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General Information
Area: 329,733 sq km (127,311 sq miles).
Population: 22,712,000 (official estimate 1999).
Population Density: 68.9 per sq km.
Capital: Kuala Lumpur. Population: 1,297,526 (2000).
GEOGRAPHY: Malaysia is situated in central South-East Asia, bordering on Thailand in the north, with Singapore and Indonesia to the south and the Philippines to the east. It is composed of Peninsular Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the north coast of the island of Borneo, 650-950km (404-600 miles) across the South China Sea. Peninsular Malaysia is an area of forested mountain ranges running north–south, on either side of which are low-lying coastal plains. The coastline extends some 1900km (1200 miles). The west coast consists of mangrove swamps and mudflats which separate into bays and inlets. In the west, the plains have been cleared and cultivated, while the unsheltered east coast consists of tranquil beaches backed by dense jungle. Sarawak has alluvial and, in places, swampy coastal plains with rivers penetrating the jungle-covered hills and mountains of the interior. Sabah has a narrow coastal plain which gives way to mountains and jungle. Mount Kinabalu, at 4094m (13,432ft), is the highest peak in Malaysia. The major islands are Langkawi (a group of 99 islands), Penang and Pangkor off the west coast; and Tioman, Redang, Kapas, Perhentian and Rawa off the east coast.
Government: Constitutional monarchy since 1963. Gained independence from the UK in 1957. Head of State: King Syed Sirrajuddin ibni al-Marhum Syed Putra Jamalullail since 2001. Head of Government: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mahatir Mohammad since 1981.
Language: Bahasa Malaysia is the national and official language, but English is widely spoken. Other languages such as Chinese (Cantonese and Hokkien), Iban and Tamil are spoken by minorities.
Religion: Muslim (53 per cent) and Buddhist (19 per cent) majorities. The remainder are Christian, Taoist, Confucianist, Hindu and Animist.
Time: GMT + 8.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Square three-pin plugs and bayonet-type light fittings are generally used.
Communications:
Telephone
Full IDD is available. Country code: 60. Outgoing international code: 00. Public coin-operated phones can be found in many areas, such as supermarkets and post offices. Local calls cost 10 sen. Public cardphones can be found throughout the country. Cards can be purchased at airports, petrol stations and some shops for amounts ranging from RM3-50. There are currently two types – Kadfon and Unicard – and these can only be used in their appropriate marked phone booths.
Mobile telephone
GSM 900 and 1800 networks cover practically the whole country. Network operators include Celcom (website: www.celcom.com.my), DiGi (website: www.digi.com.my), Maxis Mobile (website: www.maxis.com.my) and TIMECel (website: www.time.com.my).
Fax
Centres for public use are located in the main post offices of all large towns. Most main hotels also have facilities.
Internet
ISPs include Jaring (website: www.jaring.net.my) and TMnet (website: www.tm.net.my). There are numerous Internet cafes. Hotels and hostels often have facilities.
Telegram
Telegrams can be sent from any telegraph office.
Post
There are post offices in the commercial centre of all towns, open Mon-Sat 0800-1700.
Press
The English-language dailies printed in peninsular Malaysia are the Malaysiakini, Business Times, Malay Mail, New Straits Times, The Sun and The Star. There are also several English-language Sunday newspapers and periodicals. English-language newspapers available in Sarawak include the Sarawak Tribune and Borneo Post. English-language dailies in Sabah include the Sabah Times, Daily Express and Borneo Mail.
BBC World Service frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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