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Malaysia is a country that consists of thirteen states and three federal
territories in Southeast Asia with a total landmass of 329,847 km².
The capital city is Kuala Lumpur while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal
government. The country is separated into two regions — Peninsular
Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo — by the South China Sea. Malaysia borders
Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines. Located near
the equator, the weather is characterised by tropical climate. Malaysia
is headed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and politically led by a Prime
Minister. The government is closely modeled after the Westminster
parliamentary system.
Malaysia as a unified state did not exist until 1963. Before, a set of
colonies were established by the United Kingdom from the late 18th century,
and the western half of modern Malaysia was composed of several separate
kingdoms. This group of colonies was known as British Malaya until its
dissolution in 1946, when it was reorganized as the Federation of Malaya and
later recognized as an independent nation in 1957. Singapore, Sarawak,
British North Borneo and the Federation of Malaya joined to form Malaysia on
September 16, 1963. The early years of the new union were marred by an
armed conflict with Indonesia and the expulsion of Singapore. The
Southeast Asian nation experienced an economic boom and underwent rapid
development during the late 20th century. With a GDP per capita standing at
USD13,000, it has, from time to time, been considered a newly industrialized
country. As one of three countries that control the Strait of
Malacca, international trade plays a large role in its economy. At one
time, it was the largest producer of tin, rubber and palm oil in the
world. Manufacturing has a large influence in the country's
economy.
The population of Malaysia is approximately 25 million. The Malays forms
the majority of the population while there are sizable Chinese and Indian
communities. Islam is the largest as well as the official religion of the
federation. The Malay language is the official language.
Malaysia is the founding member of Association of Southeast Asian Nations
and participates in many international organizations such as the United
Nations. As a former British colony, it is also a member of the
Commonwealth of Nations. It is also a member of the Developing 8
Countries.
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