General information

Capital : Kuala Lumpur

Population : 22.2 Million (2000)

Area : 329,749 sq km

Official languages : Malay

Currency : Ringgit Malaysia (RM) 1 Ringgit = 100 sen

Main cities : Kuala Lumpur , Ipoh , Georgetown , Petaling Jaya, Putrajaya

Government

Form : Federal constitutional monarchy

Independent : 31 August 1957

Head of state : Monarch (elected every 5 years)

Head of government :Prime Minister

Legislature :Two legislative houses (Senate and House of Representatives)

Executive : Prime Minister and Cabinet

Judiciary : Supreme Court (highest court )

Political division : 13 states, 2 federal territories

National economy

Gross national product : US$ 73,929,000,000 RM 295.8 Billion (2000)

Per capital income : US$ 3,349 RM 12,724 (2000)

Agriculture : Rice, coconuts, natural rubber, palm kernels, sugar cane, bananas, pepper

Livestock : Pigs, chickens,  cattle

Fisheries : 1,306,000 metric tons

Mining : Bauxite, iron ore, copper ore, tin, crude petroleum

Industries : Rubber & oil palm processing & manufacturing, light manufacturing industries, electronics, tin mining, smelting, petroleum production, logging.

Main exports : Electronics, electrical machinery & appliances, petroleum products, palm oil, wood products, rubber products, textiles, clothing and footwear

Transportation : 1806 km railroads, 92,545 km roads, 5 major airports

Trading partners : United States , Singapore , Japan , Hong Kong , Netherlands , Taiwan

People

Urban : 51%

Ethnic composition : Malay and other indigenous peoples (59%); Chinese (32%); Indian (9%)

Life expectancy :69.8 years - males; 74.8 years - females