Malaysia Overview
Malaysia is one of the emerging science nations in Southeast Asia. The focus of current scientific and technological cooperation is in the areas of bioeconomy and medical technology. Further fields of cooperation of mutual interest are to be developed.
Population / geography
| Country name | Malaysia |
| Capital | Kuala Lumpur |
| Land area | 330,252 km² |
| Population | 31.5 million (2018) |
| Growth of population | 1.4% (2018) |
| Population groups | 50% Malay (proportion increasing),23% Malaysians of Chinese origin (proportion falling),
7% Malaysians of Indian origin, 12% so-called indigenous people (“Orang Asli” etc.) and 8% others |
| Languages | Malay (official language, known as “Bahasa Malaysia” since 1967), English widely spoken, as well as Indian and Chinese languages |
| Religions | Islam (official religion) 60% of Malaysians,Malaysians of Chinese descent are mostly Buddhists, Confucians, or Christians;
Malaysians of Indian or Sri Lankan descent: Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians or Buddhists; the indigenous tribes mostly Christians or animists. A total of around 9.2% (2.7 million) Malaysian Christians |
| National day | August 31 (Independence Day) |
| Time zone | CET + 7, (UTC + 8)No summer / winter time |
| Currency | 1 Ringgit MYR / 100 SenCurrent exchange rate at OANDA.com – Currency Converter |
| Prefix | +60 |
Sources: Countryaah.com
With a land area of around 330,000 km² (slightly smaller than Germany with 357,000 km²), Malaysia is located in the center of Southeast Asia and stretches in a crescent shape from the Malaysian peninsula (with borders to Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia) across the South China Sea to the north of the island of Borneo Kalimantan), where the country shares a border with Indonesia as well as Brunei. There are also sea borders with the Philippines and Vietnam. The South China Sea thus divides the federation into two halves: Western and Eastern Malaysia.
The geography of the Southeast Asian country is extremely diverse. In Western Malaysia, it ranges from mountain ranges that stretch north to south, through fertile plains in the west, to a flat coastal strip in the east of the peninsula. The mountain ranges (with a height of up to 2200 m above sea level) are covered by dense, tropical rainforest.
The east Malaysian coast is characterized by alluvial plains, the hinterland is mountainous and reaches its highest point in the state of Sabah with Mount Kinabalu (4095 m above sea level), it is also the highest mountain in Southeast Asia. Due to its proximity to the equator, Malaysia has a tropical climate with an average temperature of around 27 °C. Northeast and southwest monsoons influence the climate throughout the year.
Politics / Administration
| Country name | Malaysia |
| Capital | Kuala Lumpur |
| Form of government | Constitutional Elective Monarchy and Parliamentary Democracy |
| Head of state | His Majesty Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin, Yang Di-Pertuan Agong XVI (King of Malaysia),Appointed January 31, 2019.
Every five years the nine monarchs from the states of Malaysia with hereditary monarchies elect a new king from among their number. |
| Head of government | Perdana Menteri (Prime Minister)YAB Tan Sri Dato ‘Haji Muhyiddin bin Haji Mohd. Yassin,
Prime Minister since March 1st, 2020 (President of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party / Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) |
| Foreign Minister | Hishammuddin Hussein(Minister of Foreign Affairs),
Barisan / UMNO (since March 10, 2020) |
| Research Minister | Khairy Jamaluddin(Minister of Energy, Technology, Science, Climate Change and Environment),
Barisan / UMNO (since March 10, 2020) |
| Education Minister | Dr. Mohd Radzi Md. Jidin(Minister of Education),
Party BERSATU / PPBM (since March 10, 2020) |
| University Minister | Dr. Noraini Ahmad(Minister of Higher Education)
Barisan / UMNO (as of March 10, 2020) |
| Houses of Parliament | Bicameral parliament:
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| Ruling parties | In the parliamentary elections on May 9, 2018, there was a change of power for the first time since independence in 1957, the alliance “Alliance of Hope” (“Pakatan Harapan”) emerged victorious. Mahathir Mohamed, who ruled the country from 1981-2003. After the collapse of the coalition, Muhyiddin Yassin was appointed as the new Prime Minister on March 1, 2020. In Malaysia, majority voting is used. |
