43 Amazing Facts About Malaysia That Will Inspire You To Travel There

Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia.

The South China Sea divides this country into two parts which are the Malaysian Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia share their borders with nations like Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia.

The country got independence on August 31, 1957. Prior to that, it was a part of the British colony. The largest city of this island country is Kuala Lumpur. This is also the national capital of this Asian country.

This is a country that follows the Federal Constitutional Monarchy system. It has 13 states. According to the human population rank, this South Eastern Asian country is the 44th populous country in the world.

The Malaysian flag is known as Stripes of Glory. It has a crescent moon and a yellow star. Along with that, there are 14 alternative red and white stripes. The crescent moon represents Islam, and the star represents the Malay rulers.

Cultural Diversity

Among so many nations in the entire world, Malaysia is considered one of the most diverse countries.

Malaysian population consists of 60.4% of Muslims, 19.2% Buddhists, 9.1 % of Christians, 6.3 % of Hindus, and the rest of the population follows Confucianism, Taoism, and other indigenous religions.

Due to such diverse ethnicity, Malaysian people have various kinds of wedding traditions.

Besides being incredibly diverse with its ethnic group, this country is linguistically diverse as well.

It has 22 languages that belong to foreign counties and has 112 indigenous languages.

This religious and ethnic diversity leads to observations of various kinds of festivals. 

Besides these religious festivals, there are various secular festivals like Independence Day, Malaysia Day, and Labor Day.

The Muslims of the entire nation celebrate religious festivals like Islamic New year, Muharram, and Maulidur Rasul.

Other popular festivals are Chinese New Year, Hindu festivals like Diwali and Thaipusam are celebrated in this nation as well.

There is a Malaysian sport or tradition where people fly kites. This day or festival is known as Wau.

Music is an integral part of the Malayan culture and is performed at weddings, festivals, ceremonies, and harvest.

Incredible Food

As there is a huge diversity in this country, we can also find various kinds of cuisines over here.

70% of the rice produced is consumed within the country, and the rest is exported to other countries.

Penang, the food capital of this nation, serves food from all ethnic backgrounds making it a must-visit for tourists.

Being an island country, people over here consume a lot of seafood like fish, prawns, shrimps, octopus, snails, and sea cucumbers.

Chilli pepper is one of the essential kitchen ingredients and is found in every Malaysian home.

To make their food more flavorful, Malaysians add a shrimp paste known as belacan.

Coconut is also a common ingredient in Malaysian cuisines.

Not only coconut but all parts of the tree have culinary usage.

Malaysians also use various kinds of soy sauce and lemongrass to flavor their dishes.

Malaysians eat beef, poultry, and mutton, which are halal because 60% of the country is Muslim.

Although the Muslim population avoids pork, the Malaysian Chinese people love and consume pork.

Tofu dishes are famous and widely made as well in this country.

Malaysian fruits are unique to this country, like Durian. Durian is a fruit that has a very foul smell and is indigenous to this Asian country. Other indigenous fruits include Jambu Batu, Rose apple, Pomelo, and Rambutan.

Geography, Climate And Biodiversity

Malaysia has a very tropical climate that does not match with other Asian countries like Japan or Korea. Like other nations, it has a very diverse geography and biodiversity, including the sea coast, high lands, mountains, and plains.

The temperature of Malaysia is almost constant throughout the entire year. The average temperature is 80°F (27 °c).

The seasons of this country are generally dependent on rainfall. They have rainfall throughout the year, and therefore there are many flood-prone areas in this nation.

The annual rainfall of this country is more or less 100 in (2,540 mm).

Malaysian Peninsular lies in the tropical typhoon belt.

Mount Kinabalu is the tallest mountain peak in this country. The peak is about 13,455 ft (4,101 m) above sea level.

There is a Kinabalu Park, first established in 1964 by the Malayan government.

Among the other national parks, Kinabalu Park was selected as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in the year 2000.

The Malayan tiger is listed as one of the Critically Endangered animals by IUCN. Less than 300 tigers are left in the present.

Malaysia also has the largest cave in the world, and it is situated at the Gunung Mulu National Park in Borneo Island.

Economic Development

Malaysia's economic development had increased in the 20th century after they gained their independence. And it has been forecast by the experts that this country might hit the high-income economy by 2024. As of today, it is categorized as an upper-middle-income country.

The main economic resources for this island country are their natural resources like palm oil and rubber.

The trade GDP of this county is above 130 % (since 2010) and has one of the most flexible open economies globally.

Malaysia ranks 55th out of 157 countries in the World Bank's Human Capital index.

Coronavirus pandemic had affected the low economic household of this country which sums to 40% of the total population.

Even though the country is performing well in eradicating poverty, income inequality, that is, unfair distribution of wealth among the citizens, is still higher than in other Asian countries.

George Town, Ipoh, and Kuala Lumpur serve as the urban centers with banking, entertainment, shopping, and insurance sectors dominating the scene.

Fishing and aquaculture also contribute significantly to the GDP of the country.

Home Of Islands

Malaysia is an island country. It constitutes numerous large and small islands. Here is a list of islands you won't regret visiting.

Whales can be spotted or found on the island of Layang Layangn.

Mesmerizing coral reefs can be found on Redang Island.

Famous Mud Volcanoes of this country are situated in the Pulau Tiga.

Beautiful waterfalls can be witnessed on Tioman Island.

To observe rare sea creatures, Selingan Turtle Island is one of the perfect destinations.

Adventure sports form an essential part of any vacation, and scuba diving is the ideal adventurer's experience. And this is only possible on the Island of Sipadan.

FAQs

Q. What is Malaysia's old name?

A. Previously, Malaysia was known as the Federation of Malaya. And the peninsula was known as the Malay peninsula. Malaya gained its independence in 1957 from the British. Later in 1963, three more colonies, namely Singapore, Sabah, and Sarawak, merged with the Federation of Malaya. During this new merger, the new name 'Malaysia' was adopted.

Q. Is Malaysia very hot?

A. The temperature in Malaysia hovers between 68-86°F (20-30°C) throughout the year. It enjoys tropical weather, but the climate is often humid over there due to its proximity to the sea. So it's never too hot.

Q. What is Malaysia's national dish?

A. Nasi lemak is the national dish of this country. Various versions of Nasi lemak can be found throughout entire Southeastern Asia, but people of the Malay peninsula claim the dish to be theirs. Nasi lemak is a dish made with fragrant rice, which is usually cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf.

Q. What are Malaysia's traditional beliefs?

A. As there are various cultures in Malaysia, there are various traditions as well. The main religion of this country is Islam, and hence Islamic traditions are popularly followed. People also use the Hindu and Buddhist traditions as well. As many Chinese reside here, Taoist and Confucianist traditions are also followed by many.

Q. What is the main culture of Malaysia?

A. In Malaysia, there are people from different cultures residing together. There are Malay culture, Chinese culture, Indian culture, and indigenous cultures that belong to the peninsula.

Q. Why does Malaysia not have four seasons?

A. Unlike other island countries like Japan, Taiwan, and Korea, Malaysia does not have four seasons in a year as it lies in the tropical belt. It has tropical weather throughout the year and sees sunny skies and tropical rainfall almost all year around.

Q. What is the tallest pair of buildings in Malaysia?

A. Petronas towers are the tallest pair of buildings in Malaysia. This is a pair of skyscrapers, mainly serving as an office building, and is situated in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city. The height of these towers is 1,483 ft (451.9 m) and has 88 floors. It was the tallest building until 2004.

Q. Who built Twin Towers in Malaysia?

A. The Twin Towers or Petronas Towers was designed and built by an American architect Cesar Pelli and his associates.

Q. What are the islands in Malaysia called?

A. Islands in Malaysia are referred to as 'Pulau.' Some famous Pulau or islands of Malaysia are Pulau Penang, Pulau Langkawi, Pulau Tioman, among several others.

Q. Which one is the largest island in Malaysia?

A. Banggi Island, also known as Pulau Banggi in the Malay language, is the largest island in the country with an area of 170 sq mi (440.7 sq km).

Q. What are the two main islands of Malaysia?

A. The two main islands of Malaysia are known as East Malaysia, also known as Malaysia Timur, and West Malaysia, which is also called Malaysia.