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Malaysia lies in the heartland of Southeast Asia, close to the equator, and is made up of two quite separate regions – Peninsula Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on one-third of the island of Borneo bordering the Java Sea and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam. Each region has its own special characteristics, but one thing in common is the tropical rain forests, which cover most of the land, creating an exotic image for visitor. Malaysia is rice in natural resources, like rubber, tin, oil palm, tropical fruit, petroleum, timber, iron ore, natural gas and copper. In Peninsula Malaysia a mountainous spine known as the Main Range or Banjaran Titiwangsa runs from the Thai border southwards to Negeri Sembilan, effectively separating the eastern part of the Peninsula from the western. The Crocker Range in Sabah with an average range of 457 to 914 m separate the narrow lowland of the northwest coast from the interior. As a result of the configuration of the country and the heavy rainfall, there are many rivers and the longest river is the Rajang of Sarawak (563km), following by Sungai Pahang (475km) in Peninsula. The Crocker Range culminates in Gunung Kinabalu (4101m), the highest mountain in Malaysia and in Southeast Asia. In Sarawak the two highest peaks are Gunung Murud (2425m) and Gunung Mulu (2371m) which also boasts one of the largest natural caves in the world.Climate |
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Our People Malaysia is a nation of diversity in unity where Malays (55%), Chinese (28%), Indians (12%) and the indigenous people (5%) of, Orang Asli, Sabah (Iban) and Sarawak (Bidayuh) live in caring cultural harmony. As Malaysia is a multicultural society, people are free to choose their own religion, like Islam (Malays), Buddhist (Chinese), Hindu Tamil (Indians) and Christian (Chinese, Indians, Iban and others). Once you have overcome your jet-lag fatigue, step into the real heart of Malaysia-the citizens of the country. You would be pleasantly surprised at the warmth of Malaysians. For deeply entrenched within each of the different races is the engaging charm and traditional hospitality, which the country is renowned for. Malaysians enjoy meeting people from other land. So, do go right ahead and strike up a conversation. After all, the whole point of travelling is to know other cultures. |
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Currency
One ringgit (RM) = 100 sen
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The National Flag The National flag consists of fourteen red and white stripes (along the fly) of equal width, a union or canton of dark blue, a crescent and a star. The red and white stripes stand for the equal status in the federation of the member states and the federal government
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The
National Flower The national flower is bunga raya (hibiscus) (Rosasinensis) which has an interesting history. No one knows when flower was first introduced to Malaysia but undoubtedly it came by trade from its original homeland in China, Japan and the Pacific Islands, probably before the 12th century. From early times the bunga raya has been known to have many uses, mostly medicinal. Its petals were commonly used to darken and enhance women's eyebrows: some people still use the roots of the flowers as a cure for fever and other ailments. Skin eruptions and glandular trouble are said to be relieved by the application of the juice obtained from its leaves and roots, while a poultice prepared from the leaves is often applied to cure headache. The bunga raya is found abundantly in Malaysia today. It grows in several varieties of colors: the red, five- petalled grows in several varieties type was chosen for Malaysia's national flower. Fruits Of Malaysia An incredible number of exotic fruits are found all year round. Best places to buy fresh fruits are pasar tani (farmers market) or pasar malam (night markets). Here are brief descriptions about some of the fruits:
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Durian Be adventurous when trying this. The locals call it "The king of Fruits". Controversial for its smell, this thorny football-size fruit fetches a very high price. Its flesh defies all description. You'll just have to taste it!
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Pineapple If you in Johor, don't leave without trying the different varieties of pineapples. Johor, the 'Pineapple State' produced the juiciest pineapples. |
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| If you like to Know
more about Malaysia Please Visit our Malaysia Home Page at www.jaring.my/malaysia/
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