Malaysia is a country that consists of thirteen states and three federal territories in Southeast Asia with a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,355 sq mi). Geographically, Malaysia is as diverse as its cultureoffers an exotic blend of old and new with a unique culture based on a vibrant mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and indigenous cultures and natural wonders.

There are two parts to the country, 11 states in the peninsula of Malaysia and two states on the northern part of Borneo. Cool hideaways are found in the highlands that roll down to warm, sandy beaches and rich, humid mangroves.

Malaysia is an exciting destination, has become one of the best value destinations in the Far East, where you can enjoy world class accommodation, affordable transportation, mouth watering food and excellent shopping and not forgetting a variety of places to see. One of Malaysia's key attractions is its extreme contrasts. Towering skyscrapers look down upon wooden houses built on stilts, and five-star hotels sit several metres away from ancient reefs.

Tropical island resorts and endless white, sandy beaches offer a taste of paradise, while beneath warm coral seas, world-class dive sites await exploration. Orang-utans, the oldest rainforest in the world, city skyscrapers and majestic mosques and temples plus a gorgeous coastline are enough to tempt even the most jaded visitor.

The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government.and the population stands at over 25 million, country is separated into two regions — Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo — by the South China Sea. Malaysia borders Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines.

Malaysia as a unified state did not exist until 1963. Previously, a set of colonies were established by the United Kingdom from the late eighteenth century, and the western half of modern Malaysia was composed of several separate kingdoms. This group of colonies was known as British Malaya until its dissolution in 1946, when it was reorganized as the Federation of Malaya and later recognized as an independent nation in 1957. Singapore, Sarawak, British North Borneo and the Federation of Malaya joined to form Malaysia on 16 September 1963. The early years of the new union were marred by an armed conflict with Indonesia and the expulsion of Singapore. The Southeast Asian nation experienced an economic boom and underwent rapid development during the late 20th century. With a GDP per capita standing at USD13,000, it has, from time to time, been considered a newly industrialized country. As one of three countries that control the Strait of Malacca, international trade plays a large role in its economy. At one time, it was the largest producer of tin, rubber and palm oil in the world. Manufacturing has a large influence in the country's economy.

The Malays form the majority of the population. Some Malays are of Arab descent and there are sizable Chinese and Indian communities. Islam is the largest as well as the official religion of the federation. The Malay language is the official language. Malay was originally written in Jawi, based on Arabic script, but nowadays, the Roman alphabet (Rumi) is more often used.

The name "Malaysia" was adopted in 1963 when the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak formed a 14-state federation. However the name itself had been vaguely used to refer to areas in Southeast Asia prior to that. A map published in 1914 in Chicago has the word Malaysia printed on it referring to certain territories within the Malay Archipelago. The Philippines once contemplated naming their state "Malaysia", but Malaysia adopted the name first in 1963 before the Philippines could act further on the matter. Other names were contemplated for the 1963 federation.

Among them was Langkasuka (Langkasuka was an old kingdom located at the upper section of the Malay Peninsula in the first millennium of the common era).

Even farther back into history, the English ethnologist George Samuel Windsor Earl in volume IV of Journal of the Indian Archipelago and Eastern Asia in 1850 proposed to name the islands of Indonesia as Melayunesia or Indunesia though he favored the former.

The two distinct parts of Malaysia, separated from each other by the South China Sea, share a largely similar landscape in that both West and East Malaysia feature coastal plains rising to often densely forested hills and mountains, the highest of which is Mount Kinabalu at 4,095.2 metres (13,435.7 ft) on the island of Borneo.

The local climate is equatorial and characterized by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons.

Tanjung Piai, located in the southern state of Johor, is the southernmost tip of continental Asia.[48][49]

The Strait of Malacca, lying between Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia, is arguably the most important shipping lane in the world.[50]

Putrajaya is the newly created administrative capital for the federal government of Malaysia, aimed in part to ease growing congestion within Malaysia's capital city, Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur remains the seat of parliament, as well as the commercial and financial capital of the country. Other major cities include George Town, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Miri, Alor Star, Malacca Town, and Klang.

Malaysia's population comprises many ethnic groups, with the Malays and other bumiputra groups in Sabah and Sarawak making up the majority, at 65%[ of the population. By constitutional definition, Malays are Muslims who practice Malay customs (adat) and culture. Therefore, technically, a Muslim of any race who practices Malay customs and culture can be considered a Malay and have equal rights when it comes to Malay rights as stated in the constitution. Non-Malay bumiputra groups make up more than half of the state of Sarawak's population (of which 30% are Ibans), and close to 60% of Sabah's population (of which 18% are Kadazan-Dusuns, and 17% are Bajaus)[53]. There also exist aboriginal groups in much smaller numbers on the Peninsula, where they are collectively known as Orang Asli.

26% of the population are Malaysians of Chinese descent, while Malaysians of Indian descent comprise 8% of the population. The majority of the Indian community are Tamils but various other groups are also present, including Malayalis, Punjabis and Gujaratis. Other Malaysians also include those whose origin, inter alia, can be traced to the Middle East, Thailand and Indonesia. Europeans and Eurasians include British who settled in Malaysia since colonial times, and a strong Portuguese community in Malacca. A small number of Cambodians and Vietnamese also settled in Malaysia as Vietnam War refugees.

Malaysia is a multi-religious society and Islam is the official religion. According to the Population and Housing Census 2000 figures, approximately 60.4 percent of the population practiced Islam; 19.2 percent Buddhism; 9.1 percent Christianity; 6.3 percent Hinduism; and 2.6 percent traditional Chinese religions. The remaining 2 percent was accounted for by other faiths, including Animism and Sikhism.

Malaysia has extensive roads that connect all major cities and towns on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Roads in the East Malaysia and the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia are still relatively undeveloped. Those are highly curved roads passing through mountainous regions and many are still unsealed, gravel roads. This has resulted in the continued use of rivers and the necessary use of airplanes as the main or alternative mode of transportation for the interior residents.

By road:
Land crossings are possible from southern Thailand and Singapore into Peninsular Malaysia, as well as from Brunei and Kalimantan (the Indonesian side of Borneo) into Sarawak. An International Drivers Permit (IDP) is required. See the respective city or state pages for more detailed information.

Brunei - the main crossings are at Sungai Tujoh on the Miri, Sarawak, to Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei) road, and the Kuala Lurah-Tedungan checkpoint which is used for traffic travelling between Bandar Seri Begawan and Limbang in Sarawak. You can also access the Temburong district of Brunei by road from Limbang via the Pandaruan (Puni on the Brunei side) checkpoint and Lawas via Trusan (Labu on the Brunei side).

Indonesia - the main crossing is at the Tebedu-Entikong checkpoint on the main Kuching-Pontianak road. Various other minor border crossings used by locals are not necessarily open to foreigners.

Singapore - the two crossings are the Causeway which links Johor Bahru with Woodlands in Singapore, and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link which links Tanjung Kupang in Johor with Tuas in Singapore. See Johor Bahru Get in section and Singapore Get in section for more details.

Thailand - international checkpoints (with the Thai towns in brackets) include Wang Kelian (Satun) and Padang Besar (Padang Besar) in Perlis, Bukit Kayu Hitam (Sadao) in Kedah, Pengkalan Hulu (Betong) in Perak, and Rantau Panjang (Sungai Kolok) in Kelantan.

Train service in West Malaysia is operated by the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (Malayan Railways) and has extensive railroads that connect all major cities and towns on the peninsular, including Singapore. There is also a short railway in Sabah operated by Sabah State Railway that mainly carries freight.

There are seaports throughout the country. The major ports are Port Klang and Port of Tanjung Pelepas in Johor. Other important ports can be found in Tanjung Kidurong, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Kuantan, Pasir Gudang, Penang, Miri, Sandakan and Tawau.

Airports
The main gateway into Malaysia is the state-of-the-art, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Situated about 55km from Kuala Lumpur, it iswell served by airlines plying international and domestic routes.

Getting around Malaysia is convenient and affordable as all states are linked by a comprehensive road and railway networks. Travellers can select their accommodation from among various well-appointed hotels, five-star resorts and budget inns located throughout the country.

Other important airports include Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Penang International Airport, Kuching International Airport, Langkawi International Airport, and Senai International Airport. There are also airports in smaller towns, as well as small domestic airstrips in rural Sabah and Sarawak. There are daily flight services between West and East Malaysia, which is the only convenient option for passengers travelling between the two parts of the country. Malaysia is the home of the first low-cost carrier in the region, AirAsia. It has Kuala Lumpur as its hub and maintains flights to Southeast Asia and China as well. In KL it operates out of the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in KLIA.

Malaysia boasts some of the most superb beaches, mountains and national parks in Asia.

Tropical island resorts and endless white, sandy beaches offer a taste of paradise, while beneath warm coral seas, world-class dive sites await exploration. Orang-utans, the oldest rainforest in the world, city skyscrapers and majestic mosques and temples plus a gorgeous coastline are enough to tempt even the most jaded visitor.

Malaysia is a mix of the modern world and a developing nation. With its investment in the high technology industries and moderate oil wealth, it has become a rich nation in South-East Asia. Malaysia, for most visitors, presents a happy mix: there is high-tech infrastructure and things generally work well and more or less on schedule, but prices remain reasonable and vibrant.

Kuala Lumpur - the capital: See Kuala Lumpur’s famous attractions, old aSelangor surrounds the capital city and is home to many city commuters who commute to neighbouring Petaling Jaya or KL. Moving at a slower pace, it is also touched by a regal atmosphere as Selangor is home to the country's most influential sultan. His palace stands high on a hill in the state capital of Shah Alam, which overlooks his neat and carefully planned city. Until just 25 years ago, what is now the state capital was little more than a rubber and palm oil plantation. But in the late 70s, a massive building programme spawned a well-developed infrastructure and a rapidly growing population.

Rich in history and culture, it is home to spiritual landmarks like the Batu Caves and our very own Blue Mosque. The Batu Caves are a focal point for Malaysia's millions of Hindus. A shrine, located in a huge cave 15 km north of KL, comes alive every January or February when up to a million devotees flock to the shrine for the exhuberant and colourful holiday of Thaipusam.

The Shah Alam mosque: nicknamed The Blue Mosque for its blue aluminium dome covered in verses from the Quran, is Malaysia's largest mosque and can accommodate 24,000 worshippers. Its four minarets are the world's tallest at over 140m,

And new, on a comprehensive, eight-hour day tour. You’ll see the contrasting sights of Kuala Lumpur’s Indo-Moorish architecture and ultra-modern skyscrapers like the Petronas Twin Towers, pay a visit to the National Museum, enjoy a buffet lunch at a local restaurant and enter the mysterious Batu Caves.

Selangor surrounds the capital city and is home to many city commuters who commute to neighbouring Petaling Jaya or KL. Moving at a slower pace, it is also touched by a regal atmosphere as Selangor is home to the country's most influential sultan. His palace stands high on a hill in the state capital of Shah Alam, which overlooks his neat and carefully planned city. Until just 25 years ago, what is now the state capital was little more than a rubber and palm oil plantation. But in the late 70s, a massive building programme spawned a well-developed infrastructure and a rapidly growing population.

Rich in history and culture, it is home to spiritual landmarks like the Batu Caves and our very own Blue Mosque. The Batu Caves are a focal point for Malaysia's millions of Hindus. A shrine, located in a huge cave 15 km north of KL, comes alive every January or February when up to a million devotees flock to the shrine for the exhuberant and colourful holiday of Thaipusam. The Shah Alam mosque, nicknamed The Blue Mosque for its blue aluminium dome covered in verses from the Quran, is Malaysia's largest mosque and can accommodate 24,000 worshippers. Its four minarets are the world's tallest at over 140m.

Ipoh - capital of Perak, famous for its Chinese food, tin mines and limestone mountains and caves. Johor Bahru - capital of Johor, and gateway to Singapore.

Kota Kinabalu - capital of Sabah, and the largest city in East Malaysia.
Often called the 'Land Below the Wind' because it lies below the typhoon belt, Sabah occupies the eastern part of North Borneo and is East Malaysia's second largest state with an area of 74,500 sq.km. Sabah has the South China Sea on the west and the Sulu and Celebes Seas on the east.

Mountainous and largely carpeted by lush tropical rainforests, its population of nearly two million is made up of 32 colourful ethnic communities.

Kota Kinabalu, the capital, lies in a fertile lowland plain where most commercial and administrative activities are concentrated. But the 'real' Sabah can best be found in its countryside.

Kinabalu Park has been listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site, due to the diversity of plant life and wildlife there. It provides a challenging climb amidst a lush virgin rainforest, where you can find hidden hot springs in cool high altitudes.

Kuching - capital of Sarawak The name 'Borneo' has long meant magic to travellers, and if you skip Sarawak, you'll miss something special. The state has a superb system of national parks, beautiful beaches and a diverse thriving tribal culture whose hospitality to strangers is unmatched. Situated on the north-western coast of Borneo, the Land of Hornbills beckons the visitor with its rich rainforests, intricate weave of rivers, pepper plantations, and the diverse cultures of its indigenous people.

Sarawak shares its borders with Indonesia's Kalimantan province in the south and Brunei and Sabah in the north-east. Sarawak is Malaysia's largest state, covering an area of 124, 450 sq.km. with one of the most pleasant cities in all of Asia, Kuching, as its capital.

Malacca - the historical city of Malaysia.

Miri - the resort city of Sarawak and gateway to UNESCO World Heritage Site Gunung Mulu National Park.

Putrajaya - the administrative centre of Malaysia, known for its lavish buildings, bridges and man-made lakes.

Islands:
Some of the most stunningly beautiful things about Malaysia are its tropical islands. And there's more to them than sun, sand and surf: particularly on the East Coast and Borneo's Sipadan there are coral reefs and hence excellent diving.

Labuan - offshore finance centre off the coast of East Malaysia, Borneo.

Langkawi - newly developed West Coast island home to some of Malaysia's most opulent resorts and the Pulau Paya Marine Park Langkawi, also known as Pulau Lagenda or the legendary island consists of 99 islands shrouded in fascinating myths and legends. Its breathtaking scenery, rustic ambience, enchanting marine life and spectacular limestone formations make it an ideal holiday destination. Langkawi’s duty-free status offers attractive shopping opportunities.

Pangkor - fishing community and less well-known tourist destination off the west coast.

Penang - former British colony known as the "Pearl of the Orient", and bustling island city with excellent cuisine Penang, often referred to as the Pearl of the Orient, is one of the most picturesque and romantic cities in all of Asia. This tropical island lies in the Indian Ocean, just off the north-west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Penang received its name from the Pinang, or Betel Nut tree, once commonly found on the island. Established as the first British trading post in the Far East in 1776, On Penang Island sits the capital, Georgetown, a city steeped in history and tradition yet sparkling with progress and modern development. Penang today is a bustling metropolis reflecting a uniquely exotic blend of East and West,is a shopper's paradise for goods old and new, at bargain prices. The state of Penang consists of the island of Penang and a strip of land on the mainland known as Seberang Prai.The Penang Bridge, one of the longest in Asia at 13.5 km, links the two land masses. Penang is also connected by a ferry service to the mainland.

Perhentian Islands - glittering jewels off the East Coast still undiscovered by mass tourism.

Redang Island - popular destination for scuba divers.

Pulau Redang - located 45km off the coast of Kuala Terengganu, is the largest of a group of nine. This paradise island is perfect for snorkelling, swimming, scuba-diving, jungle trekking, boating and canoeing protected islands dotting the South China Sea off the Terengganu coast.
Pulau Redang is larger and has more activity on it, the two Pulau Perhentian islands are smaller and quieter.

Sipadan Island - remote scuba diving paradise at the easternmost tip of Malaysia of Sabah, has been one of the top five dive sites in the world for years. This is attributed to unique underwater goegraphy that encourages proliferation of wildlife. Leatherback turtles, barracuda and white tipped sharks are a common sight while diving in Sipadan.

Tenggol Island

Tioman Island - once nominated one of the most beautiful islands in the world

Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park
The local climate is equatorial and characterized by the annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

It's hot and humid year-round in Malaysia with temperatures rarely dropping below 20°C (68°F), even at night, and usually climbing to 30°C (86°F) or more during the day. The tropics can take some adjusting to so take it easy when you first arrive and avoid running around in the heat of the midday sun. Throughout the region the humidity tends to hover around the 90% mark, but on the peninsula you can always escape from heat and humidity by retreating to the delightfully cool hill stations.

The region has a monsoonal climate, but only the east coast of peninsular Malaysia has a real rainy season. The wettest season on the west coast of the peninsula is between September and December; on the east coast and in Sabah and Sarawak it's between October and February. Rain, when it comes, generally interrupts the sunshine only briefly; most of it falls in short, strong bursts.