GEOGRAPHY
Location: Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern
one-third of the island of Borneo bordering the Java Sea and
the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total area: 329,750 sq km (127,316 sq. mi.)
land area: 328,550 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries: total 2,669 km, Brunei 381 km, Indonesia
1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Coastline: 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km,
East Malaysia 2,607 km) Peninsular Malaysia is separated from
East Malaysia on Borneo by 644 km. (400 mi.) of the South China
Sea.
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation;
specified boundary in the South China Sea
Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October)
and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Terrain: coastal plains rising to hills and jungle-covered
mountains
Cities: Capital--Kuala Lumpur (1.6 million). Other
cities--Penang, Petaling Jaya, Ipoh, Malacca, Johore Bahru,
Kuching, Kota Kinabalu.
Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper,
iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Environment:
current issues: air pollution from industrial and
vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation
natural hazards: flooding
