Attribute | Value |
---|---|
Geography | |
Area | 329,847 km² |
Continent | Asia |
Land area | 328,657 km² |
Water area | 1,190 km² |
Land boundaries | 2,742 km |
Border countries |
|
Coastline | 4,675 km |
Mean elevation | 419 m |
Lowest point | 0 m |
Highest point | 4,095 m |
People | |
Population | 32,652,083 |
Official languages |
|
Religion | Muslim |
Government | |
Short country name | Malaysia |
Short local name | Malaysia |
Former name |
|
Government type | Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
Capital | Kuala Lumpur |
Economy | |
GDP (PPP) | 933,300,000,000 USD |
GDP (OER) | 312,400,000,000 USD |
GDP (real growth rate) | 5.9 % |
GDP - per capita (PPP) | 29,100 USD |
Gross national saving | 28.5 % of GDP |
Labor force | 14,940,000 |
Unemployment rate | 3.4 % |
Population below poverty line | 3.8 % |
Budget revenues | 51,250,000,000 USD |
Budget expenditures | 60,630,000,000 USD |
Military expenditures | 0.98 % of GDP |
Taxes and other revenues | 16.4 % of GDP |
Budget surplus or deficit | -3 % of GDP |
Public debt | 54.1 % of GDP |
Inflation rate | 3.8 % |
Central bank discount rate | 3 % |
Commercial bank prime lending rate | 4.61 % |
Stock of narrow money | 107,500,000,000 USD |
Stock of broad money | 107,500,000,000 USD |
Stock of domestic credit | 482,700,000,000 USD |
Market value of publicly traded shares | 383,000,000,000 USD |
Current account balance | 9,296,000,000 USD |
Exports | 187,900,000,000 USD |
Imports | 160,700,000,000 USD |
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 102,400,000,000 USD |
External debt | 217,200,000,000 USD |
National currency | ringgits |
National currency (code) | MYR |
National currency (symbol) | RM |
National currency rate to USD | 4.343 |
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 MAHATHIR and a newly-formed coalition of opposition parties defeated Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak in May 2018, ending over 60 years of uninterrupted rule by NAJIB’s party.