About Malaysia

Malaysia is a country comprises of Peninsular Malaysia, and the states of Sabah andSarawak on the island of Borneo. The Peninsular Malaysia is sometimes referred asWest Malaysia and the Sabah and Sarawak as East Malaysia.

Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia. Precisely, the geographic location of Malaysia is situated slightly north of the Equator line. The Peninsular Malaysia is separated from Sabah and Sarawak by the South China Sea. In northern part of the Peninsular Malaysia, Malaysia borders with Thailand, and in the south it borders with Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak in the Borneo Island are bounded by Indonesia while Sarawak shared borders with Brunei. The following map at the bottom shows the geographic location of Malaysia.

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The Malay makes up 57% of the total population of Malaysia and the rest are Chinese, Indian and other indigenous races in Sabah and Sarawak. The weather of Malaysia lies in the tropical climate and is year-round warm. Temperatures can range from 21ºC (70ºF) to 32ºC (90ºF). Higher elevations are much colder with temperatures between 15°C (59° F) to 25°C (77°F). Annual rainfall varies from 2,000mm to 2,500mm.

The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur which is located in the state of Selangor in Peninsular Malaysia. The whole country consists of 13 states and 3 federal territories. Out of the 13 states, 11 states are located in the Peninsular and they are Perlis,Kedah, Pulau Pinang(Penang Island), Kelantan, Perak, Selangor, Pahang,Terengganu, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka (Malacca), and Johor. The rest of the states are situated in the Borneo Island and they are Sabah and Sarawak. The 3 federal territories are Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan.

Putrajaya is a planned city located south of Kuala Lumpur that serves as the federal administrative center of Malaysia. Even though the administrative role has been shifted from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya in 1999, Kuala Lumpur remains as the country national capital and also the commercial and financial center.

You can find more information on Labuan at the Wiki site here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labuan

Malaysia is a fascinating holiday destination offering something for everyone to enjoy. Visitors are ofen surprised to discover how developed the country is and yet rich and varied in cultural tradition.

The country main gateway is Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) near the capital. Other major international airports are Langkawi, Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching.

Kuala Lumpur or KL is a modern cosmopolitan city boasting the world’s tallest twin towers towering at a height of 452m. Its architecture is representative of the country’s dominant cultures, the Malay, Chinese and Indian. Combined with the colonial legacy of the British and Moorish influences, KL has one of Asia’s most dynamic cityscapes.

Malaysia long coastline and many coral-fringed islands, with the Straits of Malacca to the west and the South China Sea to the east, give rise to a large number of fabulous beaches. Islands like Langkawi, Tioman and Pangkor are world-renowned resort destinations. Penang is another island famous for its history, relaxing beaches and cultural diversities. Further south, Malacca is known for its history, museums and the unique Baba-Nyonya community. The charming east coast of the peninsular with its laid back lifestyle is the country’s cultural heartland.

The states of Sabah and Sarawak await nature lovers and adventurers. Discover the prolific marine life and dense rainforest while exploring the underwater world and wilderness of Borneo.

Malaysia has many exciting places of interest and during a holiday of a week, visitors will find that there are a lot to see and explore and one week is definitely not enough to explore the whole of Malaysia. One thing for certain is everyone wants to return to discover more about Malaysia a second time and more.