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Geography of Malaysia

Location:Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates:2 30 N, 112 30 E
Map references:Southeast Asia
Area:total: 329,750 sq km
land: 328,550 sq km
water: 1,200 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:total: 2,669 km
border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Coastline:4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
Climate:tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Terrain:coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
Natural resources:tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use:arable land: 5.46%
permanent crops: 17.54%
other: 77% (2005)
Irrigated land:3,650 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:flooding, landslides, forest fires
Environment - current issues:air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
Geography - note:strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

Malaysia Quickstats

  • Population: 24,821,286 (July 2007 est.)
  • Area: 329,750 sq km
  • Density: 82 /km² (109th)
  • GDP (total): $308.8 billion (33)
  • GDP (per capita): $12,700 (59)
  • Literacy: 88.7%

Languages of Malaysia

Useful to know

  • Currency: Ringgit (RM) (MYR)
  • Dial code: [[+605]]

International Trade

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