General information
Capital : Kuala Lumpur
Population : 22.2 Million (2000)
Area : 329,749 sq km
Official languages : Malay
Currency : Ringgit Malaysia (RM) 1 Ringgit = 100 sen
Main cities : Kuala Lumpur , Ipoh , Georgetown , Petaling Jaya, Putrajaya
Government
Form : Federal constitutional monarchy
Independent : 31 August 1957
Head of state : Monarch (elected every 5 years)
Head of government :Prime Minister
Legislature :Two legislative houses (Senate and House of Representatives)
Executive : Prime Minister and Cabinet
Judiciary : Supreme Court (highest court )
Political division : 13 states, 2 federal territories
National economy
Gross national product : US$ 73,929,000,000 RM 295.8 Billion (2000)
Per capital income : US$ 3,349 RM 12,724 (2000)
Agriculture : Rice, coconuts, natural rubber, palm kernels, sugar cane, bananas, pepper
Livestock : Pigs, chickens, cattle
Fisheries : 1,306,000 metric tons
Mining : Bauxite, iron ore, copper ore, tin, crude petroleum
Industries : Rubber & oil palm processing & manufacturing, light manufacturing industries, electronics, tin mining, smelting, petroleum production, logging.
Main exports : Electronics, electrical machinery & appliances, petroleum products, palm oil, wood products, rubber products, textiles, clothing and footwear
Transportation : 1806 km railroads, 92,545 km roads, 5 major airports
Trading partners : United States , Singapore , Japan , Hong Kong , Netherlands , Taiwan
People
Urban : 51%
Ethnic composition : Malay and other indigenous peoples (59%); Chinese (32%); Indian (9%)
Life expectancy :69.8 years - males; 74.8 years - females
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