Form of government: federal constitutional monarchy with two legislative houses (Senate [69{1}]; House of Representatives [192]).
Chief of state: Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Paramount Ruler).
Head of government: Prime Minister.
Capital: Kuala Lumpur.
Official language: Malay.
Official religion: Islam.
Monetary unit: 1 ringgit, or Malaysian dollar (M$)=100
cents; valuation (Oct. 6, 1995) 1 U.S.$=M$2.54; 1 
=M$4.01.
Population (1995): 19,948,000.
Density (1995): persons per sq mi 156.4, persons per sq km 60.4.
Urban-rural (1995): urban 54.0%; rural 46.0%.
Sex distribution (1995): male 50.36%; female 49.64%.
Age breakdown (1995): under 15, 35.8%; 15-29, 27.4%; 30-44, 19.9%; 45-59, 10.6%; 60-74, 5.1%; 75 and over, 1.2%.
Population projection: (2000) 22,087,000; (2010) 25,989,000.
Doubling time: 30 years.
Ethnic composition (1995): Malay and other indigenous (Orang Asli, or Bumiputera) 59.9%; Chinese 29.9%; Indian 9.5%; other nonindigenous 0.7%.
Religious affiliation (1980): Muslim 52.9%; Buddhist 17.3%; Chinese folk-religionist 11.6%; Hindu 7.0%; Christian 6.4%; other 4.8%.
Major cities (1991): Kuala Lumpur 1,145,075; Ipoh 382,633; Johor Baharu 328,646; Melaka 295,999; Petaling Jaya 254,849.
Birth rate per 1,000 population (1994): 28.0 (world avg. 25.0).
Death rate per 1,000 population (1994): 5.0 (world avg. 9.3).
Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1994): 23.0 (world avg. 15.7).
Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1995): 3.4.
Marriage rate per 1,000 population: n.a.
Divorce rate per 1,000 population: n.a.
Life expectancy at birth (1994): male 69.0 years; female 73.0 years.
Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1992): diseases of the circulatory system 54.1; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 32.8; accidents, homicide, and other violence 28.5; infectious and parasitic diseases 13.2; diseases of the respiratory system 7.5; endocrine and metabolic disorders 6.2; diseases of the digestive system 2.4.
Budget (1994). Revenue: M$44,730,000,000 (income tax 43.0%, nontax revenue 21.6%, import duties 12.1%, sales taxes 8.5%). Expenditures: M$33,285,000,000 (social services 33.9%, security 15.2%, administration 10.5%, economic services 8.4%).
Tourism (1993): receipts from visitors U.S.$1,876,000,000; expenditures by nationals abroad U.S.$1,960,000,000.
Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1994): palm oil 7,220,410, rice 2,040,000, rubber 1,074,000, bananas 526,000, pineapples 270,000, cacao beans 230,000; livestock (number of live animals) 3,098,000 pigs, 686,000 cattle, 356,000 goats, 336,000 sheep, 186,000 buffalo, 98,000,000 chickens; roundwood (1993) 54,332,000 cu m; fish catch (1993) 680,000. Mining and quarrying (1994): iron ore 202,682; bauxite 161,919; copper concentrates 106,468; tin concentrates 6,458. Manufacturing (1993): cement 8,797,000; refined sugar 957,000; wheat flour 621,000; fertilizer (1992) 325,000; plywood 2,491,000 cu m; radio receivers 34,537,000 units; automotive tires 9,486,000 units. Construction (completed; 1986){2}: residential 8,809,100 sq m; nonresidential 959,900 sq m. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1993) 35,579,000,000 (35,554,000,000); coal (metric tons; 1993) 260,000 (2,081,000); crude petroleum (barrels; 1993) 233,685,000 (82,477,000); petroleum products (metric tons; 1993) 11,089,000 (15,732,000); natural gas (cu m; 1993) 21,399,000,000 (6,150,000,000).
Gross national product (1993): U.S.$60,141,000,000 (U.S.$3,160 per capita).
Public debt (external, outstanding; 1993): U.S.$13,863,000,000.
Population economically active (1993): total 7,646,000; activity rate 40.1% (participation rates: ages 15-64 [1990] 66.5%; female [1990] 35.5%; unemployed 3.6%).
Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1991) 4.9; annual income per household (1987) M$12,890 (U.S.$5,120); sources of income: n.a.; expenditure (1983): food 28.7%, transportation 20.9%, recreation and education 11.0%, housing 10.2%, household durable goods 7.7%, clothing and footwear 4.3%, health 2.5%.
Land use (1993): forested 67.9%; meadows and pastures 0.1%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 14.9%; other 17.1%.
Imports (1993): M$117,423,000,000 (machinery and transport equipment 55.6%; basic manufactured goods 15.1%; chemicals 7.6%; food 5.0%; mineral fuels 3.6%; inedible crude materials 2.7%). Major import sources: Japan 27.4%; U.S. 16.9%; Singapore 15.2%; Taiwan 5.4%; Germany 3.8%; U.K. 3.1%; South Korea 3.0%; Australia 2.8%.
Exports (1993): M$121,214,000,000 (machinery and transport equipment 48.5%; mineral fuels 10.3%; basic manufactures 9.6%; inedible crude materials 9.1%; animal and vegetable oils 6.0%; food, beverages, and tobacco 3.4%). Major export destinations: Singapore 21.7%; U.S. 20.3%; Japan 13.0%; U.K. 4.2%; Hong Kong 4.1%; Germany 3.7%; Thailand 3.6%.
Transport. Railroads (1993): track length 2,222 km; passenger-km 1,848,000,000{4}; metric ton-km cargo 1,380,000,000{4}. Roads (1994): total length 92,443 km (paved 75%). Vehicles (1994): passenger cars 2,291,199; trucks and buses 501,096. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 552; total deadweight tonnage 2,916,315. Air transport (1994): passenger-km 17,466,000,000; metric ton-km cargo 765,920,000; airports (1995) 38.
Communications. Daily newspapers (1992): total number 39; circulation 2,200,000; circulation per 1,000 population 117. Radio (1994): 7,460,000 receivers (1 per 2.6 persons). Television (1994): 2,000,000 receivers (1 per 9.7 persons). Telephones (main lines; 1993): 2,410,700 (1 per 7.9 persons).
Educational attainment (1980). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no formal schooling 36.6%; primary education 42.1%; secondary 19.4%; higher 1.9%. Literacy (1995 est.): total population age 15 and over literate 83.5%; males literate 89.1%; females literate 78.1%.
Health: physicians (1992) 7,719 (1 per 2,412 persons); hospital beds (1993) 38,982 (1 per 489 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1994) 14.
Food (1992): daily per capita caloric intake 2,888 (vegetable products 84%, animal products 16%); 130% of FAO recommended minimum.
Total active duty personnel (1995): 114,500 (army 78.6%, navy 10.5%, air force 10.9%). Military expenditure as percentage of GDP (1994): 3.9% (world 2.6%); per capita expenditure U.S.$135.