Malaysia

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Malaysia is in Southeast Asia. Geographic coordinates: 2 30 N, 112 30 E. The size of Malaysia is slightly larger than the state of New Mexico, USA. Malaysia consists of two parts: West Malaysia, also called Peninsular Malaysia or Malaya; and East Malaysia. The two parts are 403 miles [650km] apart and are separated by the South China Sea.

West Malaysia is bordered on the north by Thailand, on the east by the South China Sea, on the south by Singapore [separated by the narrow Johore Straits], and on the west by the Straits of Malacca and the Andaman Sea. There are 11 states and two federal territories in West Malaysia.

East Malaysia is bordered on the north by the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea, on the east by the Celebes Sea, and on the south and west by Kalimantan - the Indonesian part of Borneo. There are 2 states and one federal territory in East Malaysia. Along the coast within Sarawak is the independent nation of Brunei.

The country of Malaysia was formed in 1963 through a federation of the former British colonies of Malaya, including Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia, and the island of Singapore. In 1965, the island of Singapore formed it's own nation country of Singapore.

Although West Malaysia makes up only 31% of the country's area, it has more than 80% of its people. Most of the total population of nearly 23 million, are concentrated on the west coast of West Malaysia. West Malaysia has 11 states: Perlis, Kedah, Pinang [Penang], Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka [Malacca] and Johor; and two Federal Territories [Wilayah Persekutuan] which are coextensive cities of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya. East Malaysia has 2 states: Sabah and Sarawak and one federal territory which is the island of Labuan.

Lying close to the equator, Malaysia has a tropical climate. Temperatures are usually between 68-86°F [20-30°C]; humidity is usually 90 per cent with an annual monsoonal season blowing southwest [April to October] and northeast [October to February]. Rain, when it comes, generally interrupts the sunshine only briefly; most of it falls in short, strong bursts.

Over two thirds of the land area is still rainforest. Both West and East Malaysia have mountainous interiors and coastal plains. The highest point is Mt. Kinabalu standing at 13,455 ft [4,101 m] in Sabah, is one of the highest peaks in South-East Asia. The longest of the country's many rivers are the 350 miles [560 km]  Rajang River in Sarawak, the 350 miles [560 km] Kinabatangan River in Sabah, and the 200 miles [320 km] Pahang River in West Malaysia.

There are 8000 species of flowering plants in Peninsular or West Malaysia alone, including 2000 tree species, 800 different orchids and 200 types of palm. Wildlife include elephants, rhinos, tigers, leopards, tapirs, sun bears, orangutans and a cornucopia of birds. In East Malaysia on the island of Borneo even more species of animals, birds, plants, trees and flowers proliferate. The largest flower on the planet Rafflesia is native here in the world's oldest rainforest. Its elusive appearance is what botanists live for to glimpse at least once in their lifetime!
 

Most visitors to Malaysia arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport [K.L.I.A.]. The majestic beauty of the gargantuan 'Blue Mosque' is one of the very first landmark a visitor sees from the air, beckoning a warm welcome to this fascinating city Kuala Lumpur. KL, as locals affectionately call it, is a city where the past is still present in the evocative British

 

MALAYSIA IS THE BEST!!!!