2015 Edition

Background

During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula except Singapore formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore, as well as Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo, joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's independence were marred by a communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's withdrawal in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to the development of manufacturing, services, and tourism. Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (in office since April 2009) has continued these pro-business policies and has introduced some civil reforms. Malaysia assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2015-16 term.

Area

land

328,657 sq km

total

329,847 sq km

water

1,190 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than New Mexico

Climate

tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

Coastline

4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

414 cu m/yr (2005)

total

11.2 cu km/yr (35%/43%/22%)

Geographic coordinates

2 30 N, 112 30 E

Geography - note

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

Irrigated land

3,800 sq km (2009)

Land boundaries

border countries (3)

Brunei 266 km, Indonesia 1,881 km, Thailand 595 km

total

2,742 km

Land use

arable land 2.9%; permanent crops 19.4%; permanent pasture 0.9%

agricultural land

23.2%

forest

62%

other

14.8% (2011 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

flooding; landslides; forest fires

Natural resources

tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Terrain

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Total renewable water resources

580 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

28.49% (male 4,472,457/female 4,221,384)

15-24 years

16.91% (male 2,615,356/female 2,543,039)

25-54 years

41.12% (male 6,352,742/female 6,194,303)

55-64 years

7.84% (male 1,215,315/female 1,175,868)

65 years and over

5.65% (male 817,766/female 905,618) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

19.71 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

12.9% (2006)

Death rate

5.03 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.4%

potential support ratio

11.9% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

43.6%

youth dependency ratio

35.2%

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population

rural: 93% of population

total: 98.2% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 7% of population

total: 1.8% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

5.9% of GDP (2011)

Ethnic groups

Malay 50.1%, Chinese 22.6%, indigenous 11.8%, Indian 6.7%, other 0.7%, non-citizens 8.2% (2010 est.)

Health expenditures

4% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.44% (2013 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

5,900 (2013 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

86,300 (2013 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.9 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

female

11.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

15.33 deaths/1,000 live births

total

13.27 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai

note

in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.73 years (2015 est.)

male

71.97 years

total population

74.75 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

93.2% (2015 est.)

male

96.2%

total population

94.6%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

note

highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2013)

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever

water contact disease

leptospirosis

Major urban areas - population

KUALA LUMPUR (capital) 6.837 million; Johor Bahru 912,000 (2015)

Median age

female

27.9 years (2014 est.)

male

27.4 years

total

27.7 years

Nationality

adjective

Malaysian

noun

Malaysian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population

note

does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal immigrants from other countries in the region (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

12.9% (2014)

Physicians density

1.2 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

Population

30,513,848 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

1.44% (2015 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 61.3%, Buddhist 19.8%, Christian 9.2%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 1.3%, other 0.4%, none 0.8%, unspecified 1% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 96.1% of population

rural: 95.9% of population

total: 96% of population

urban: 3.9% of population

rural: 4.1% of population

total: 4% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2005)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.9 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.55 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

11% (2012 est.)

male

9.8%

total

10.3%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.66% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

74.7% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu; and 1 federal territory (Wilayah Persekutuan) with 3 components, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Capital

geographic coordinates

3 10 N, 101 42 E

name

Kuala Lumpur; note - Putrajaya is referred to as an administrative center not the capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

time difference

UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

previous 1948; latest drafted 21 February 1957, effective 27 August 1957; amended many times, last in 2007 (2010)

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Malaysia

former

Federation of Malaya

local long form

none

local short form

Malaysia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Joseph Y. YUN (since 2 October 2013)

embassy

376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur

FAX

[60] (3) 2142-2207

mailing address

US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152

telephone

[60] (3) 2168-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador AWANG ADEK Bin Hussin (since 21 May 2015)

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 572-9882

telephone

[1] (202) 572-9700

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament with the consent of the king

chief of state

King Tuanku ABDUL HALIM Mu'adzam Shah (selected on 13 December 2011; installed on 11 April 2012); the position of the king is primarily ceremonial but he is the final arbiter on the appointment of the prime minister

election results

Tuanku ABDUL HALIM Mu'adzam Shah elected king; Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Najib Razak (UMNO) sworn in as prime minister for second term 0n 3 April 2009

elections/appointments

king elected by and from the hereditary rulers of 9 states for a 5-year term; election is on a rotational basis among rulers of the 9 states; election last held on 14 October 2011 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister designated from among members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister

head of government

Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Najib Razak (since 3 April 2009); Deputy Prime Minister MUHYIDDIN bin Mohamed Yassin (since 9 April 2009)

Flag description

14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the flag is often referred to as Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of Glory); the 14 stripes stand for the equal status in the federation of the 13 member states and the federal government; the 14 points on the star represent the unity between these entities; the crescent is a traditional symbol of Islam; blue symbolizes the unity of the Malay people and yellow is the royal color of Malay rulers

note

the design is based on the flag of the US

Government type

constitutional monarchy

note

nominally headed by paramount ruler (commonly referred to as the king) and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans) except Melaka (Malacca) and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government; powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration controls)

Independence

31 August 1957 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Federal Court (consists of the chief justice, president of the Court of Appeal, chief justice of the High Court of Malaya, chief judge of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak and 7 judges); note - Malaysia has a dual judicial hierarchy of civil and religious (sharia) courts

judge selection and term of office

Federal Court justices appointed by the monarch on advice of the prime minister; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65

subordinate courts

Court of Appeal; High Court; Sessions Court; Magistrates' Court

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Court at request of supreme head of the federation

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 members appointed by the king and 26 indirectly elected by 13 state legislatures; members serve 3-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)

election results

House of Representatives - percent of vote by coalition/party - BN coalition 47.4%, opposition parties 50.9%, other 1.7%; seats by coalition/party - BN coalition 133, opposition parties 89

elections

House of Representatives - last held on 5 May 2013 (next to be held by May 2018)

National anthem

lyrics/music

collective, led by Tunku ABDUL RAHMAN/Pierre Jean DE BERANGER

name

"Negaraku" (My Country)

note

adopted 1957; full version only performed in the presence of the king; the tune, which was adopted from a popular French melody titled "La Rosalie," was originally the anthem of Perak, one of Malaysia's 13 states

National holiday

Independence Day 31 August (1957) (independence of Malaya); Malaysia Day 16 September (1963) (formation of Malaysia)

National symbol(s)

tiger, hibiscus; national colors: red, white, blue, yellow

Political parties and leaders

Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or GERAKAN [MAH Siew Keong]

Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [TEO Chee Kang]

Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LIOW Tiong Lai]

Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [Govindasamy PALANIVEL]

Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]

Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]

Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB [Adenan SATEM]

Parti Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]

Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP [TIONG King Sing]

Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [Dr. SIM Kui Hian]

United Malays National Organization or UMNO [NAJIB bin Abdul Razak]

United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Wilfred Madius TANGAU]

People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Kayveas]

Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [TAN Kok Wai]

Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang

People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismail]

Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]

State Reform Party (Parti Reformasi Negeri) or STAR [Jeffery KITINGAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Bar Council

BERSIH (electoral reform coalition)

ISMA (Muslim NGO)

PERKASA (defense of Malay rights)

other

religious groups; women's groups; youth groups

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

Peninsular Malaysia - palm oil, rubber, cocoa, rice; Sabah - palm oil, subsistence crops; rubber, timber; Sarawak - palm oil, rubber, timber; pepper

Budget

expenditures

$79.63 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$68.09 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

3% (31 December 2011)

2.83% (31 December 2010)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

4.5% (31 December 2014 est.)

4.56% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

$15.13 billion (2014 est.)

$11.73 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$109.3 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$106.7 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

46.2 (2009)

49.2 (1997)

Economy - overview

Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. Under current Prime Minister NAJIB, Malaysia is attempting to achieve high-income status by 2020 and to move farther up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in Islamic finance, high technology industries, biotechnology, and services. NAJIB's Economic Transformation Program (ETP) is a series of projects and policy measures intended to accelerate the country's economic growth. The government has also taken steps to liberalize some services sub-sectors. Malaysia is vulnerable to a fall in world commodity prices or a general slowdown in global economic activity.

The NAJIB administration is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand and reduce the economy's dependence on exports. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics, oil and gas, palm oil and rubber - remain a significant driver of the economy. Gross exports of goods and services constitute more than 80% of GDP. The oil and gas sector supplied about 29% of government revenue in 2014. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has previously profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel, combined with sustained budget deficits, has forced Kuala Lumpur to begin to address fiscal shortfalls, through initial reductions in energy and sugar subsidies and the announcement of the 2015 implementation of a 6% goods and services tax. Falling global oil prices in the second half of 2014 have strained government finances, shrunk Malaysia’s current account surplus and put downward pressure on the ringgit. The government is trying to lessen its dependence on state oil producer Petronas.

Bank Negara Malaysia (the central bank) maintains healthy foreign exchange reserves; a well-developed regulatory regime has limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier financial instruments and the global financial crisis. In order to attract increased investment, NAJIB raised possible revisions to the special economic and social preferences accorded to ethnic Malays under the New Economic Policy of 1970, but retreated in 2013 after he encountered significant opposition from Malay nationalists and other vested interests. In September 2013 NAJIB launched the new Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Program (BEEP), policies that favor and advance the economic condition of ethnic Malays.

Malaysia is a member of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement negotiations and, with the nine other ASEAN members, will form the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

Exchange rates

ringgits (MYR) per US dollar -

3.24 (2014 est.)

3.15 (2013 est.)

3.09 (2012 est.)

3.06 (2011 est.)

3.22 (2010 est.)

Exports

$231.3 billion (2014 est.)

$219.2 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

semiconductors and electronic equipment, palm oil, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals, solar panels

Exports - partners

China 14.2%, Singapore 13.9%, Japan 10.9%, US 8.2%, Thailand 5.4%, Indonesia 4.5%, Hong Kong 4.2% (2013)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

83%

government consumption

13.7%

household consumption

51.5%

imports of goods and services

-73.7%

investment in fixed capital

25.5%

investment in inventories

0%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

9.3%

industry

34.7%

services

56% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$24,700 (2014 est.)

$23,300 (2013 est.)

$22,200 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6% (2014 est.)

4.7% (2013 est.)

5.6% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$326.9 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$746.1 billion (2014 est.)

$703.7 billion (2013 est.)

$671.8 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

29.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

30.1% of GDP (2013 est.)

31.7% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

34.7% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%

1.8%

Imports

$193.6 billion (2014 est.)

$186.7 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

Imports - partners

China 17%, Singapore 13.2%, Japan 8.5%, US 7.6%, Thailand 5.9%, South Korea 4.6%, Indonesia 4.3% (2013)

Industrial production growth rate

5.6% (2014 est.)

Industries

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, petroleum and natural gas, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, electronics and semiconductors, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum and natural gas production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum and natural gas production, logging

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.1% (2014 est.)

2.1% (2013 est.)

note

approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled

Labor force

14.01 million (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

11%

industry

36%

services

53% (2012 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$476.3 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$395.1 billion (31 December 2011)

$410.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

3.8% (2009 est.)

Public debt

54.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

54.7% of GDP (2013 est.)

note

this figure is based on the amount of federal government debt, RM501.6 billion ($167.2 billion) in 2012; this includes Malaysian Treasury bills and other government securities, as well as loans raised externally and bonds and notes issued overseas; this figure excludes debt issued by non-financial public enterprises and guaranteed by the federal government, which was an additional $47.7 billion in 2012

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$133.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$134.9 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$478.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$440.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$146.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$133.4 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$144 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$132.4 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$460.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$428.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$113.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$99.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

2.9% (2014 est.)

3.1% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

198.8 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

269,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - imports

160,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

647,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

4 billion bbl (1 January 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

112 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - exports

12 million kWh (2011 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

89.4% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

10.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)

Electricity - imports

372 million kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

28.4 million kW (2011 est.)

Electricity - production

118 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

31.25 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - exports

32.54 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.165 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - production

61.62 billion cu m (2012 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

2.35 trillion cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

623,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

176,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

175,100 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

568,800 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned TV broadcaster operates 2 TV networks with relays throughout the country, and the leading private commercial media group operates 4 TV stations with numerous relays throughout the country; satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates multiple national networks, as well as regional and local stations; many private commercial radio broadcasters and some subscription satellite radio services are available; about 55 radio stations overall (2012)

Internet country code

.my

Internet users

percent of population

40.3% (2014 est.)

total

12.1 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Telephone system

domestic

domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 140 per 100 persons

general assessment

modern system featuring good intercity service on Peninsular Malaysia provided mainly by microwave radio relay and an adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; international service excellent

international

country code - 60; landing point for several major international submarine cable networks that provide connectivity to Asia, Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

15 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

4.41 million

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

149 (2014 est.)

total

44.9 million

Television broadcast stations

88 (mainland Malaysia 51, Sabah 16, and Sarawak 21) (2006)

Airports

114 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

7

2,438 to 3,047 m

8

914 to 1,523 m

8

over 3,047 m

8

total

39

under 914 m

8 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

69 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

6

total

75

Heliports

4 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 11, cargo 83, carrier 2, chemical tanker 47, container 41, liquefied gas 34, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 86, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned

26 (Denmark 1, Hong Kong 8, Japan 2, Russia 2, Singapore 13)

registered in other countries

82 (Bahamas 13, India 1, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 6, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 11, Panama 12, Papua New Guinea 1, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Singapore 27, Thailand 3, US 2, unknown 2) (2010)

total

315

Pipelines

condensate 354 km; gas 6,439 km; liquid petroleum gas 155 km; oil 1,937 km; oil/gas/water 43 km; refined products 114 km; water 26 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

George Town (Penang)(1,202,180), Port Kelang (Port Klang)(9,435,403), Tanjung Pelepas (7,302,461)

LNG terminal(s) (export)

Bintulu (Sarawak)

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Sungei Udang

major seaport(s)

Bintulu, Johor Bahru, George Town (Penang), Port Kelang (Port Klang), Tanjung Pelepas

Railways

narrow gauge

1,792 km 1.000-m gauge (339 km electrified) (2014)

standard gauge

59 km 1.435-m gauge (59 km electrified)

total

1,849 km

Roadways

paved

116,169 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways)

total

144,403 km (excludes local roads)

unpaved

28,234 km (2010)

Transportation - note

the International Maritime Bureau reports that the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea remain high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; in the past, commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift; increased naval patrols since 2005 in the Strait of Malacca resulted in no reported incidents in 2010

Waterways

7,200 km (Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km) (2011)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

7,315,999 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

7,501,518

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

6,175,274 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

6,247,306

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

254,812 (2010 est.)

male

265,008

Military branches

Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2013)

Military expenditures

1.5% of GDP (2014)

1.5% of GDP (2013)

1.55% of GDP (2012)

1.67% of GDP (2011)

1.55% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent and proof of age); mandatory retirement age 60; women serve in the Malaysian Armed Forces; no conscription (2013)

Disputes - international

while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in 2008, ICJ awarded sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh/Horsburgh Island) to Singapore, and Middle Rocks to Malaysia, but did not rule on maritime regimes, boundaries, or disposition of South Ledge; land and maritime negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and disputed areas include the controversial Tanjung Datu and Camar Wulan border area in Borneo and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; per Letters of Exchange signed in 2009, Malaysia in 2010 ceded two hydrocarbon concession blocks to Brunei in exchange for Brunei's sultan dropping claims to the Limbang corridor, which divides Brunei; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Illicit drugs

drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously, including enforcement of the death penalty; heroin still primary drug of abuse, but synthetic drug demand remains strong; continued ecstasy and methamphetamine producer for domestic users and, to a lesser extent, the regional drug market

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

93,866 (Burma) (2014)

stateless persons

40,000 (2014); note - Malaysia's stateless population consists of Rohingya refugees from Burma, ethnic Indians, and the children of Filipino and Indonesian illegal migrants; Burma stripped the Rohingya of their nationality in 1982; Filipino and Indonesian children who have not have been registered for birth certificates by their parents or who received birth certificates stamped "foreigner" are not eligible to go to government schools; these children are vulnerable to statelessness should they not be able to apply to their parents' country of origin for a passport

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; Malaysia is mainly a destination country for foreign workers who migrate willingly from countries including Indonesia, Nepal, India, Thailand, the Philippines, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, and Vietnam but subsequently encounter forced labor or debt bondage at the hands of their employers in the domestic, agricultural, construction, plantation, and industrial sectors; a small number of Malaysian citizens were reportedly trafficked internally and abroad for commercial sexual exploitation in 2013; refugees are also vulnerable to trafficking; some officials are reportedly complicit in facilitating trafficking

tier rating

Tier 3 - Malaysia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2013, authorities continued to detain trafficking victims in government facilities as part of a court-ordered protection measure, the government identified significantly fewer trafficking victims and reported fewer investigations and convictions compared to the previous year; many front-line officials continued to lack the ability to recognize indicators of human trafficking and instead treated these cases as immigration violations; NGOs provided the majority of victim rehabilitation and counseling services with no financial support from the government (2014)