Part 516

Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 12% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 68% other : 17% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,400 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding, landslides

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Desertification

Geography - note: strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

@Malaysia:People

Population: 20,491,303 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 36% (male 3,776,400; female 3,587,445) 15-64 years: 60% (male 6,153,173; female 6,171,287) 65 years and over: 4% (male 350,523; female 452,475) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.15% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 26.94 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.43 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth : 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population : 1.01 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population : 70.06 years male: 67.08 years female: 73.22 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.4 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality: noun: Malaysian(s) adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups: Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 26%, Indian 7%, others 9%

Religions: Peninsular Malaysia - Muslim (Malays), Buddhist (Chinese), Hindu (Indians); Sabah - Muslim 38%, Christian 17%, other 45%; Sarawak - tribal religion 35%, Buddhist and Confucianist 24%, Muslim 20%, Christian 16%, other 5%

Languages: Peninsular Malaysia - Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects, Tamil; Sabah - English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Chinese (Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate); Sarawak - English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.5% male: 89.1% female : 78.1% (1995 est.)

@Malaysia:Government

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia former : Malayan Union

Data code: MY

Government type: constitutional monarchy note: Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963; nominally headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament; Peninsular Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, where governors are appointed by Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; Sabah - self-governing state, holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak - self-governing state, holds 27 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government

National capital: Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions: 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 2 federal territories* (wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*