Facts About Malaysia
Malaysia is a beautiful country which rests in the southeastern part of Asia. The capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur which also happens to be one of the most popular cities of the country.
It is bordered on land by Thailand and the same shares its maritime borders with other countries – Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam. The total land mass of Malaysia is 330,803 square kilometers and this particular land mass is further divided equally by the South China Sea.
This country is considered to be a federation of three federal territories. Two of the federal territories and 11 states contribute to make up the Peninsular Malaysia whereas the remaining one federal territory and 2 states make up for East Malaysia.
People of Malaysia
The total population of Malaysia is over 30 million. Just like the most other countries of the world, the country too has a fair share of diverse ethnic groups. Another interesting thing about the country is that 91 percent of the total population of Malaysia are the citizens of Malaysia, whereas the remaining 9 percent is a foreign crowd.
The country happens to be a mix-pot of various people, culture as well as races. If you explore Malaysia virtually, you will come across the fact that every race of the world could be found here. However, the Bumiputras, also referred to as the Muslim Malays make up for more than 50 percent of the total population of the country. These people have their habitat in the Malaysian Peninsula and they practice Malay Culture.
The other main group of the country is referred to as Other Bumiputras and this group belongs all the indigenous people of the country who are categorized as Orang Asli and then further divided into various small tribes as well as sub-tribes respectively.
The third category of the population of Malaysia belongs to the non-Bumiputras who are not accorded the very same privileges as the Bumiputras. This group of people include Indian, Chinese as well as the people belonging to European and various other origins. Malaysia also has the people belonging to the Middle-East and so on. Thus, needless to say, Malaysia is surely a mixed culture.
Languages spoken in Malaysia
Earlier, the official language of the country was English, soon it was replaced by the Bahasa Malaysia. Today, English happens to be the second official language of the country the study of which has also been made compulsory in the schools. English also happens to be the business language of the country.
The Indians are usually found talking in Tamil while the Chinese speak the dialects of Chinese respectively. All in all, there are 137 different languages spoken by the people of Malaysia.
Religion practiced in Malaysia
The state religion is Islam, however, the constitution of the country guarantees a freedom of worship to all its citizens and hence a number of other religions are equally practiced here. Islam is the most widespread religion of Malaysia which is further followed by the different religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Confucianism and Taoism. Interestingly, Malaysia also has people who do not practice any form of religion.
Malaysia has a large presence of foreigners which surely make this place a comfortable place to all the visitors and tourists as they feel more homely within the country. Malay men are considered to be the perfect gentlemen, all thanks to their conduct and politeness.
Cuisine relished in the country
The cuisine of Malaysia is mostly a sheer representation of the lifestyle of the people living here. However, as the modernization is taking place all throughout the world, you can easily spot western dishes which are served by a variety of restaurants and cafes here. The local foods in the country include rice and the same happens to be the staple food of the country. All kinds of foods in Malaysia are cooked in chili and various other spices, however, the food is not as spicy as the Thai cuisine.
Economy of the country
Malaysia is considered as the largest economy all throughout the Southeast Asia after the countries like Indonesia and Thailand. The economy of the country can be categorized as a newly industrialized economy. At present, Malaysia is well known for the production of electronics, petroleum, petroleum products, tin, timber, rubber, palm oil and textiles. Most of these products are exported to various parts of the world including the United States of America, Europe, Middle East as well as Africa.
Apart from a well-established industrialization, agriculture is considered to be another drivers of the economy of the country and the same provides staple food to its people. Natural gas is also considered to be one of the main products to be exported to various other regions of the world. Timber, too, is exported to various countries. The imports in the country include cars, electronics and various similar products.
The economic structure of Malaysia is very fair and the country had also been listed as the destination of the year in 2014 respectively.
Tourism of Malaysia
The tourism in Malaysia is considered as another economic pillar of the country which contributes its fair share into the total economy of the country. A number of people consider Malaysia as one of the most popular tourist spots of the world. In the year 2012, the World Travel and Tourism Council listed Malaysia at the 12th position in the list of the most visited countries of the world.
There are a number of tourist attractions in Malaysia which include the places like Langkawi, Mount Kinabalu Mulu Caves, Perhentian Islands, the museum of Islamic Arts and a lot more. Malaysia is also considered to be a paradise for all the shopaholics as the country has some of the most amazing and modern shopping malls where you can shop from among the best brands. The country has a vibrant night life and night culture. However, the best thing which attracts a number of tourists towards this country is its scenic views of sunny and sandy beaches.