Wikijunior:Asia/Malaysia

Malaysia

Malaysia has a long and rich history that goes back thousands of years. The first people to live there were tribes who lived in the rainforests and along the coast. These tribes, called the Orang Asli which is "original people" in Malay , have been in Malaysia for many generations. They have their own special cultures, languages, and traditions. Some groups of Orang Asli are the Semai, Temuan, Semelai, and Jakun. They were really good at hunting, gathering food, and using natural medicine.

From the 15th to the 20th century, parts of Malaysia were colonized by foreign powers, especially the Portuguese, Dutch, and British. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Malaysia in the late 15th century. They set up trading posts in Malacca and other parts of the region. The Dutch came in the 17th century and controlled the spice trade for about 150 years until the British arrived in the 19th century. The British established the Straits Settlements, including Penang, Malacca, and Singapore, and the British North Borneo Company, which controlled Sabah and Sarawak. The British also introduced a system of administration and law that is still used in Malaysia today.

Malaysia was established on September 16, 1963,bringing together Malaya (now Peninsular Malaysia), Singapore, Sarawak, and Sabah. However, in August 1965, Singapore left the federation and became an independent country. Today, Malaysia is a member of the Commonwealth, a group of countries that were once British colonies.

Since independence, Malaysia has made great strides in developing its economy and infrastructure. It is now a thriving and modern country with a strong tourism industry, a growing service sector, and a diverse manufacturing base. Malaysia is also a major exporter of products such as electronics, palm oil, and rubber.

The capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur and the international time used is UTC+8.

Where is Malaysia?

Malaysia is a country of Southeast Asia, which lies just north of the Equator. It is composed of two non-contiguous regions: Peninsular Malaysia, also called West Malaysia (Malaysia Barat), which is located on the Asia mainland of Malay Peninsula, and East Malaysia (Malaysia Timur), which is on the island of Borneo. There are total of 16 states of Malaysia The West and East Malaysia are separated by South China Sea.

On Peninsular Malaysia, it is bordered by Thailand on the north and Singapore in south and bordering with Indonesia (Riau Island) on the west, which are separated by Straits of Malacca. Malaysian Borneo (or East Malaysia) located on the northern part of the island of Borneo in the South China Sea, bordering Indonesia and the state Sarawak is surrounding the Sultanate of Brunei . The country shares also maritime borders with the Philippines , Indonesia and Vietnam .

What is the currency of Malaysia?

The currency of Malaysia is in Ringgit Malaysia (MYR or RM) and the smaller denomination is the sen. 100 sen is equal to RM1.

The currency bank notes denomination is as followed: RM1, RM5, RM10, RM20, RM50, RM100 and the coins denomination is as followed: 5, 10, 20, 50 sen.

How many people live in Malaysia?

Malaysia consists of diverse of people living together with three major ethnicities: Malay, Chinese and Indian.

As of the 2020 census, 32.45 million lived in Malaysia. 69.4% of the population are Malay, 23.2% are Chinese, 6.7% are Indian and 0.7% are of other minor ethnicities.

What are the most common languages in Malaysia?

The official language spoken in Malaysia is the Malay language (Bahasa Melayu). Aside from Malay, English is also very commonly spoken in Malaysian. Aside from English, Chinese dialects such as Mandarin and Hokkien are also spoken in the country, primarily by those of Chinese ethnic origin. Tamil is also another popular language spoken in the country, primarily spoken by people from India.

What is the most common religion in Malaysia?

Islam, Malaysia’s official religion, is practiced by by about 63.5% of the population. Islam is one of the most important factors distinguishing a Malay from a non-Malay, and, by law, all Malays are Muslim.

What are some important sites?

George Town – the heritage street consists of the some popular hawker (street food) and murals drawing in the area.
Melaka – famous historical landmarks such as A Farmosa Fort and Christ Church
Gunung Mulu National Park – famed for its impressive karst formations. The park is home to one of the world's longest cave systems.
Batu Caves – one of the largest Hindu temples in Southeast Asia, having being used continually as a religious site since 1878.
Petronas Towers (Petronas Twin Towers) – 88-storey twin skyscrapers that characterise the outlook of Kuala Lumpur.
Kenyir Lake – the largest man-made lake in Southeast Asia.
Tioman – the largest island on Malaysia's East Coast.
Kapas Island – a famous scuba diving location.
Jungle Highway – a highway connecting Kelantan and Perak via Gerik.
Mount Kinabalu – Malaysia's highest mountain.

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