast.

^{Source: CIA World Factbook}

Geography

Situated in south-east Asia Malaysia is made up of two geographical regions, peninsular Malaysia to the west and Malaysian Borneo to the east. Malaysia borders Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. Malaysia is in a good location as it is free from the threat of serious natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Kuala Lumpur is the main city in Malaysia and is also the country's biggest commercial centre. Malaysia contains eighteen mountain ranges and a large proportion of its land is covered with forests and jungles. Malaysia has a warm and humid climate throughout the year with heavy rainfall.

Government

The Malaysian government is a constitutional monarchy and based on parliamentary democracy. Malaysia gained independence from the UK in 1957 but the system still runs by the English common law. The head of government is Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The bicameral parliament consists of the senate and the House of Representatives.

Language

Bahasa Malaysia is the official language in Malaysia. Other languages such as English, Chinese, Tamil, Telugu Thai, Malayalam and Panjabi are also widely spoken by some of the Malaysian people. In East Malaysia a lot of people speak their own local language such as Iban and Kadazan.

Electricity

220-240 volts AC, 50Hz. Square three-pin plugs are generally used

Passports/Visa

Passports that are valid for six months are required from all nationals. All nationals must have proof of financial situation and an onward or return ticket out of Malaysia.

Visas

Nationals do not require a visa for a maximum stay of three months, apart from nationals of Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal and Slovenia who are only allowed a maximum one month stay without a visa.

Passport/Visa Information

Malaysian Embassy in London

45 – 46 Belgrave square

London

SW1X 8QT

Tel: 020 7235 8033 Fax: 020 7235 5161

http://malaysia.embassyhomepage.com/

Airports and Airlines

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)

Location: The airport is located 34 miles (55 km) south of Kuala Lumpur.
Time: GMT +8
Contacts: Tel +603-87762000.
Transfer between terminals: There is an aerotrain that runs from the main terminal to the satellite building.
Transfer to the city: There is a public bus and rail service which runs from the airport to the city centre of Kuala Lumpur. Taxis are available from the arrival levels at the airport.
Car rental: Car rental companies such as Avis, Budget, Hertz, National and Thrifty, operate 24-hour desks on the Arrivals concourse in the main terminal.
Facilities: At the airport there are banks, ATMs, money exchanges and a post office. There are several restaurants, bars and cafes. There are also shops including duty free.
Parking: Parking is available.
Website: http://www.klia.com.my/

Standard of Living

Malaysia enjoys a fairly high standard of living especially in main commercial towns and cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown and Ipoh. The local schools follow the English or American system of teaching and the health care system in Malaysia is very good. The country has a very low unemployment rate and there are no restrictions on foreigners working in the country. Public transport in the country is very modern and efficient.

Principal commercial centres and towns

Kuala Lumpur is a city that has grown dramatically over the past few years - it is the country's capital city and has become the biggest commercial centre in Malaysia.