Wikijunior:Asia/Malaysia

Malaysia
Jakun people from Langkap Pass

Malaysia has a long and rich history that dates back thousands of years. Amongst the first people to live in Malaysia were indigenous tribes who lived in the rainforests and along the coast .Indigenous tribes, also known as indigenous peoples or native peoples, are groups of people who have lived in an area for many generations and have their own unique cultures, languages, and traditions. One of the largest and most well-known indigenous tribes in Malaysia is the Orang Asli, which means "original people" in Malay. The Orang Asli are made up of several different sub-groups, including Semai, Temuan, Semelai, and Jakun. They traditionally lived as hunter-gatherers and are skilled in the use of traditional medicine and natural resources.

From 15th up to 20th centuries, part of Malaysia was colonised by the foreign powers, particularly the Portuguese, Dutch, and British. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Malaysia, in the late 15th century. They established trading posts in Malacca and other parts of the region. The Dutch arrived in Malaysia in the 17th century and established a monopoly on the spice trade. They controlled the region for about 150 years, until the British arrived in the 19th century. The British established the Straits Settlements, which included the states of Penang, Malacca, and Singapore, and the British North Borneo Company, which controlled the states of Sabah and Sarawak. The British also introduced a system of administration and law that is still in use in Malaysia today. And thus Malaysia become a member of the Commonwealth (former British colony) , it represents the political marriage of territories that were formerly under British rule. When it was established on September 16, 1963, Malaysia comprised the territories of Malaya (now Peninsular Malaysia), the island of Singapore, and the colonies of Sarawak and Sabah in northern Borneo. In August 1965 Singapore seceded from the federation and became an independent republic ever since.

Since independence, Malaysia has made great strides in developing its economy and infrastructure. It is now a thriving and modern country with a strong tourism industry, a growing service sector, and a diverse manufacturing base. Malaysia is also a major exporter of products such as electronics, palm oil, and rubber.

The capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur and the international time used is UTC+8.

Where is Malaysia? edit

 
Malaysia map

Malaysia is a country of Southeast Asia, which lies just north of the Equator. It is composed of two non-contiguous regions: Peninsular Malaysia, also called West Malaysia (Malaysia Barat), which is located on the Asia mainland of Malay Peninsula, and East Malaysia (Malaysia Timur), which is on the island of Borneo. There are total of 16 states of Malaysia The West and East Malaysia are separated by South China Sea.

On Peninsular Malaysia, it is bordered by Thailand on the north and Singapore in south and bordering with Indonesia (Riau Island) on the west, which are separated by Straits of Malacca. Malaysian Borneo (or East Malaysia) located on the northern part of the island of Borneo in the South China Sea, bordering Indonesia and the state Sarawak is surrounding the Sultanate of Brunei . The country shares also maritime borders with the Philippines , Indonesia and Vietnam .

What is the currency of Malaysia? edit

 
1 Ringgit

The currency of Malaysia is in Ringgit Malaysia (MYR or RM) and the smaller denomination is the sen. 100 sen is equal to RM1.

The currency bank notes denomination is as followed: RM1, RM5, RM10, RM20, RM50, RM100 and the coins denomination is as followed: 5, 10, 20, 50 sen.

How many people live in Malaysia? edit

Malaysia consists of diverse of people living together with three major ethnicities: Malay, Chinese and Indian.

As of the 2020 census, 32.45 million lived in Malaysia. 69.4% of the population are Malay, 23.2% are Chinese, 6.7% are Indian and 0.7% are of other minor ethnicities.

What are the most common languages in Malaysia? edit

The official language spoken in Malaysia is the Malay language (Bahasa Melayu). Aside from Malay, English is also very commonly spoken in Malaysian. Aside from English, Chinese dialects such as Mandarin and Hokkien are also spoken in the country, primarily by those of Chinese ethnic origin. Tamil is also another popular language spoken in the country, primarily spoken by people from India.

What is the most common religion in Malaysia? edit

Islam, Malaysia’s official religion, is practiced by by about 63.5% of the population. Islam is one of the most important factors distinguishing a Malay from a non-Malay, and, by law, all Malays are Muslim.

What are some important sites? edit

 
Pinnacles in Gunung Mulu National Park
  • George Town – the heritage street consists of the some popular hawker (street food) and murals drawing in the area.
  • Melaka – famous historical landmarks such as A Farmosa Fort and Christ Church
  • Gunung Mulu National Park – famed for its impressive karst formations. The park is home to one of the world's longest cave systems.
  • Batu Caves – one of the largest Hindu temples in Southeast Asia, having being used continually as a religious site since 1878.
  • Petronas Towers (Petronas Twin Towers) – 88-storey twin skyscrapers that characterise the outlook of Kuala Lumpur.
  • Kenyir Lake – the largest man-made lake in Southeast Asia.
  • Tioman – the largest island on Malaysia's East Coast.
  • Kapas Island – a famous scuba diving location.
  • Jungle Highway – a highway connecting Kelantan and Perak via Gerik.
  • Mount Kinabalu – Malaysia's highest mountain.
 
  Wikijunior:Asia edit