Malaysia’s location has long made it an important cultural, economic, historical, social, and trade link between the islands of Southeast Asia and the mainland. Through the Strait of Malacca, which separates the Malay Peninsula from the archipelago, flowed maritime trade and with it influences from China, India, the Middle East, and the east coast of Africa. Prior to the 14th century, several powerful maritime empires existed in what is modern-day Malaysia, including the Srivijayan, which controlled much of the southern part of the peninsula between the 7th and 13th centuries, and the Majapahit Empire, which took control over most of the peninsula and the Malay Archipelago between the 13th and 14th centuries. The adoption of Islam between the 13th and 17th centuries also saw the rise of a number of powerful maritime states and sultanates on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo, such as the port city of Malacca (Melaka), which at its height in the 15th century had a navy and hosted thousands of Chinese, Arab, Persian, and Indian merchants.
The Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century were the first European colonial powers to establish themselves on the Malay Peninsula and Southeast Asia. However, it was the British who ultimately secured their hegemony across the territory and during the late 18th and 19th centuries established colonies and protectorates in the area that is now Malaysia. These holdings were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula except Singapore formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore, as well as Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo, joined the Federation. The first several years of the country’s independence were marred by a communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore’s expulsion in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to the development of manufacturing, services, and tourism. Prime Minister MAHATHIR and a newly-formed coalition of opposition parties defeated Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak’s United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in May 2018, ending over 60 years of uninterrupted rule by UMNO. MAHATHIR resigned in February 2020 amid a political dispute. King ABDULLAH then selected Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin as the new prime minister.
Geography
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
Land boundaries
total: 2,742 km
border countries (3): Brunei 266 km, Indonesia 1881 km, Thailand 595 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
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,095 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 419 m
Natural resources
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use
agricultural land: 23.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 19.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.9% (2018 est.)
forest: 62% (2018 est.)
other: 14.8% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
3,800 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
a highly uneven distribution with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula
Natural hazards
flooding; landslides; forest fires
Geography – note
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
People and Society
Ethnic groups
Bumiputera 62.5% (Malays and indigenous peoples, including Orang Asli, Dayak, Anak Negeri), Chinese 20.6%, Indian 6.2%, other 0.9%, non-citizens 9.8% (2019 est.)
Languages
Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note – Malaysia has 134 living languages – 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages; in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages; the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
major-language sample(s):
Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Bahasa Malaysia)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Bahasa Malaysia audio sample:
Religions
Muslim (official) 61.3%, Buddhist 19.8%, Christian 9.2%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 1.3%, other 0.4%, none 0.8%, unspecified 1% (2010 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 26.8% (male 4,504,562/female 4,246,681)
15-24 years: 16.63% (male 2,760,244/female 2,670,186)
25-54 years: 40.86% (male 6,737,826/female 6,604,776)
55-64 years: 8.81% (male 1,458,038/female 1,418,280)
65 years and over: 6.9% (male 1,066,627/female 1,184,863) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 44.2
youth dependency ratio: 33.8
elderly dependency ratio: 10.4
potential support ratio: 9.7 (2020 est.)
Population distribution
a highly uneven distribution with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula
Urbanization
urban population: 77.7% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas – population
8.211 million KUALA LUMPUR (capital), 1.045 million Johor Bahru, 828,000 Ipoh (2021)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
29 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.87 years
male: 74.24 years
female: 77.62 years (2021 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
52.2% (2014)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 89.3% of population
total: 96.7% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 11.7% of population
total: 3.3% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
3.8% (2018)
Physicians density
1.54 physicians/1,000 population (2015)
Hospital bed density
1.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 98.7% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 1.3% of population
total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
water contact diseases: leptospirosis
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 96.2%
female: 93.6% (2019)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2017)
Environment
Environment – current issues
air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires; endangered species; coastal reclamation damaging mangroves and turtle nesting sites
Environment – international agreements
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 16.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 248.29 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 51.51 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Land use
agricultural land: 23.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 19.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.9% (2018 est.)
forest: 62% (2018 est.)
other: 14.8% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 77.7% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 1.57% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
water contact diseases: leptospirosis
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 12,982,685 tons (2014 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 2,271,970 tons (2016 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 17.5% (2016 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 1.342 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 1.641 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 2.505 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources
580 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Malaysia
local long form: none
local short form: Malaysia
former: Federation of Malaya
etymology: the name means “Land of the Malays”
Government type
federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
note: all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans) except Melaka (Malacca) and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration controls)
Capital
name: Kuala Lumpur; note – nearby Putrajaya is referred to as a federal government administrative center but not the capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur
geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the Malay word for “river junction or estuary” is “kuala” and “lumpur” means “mud”; together the words render the meaning of “muddy confluence”
Administrative divisions
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular – negeri); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu; and 1 federal territory (Wilayah Persekutuan) with 3 components, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya
Independence
31 August 1957 (from the UK)
National holiday
Independence Day (or Merdeka Day), 31 August (1957) (independence of Malaya); Malaysia Day, 16 September (1963) (formation of Malaysia)
Constitution
history: previous 1948; latest drafted 21 February 1957, effective 27 August 1957
amendments: proposed as a bill by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in the bill’s second and third readings; a number of constitutional sections are excluded from amendment or repeal; amended many times, last in 2019
Legal system
mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic (sharia) law, and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Court at request of supreme head of the federation
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Malaysia
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 out 12 years preceding application
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal (2019)
Executive branch
chief of state: King Sultan ABDULLAH Sultan Ahmad Shah (since 24 January 2019); note – King MUHAMMAD V (formerly known as Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra) (selected on 14 October 2016; installed on 13 December 2016) resigned on 6 January 2019; the position of the king is primarily ceremonial, but he is the final arbiter on the appointment of the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister ISMAIL SABRI Yaakob (since 21 August 2021); note – Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin resigned on 16 August 2021
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament with the consent of the king; note – cabinet dissolved 24 February 2020 with Prime Minister MAHATHIR resignation
elections/appointments: king elected by and from the hereditary rulers of 9 states for a 5-year term; election is on a rotational basis among rulers of the 9 states; election last held on 24 January 2019 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister designated from among members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister
Legislative branch
description: bicameral Parliament of Malaysia or Parlimen Malaysia consists of:
Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 members appointed by the king and 26 indirectly elected by 13 state legislatures; members serve 3-year terms)
House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) (2019)elections: Senate – appointed
House of Representatives – last held on 9 May 2018 (next to be held no later than May 2023)election results:
Senate – appointed; composition – men 54, women 14, percent of women 20.6%
House of Representatives – percent of vote by party/coalition – PH 45.6%, BN 33.8%, PAS 16.9%, WARISAN 2.3%, other 1.4%; seats by party/coalition – PH 113, BN 79, PAS 18, WARISAN 8, USA 1, independent 3; composition – men 199, women 23, percent of women 10.4%; note – total Parliament percent of women 12.8%note: as of 16 November 2019, seats by party – PH 129, BN 41, GS 18, GPS 18, WARISAN 9, GBS 3, UPKO 1, PSB 1, independent 1, vacant 1
Judicial branch
highest courts: Federal Court (consists of the chief justice, president of the Court of Appeal, chief justice of the High Court of Malaya, chief judge of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak, 8 judges, and 1 “additional” judge); note – Malaysia has a dual judicial hierarchy of civil and religious (sharia) courts
judge selection and term of office: Federal Court justices appointed by the monarch on advice of the prime minister; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 66 with the possibility of a single 6-month extension
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Sessions Court; Magistrates’ Court
Political parties and leaders
National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN:
Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LIOW Tiong Lai] Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. SUBRAMANIAM] United Malays National Organization or UMNO [Zahid HAMID](Formerly – Coalition of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH (formerly the People’s Alliance, before former PM MAHATHIR resigns 24 February 2020):
Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [TAN Kok Wai] Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM [Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin; note – former PM MAHATHIR steps down 24 Feb 2020] National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [Mohamad SABU] People’s Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [ANWAR Ibrahim]Coalition Perikatan Nasional or PN, after Pakatan Harapan or PH coalition fell apart 24 February 2020
Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM [Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin; note – former PM MAHATHIR steps down 24 Feb 2020] United Malays National Organization or UMNO [Zahid HAMID] People’s Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [ANWAR Ibrahim] Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang] Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [TAN Kok Wai] National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [Mohamad SABU]International organization participation
ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: (vacant)
chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
email address and website:
mwwashington@kln.gov.myhttps://www.kln.gov.my/web/usa_washington/home
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Brian D. McFeeters (since 26 February 2021)
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address: 4210 Kuala Lumpur, Washington DC 20521-4210
telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207
email address and website:
KLACS@state.govFlag description
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the flag is often referred to as Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of Glory); the 14 stripes stand for the equal status in the federation of the 13 member states and the federal government; the 14 points on the star represent the unity between these entities; the crescent is a traditional symbol of Islam; blue symbolizes the unity of the Malay people and yellow is the royal color of Malay rulers
note: the design is based on the flag of the US
National symbol(s)
tiger, hibiscus; national colors: gold, black
National anthem
name: “Negaraku” (My Country)
lyrics/music: collective, led by Tunku ABDUL RAHMAN/Pierre Jean DE BERANGER
note: adopted 1957; full version only performed in the presence of the king; the tune, which was adopted from a popular French melody titled “La Rosalie,” was originally the anthem of Perak, one of Malaysia’s 13 states
Economy
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$855.6 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$906.24 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$868.85 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$26,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$28,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$27,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$364.631 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
0.6% (2019 est.)
0.9% (2018 est.)
3.8% (2017 est.)
note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: BBB+ (2020)
Moody’s rating: A3 (2004)
Standard & Poors rating: A- (2003)
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 8.8% (2017 est.)
industry: 37.6% (2017 est.)
services: 53.6% (2017 est.)
GDP – composition, by end use
household consumption: 55.3% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 12.2% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 25.3% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.3% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 71.4% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -64.4% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
oil palm fruit, rice, poultry, eggs, vegetables, rubber, coconuts, bananas, pineapples, pork
Industries
Peninsular Malaysia – rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, petroleum and natural gas, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, electronics and semiconductors, timber processing;Sabah – logging, petroleum and natural gas production;Sarawak – agriculture processing, petroleum and natural gas production, logging
Population below poverty line
5.6% (2018 est.)
Public debt
54.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
56.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: this figure is based on the amount of federal government debt, RM501.6 billion ($167.2 billion) in 2012; this includes Malaysian Treasury bills and other government securities, as well as loans raised externally and bonds and notes issued overseas; this figure excludes debt issued by non-financial public enterprises and guaranteed by the federal government, which was an additional $47.7 billion in 2012
Fiscal year
calendar year
Exports
$207.37 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)
$237.83 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)
$245.89 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Exports – partners
Singapore 13%, China 13%, United States 11%, Hong Kong 6%, Japan 6%, Thailand 5% (2019)
Exports – commodities
integrated circuits, refined petroleum, natural gas, semiconductors, palm oil (2019)
Imports
$185.59 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)
$210.68 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)
$221.83 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Imports – partners
China 24%, Singapore 14%, Japan 6%, United States 6%, Taiwan 5%, Thailand 5% (2019)
Imports – commodities
integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, coal (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$102.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$94.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
ringgits (MYR) per US dollar –
4.064 (2020 est.)
4.161 (2019 est.)
4.166 (2018 est.)
3.91 (2014 est.)
3.27 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification – total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity – installed generating capacity
33 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity – from fossil fuels
78% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity – from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity – from hydroelectric plants
18% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity – from other renewable sources
4% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Crude oil – proved reserves
3.6 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Refined petroleum products – production
528,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products – consumption
704,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products – exports
208,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products – imports
304,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas – proved reserves
1.183 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 7,446,300
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22.7 (2019 est.)
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 44,600,700
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135.98 (2019 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment:
Broadcast media
state-owned TV broadcaster operates 2 TV networks with relays throughout the country, and the leading private commercial media group operates 4 TV stations with numerous relays throughout the country; satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates multiple national networks, as well as regional and local stations; many private commercial radio broadcasters and some subscription satellite radio services are available; about 55 radio stations overall (2019)
Broadband – fixed subscriptions
total: 2,964,500
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9.04 (2019 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 13 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 270
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 60,481,772 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,404,410,000 mt-km (2018)
Airports – with paved runways
total: 39
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 8 (2017)
Heliports
4 (2013)
Pipelines
354 km condensate, 6439 km gas, 155 km liquid petroleum gas, 1937 km oil, 43 km oil/gas/water, 114 km refined products, 26 km water (2013)
Railways
total: 1,851 km (2014)
standard gauge: 59 km 1.435-m gauge (59 km electrified) (2014)
narrow gauge: 1,792 km 1.000-m gauge (339 km electrified) (2014)
Roadways
total: 144,403 km (excludes local roads) (2010)
paved: 116,169 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways) (2010)
unpaved: 28,234 km (2010)
Waterways
7,200 km (Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km) (2011)
Merchant marine
total: 1,769
by type: bulk carrier 16, container ship 28, general cargo 174, oil tanker 153, other 1,398 (2021)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Bintulu, Johor Bahru, George Town (Penang), Port Kelang (Port Klang), Tanjung Pelepas
container port(s) (TEUs): Port Kelang (Port Klang) (13,580,717), Tanjung Pelepas (9,100,000) (2019)
LNG terminal(s) (export): Bintulu (Sarawak)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Sungei Udang
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM); Ministry of Home Affairs: the Royal Malaysian Police (PRMD, includes the General Operations Force, a paramilitary force with a variety of roles, including patrolling borders, counter-terrorism, maritime security, and counterinsurgency) (2021)
note: Malaysia created a National Special Operations Force in 2016 for combating terrorism threats; the force is comprised of personnel from the Armed Forces, the Royal Malaysian Police, and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Malaysian Coast Guard, MMEA)
Military expenditures
1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
1% of GDP (2019)
1% of GDP (2018)
1.1% of GDP (2017)
1.4% of GDP (2016)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Malaysian Armed Forces have approximately 115,000 active duty troops (80,000 Army; 18,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force) (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Malaysian Armed Forces field a diverse mix of imported weapons systems; the top suppliers of military hardware since 2010 are France, Germany, Spain, and Turkey (2020)
Military deployments
825 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Sep 2021)
Military service age and obligation
17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent and proof of age); mandatory retirement age 60; women serve in the Malaysian Armed Forces; no conscription (2019)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jemaah Islamiyah (JI); Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 119,579 (Burma) (2020)
stateless persons: 111,298 (2020); note – Malaysia’s stateless population consists of Rohingya refugees from Burma, ethnic Indians, and the children of Filipino and Indonesian illegal migrants; Burma stripped the Rohingya of their nationality in 1982; Filipino and Indonesian children who have not been registered for birth certificates by their parents or who received birth certificates stamped “foreigner” are not eligible to attend government schools; these children are vulnerable to statelessness should they not be able to apply to their parents’ country of origin for passports
Trafficking in persons
current situation: Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for women and children subjected to conditions of forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; Malaysia is mainly a destination country for foreign workers who migrate willingly from countries including Indonesia, Nepal, India, Thailand, China, the Philippines, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Vietnam, but subsequently they encounter forced labor or debt bondage at the hands of their employers in the domestic, agricultural, construction, plantation, and industrial sectors; a small number of Malaysian citizens were reportedly trafficked internally and to Singapore, China, and Japan for commercial sexual exploitation; refugees are also vulnerable to trafficking; some officials are reportedly complicit in facilitating trafficking; traffickers lure Rohingya women and girls residing in refugee camps in Bangladesh to Malaysia, where they are coerced to engage in commercial sex
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Malaysia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government identified more victims, increased the number of trafficking-specialist prosecutors, drafted victim identification standard operating procedures, identified two volunteer victim assistance specialists that worked with more than 100 victims, and co-hosted the first national conference on anti-trafficking; however, authorities prosecuted and convicted fewer traffickers and investigated few trafficking cases; despite the issue of corruption, insufficient efforts were made to prosecute officials’ complicity in trafficking-related crimes or to report the results of investigations into such crimes; insufficient interagency coordination and victim services discouraged foreign victims from participating in criminal proceedings; no resources were devoted to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards; Malaysia was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 (2020
- Source : CIA Factbook
