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Constitution:

31 August 1957 (amended many times, latest in 2007)

Legal system:

based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; Islamic law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law and religion; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Paramount Ruler Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin (since 13 December 2006)

head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since 31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak (since 7 January 2004)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler

elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held on 3 November 2006 (next to be held in 2011); prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister

election results: Sultan MIZAN Zainal Abidin elected paramount ruler

note: position of paramount ruler is primarily ceremonial; in practice, selection is based on principle of rotation among rulers of states

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by paramount ruler, 26 elected by 13 state legislatures; to serve three-year terms with limit of two terms) and House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - BN coalition 50.3%, opposition parties 46.8%, others 2.9%; seats - BN coalition 140, opposition parties 82

Judicial branch:

Civil Courts include Federal Court, Court of Appeal, High Court of Malaya on peninsula Malaysia, and High Court of Sabah and Sarawak in states of Borneo (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the advice of the prime minister); Sharia Courts include Sharia Appeal Court, Sharia High Court, and Sharia Subordinate Courts at state-level and deal with religious and family matters such as custody, divorce, and inheritance, only for Muslims; decisions of Sharia courts cannot be appealed to civil courts

Political parties and leaders:

National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN (ruling coalition) consists of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party or PGRM [KOH Tsu Koon - acting] Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [LIEW Vui Keong] Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting] Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy VELLU] Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP] Parti Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan] Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu or PBB [Abdul TAIB Mahmud] Parti Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING] Sabah Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee] Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam] United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi] United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard DOMPOK] People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk Malaysia) or PPP [M.Kayveas] Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party or SPDP [William MAWAN])

People's Alliance (Pakatan Rakyat) or PR (opposition coalition) consists of the following parties:: Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh] Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang] People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismael] Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DUNDANG]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador RAJMAH binti Hussain

chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700

FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador James KEITH

embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 50400

mailing address: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152

telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000

FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Flag description:

14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based on the flag of the US

Economy Malaysia

Economy - overview:

Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. Since coming to office in 2003, Prime Minister ABDULLAH has tried to move the economy farther up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in high technology industries, medical technology, and pharmaceuticals. The Government of Malaysia is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand to wean the economy off of its dependence on exports. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics - remain a significant driver of the economy. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce government subsidies. Malaysia "unpegged" the ringgit from the US dollar in 2005 and the currency appreciated 6% per year against the dollar in 2006-07. Although this has helped to hold down the price of imports, inflationary pressures began to build in 2007. Healthy foreign exchange reserves and a small external debt greatly reduce the risk that Malaysia will experience a financial crisis over the near term similar to the one in 1997. The government presented its five-year national development agenda in April 2006 through the Ninth Malaysia Plan, a comprehensive blueprint for the allocation of the national budget from 2006-10. With national elections expected within the year, ABDULLAH has unveiled a series of ambitious development schemes for several regions that have had trouble attracting business investment. Real GDP growth has averaged about 6% per year under ABDULLAH, but regions outside of Kuala Lumpur and the manufacturing hub Penang have not fared as well.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$357.4 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$186.5 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

6.3% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$13,300 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 9.9%

industry: 45.3%

services: 44.8% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

10.94 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 13%

industry: 36%

services: 51% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:

3.2% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

5.1% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.4%

highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

46.1 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.1%

note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $40.69 billion

expenditures: $46.7 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt:

41.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Agriculture - products:

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber, pepper, timber

Industries:

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging

Industrial production growth rate:

3.2% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

82.36 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 89.5%

hydro: 10.5%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:

78.72 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2005)

Oil - production:

751,800 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption:

501,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:

611,200 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:

278,600 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:

3 billion bbl (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production:

60.9 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

31.84 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

29.06 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

2.037 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Current account balance:

$26.05 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$181.2 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Exports - partners:

US 18.8%, Singapore 15.4%, Japan 8.9%, China 7.2%, Thailand 5.3%, Hong Kong 4.9% (2006)

Imports:

$145.7 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

Imports - partners:

Japan 13.3%, US 12.6%, China 12.2%, Singapore 11.7%, Thailand 5.5%, Taiwan 5.5%, South Korea 5.4%, Germany 4.4% (2006)

Economic aid - recipient:

$31.6 million (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$101.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external:

$53.45 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$86.31 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$44.15 billion (2007 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$235.4 billion (2006)

Currency (code):

ringgit (MYR)

Currency code:

MYR

Exchange rates:

ringgits per US dollar - 3.46 (2007), 3.6683 (2006), 3.8 (2005), 3.8 (2004), 3.8 (2003)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Communications Malaysia

Telephones - main lines in use:

4.342 million (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

19.464 million (2006)

Telephone system:

general assessment: modern system; international service excellent

domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations; combined fixed-line and mobile cellular teledensity approaching 100 per 100 persons

international: country code - 60; landing point for several major international submarine cable networks that provide connectivity to Asia, Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Radios:

10.9 million (1999)

Television broadcast stations:

88 (mainland Malaysia 51, Sabah 16, and Sarawak 21) (2006)

Televisions:

10.8 million (1999)

Internet country code:

.my

Internet hosts:

337,674 (2007)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

7 (2000)

Internet users:

11.292 million (2006)

Transportation Malaysia

Airports:

116 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 36

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 9

1,524 to 2,437 m: 8

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 6 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 80

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 7

under 914 m: 72 (2007)

Heliports:

2 (2007)

Pipelines:

condensate 282 km; gas 5,273 km; oil 1,750 km; oil/gas/water 19 km; refined products 114 km (2007)

Railways:

total: 1,890 km

standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,833 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways:

total: 98,721 km

paved: 80,280 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways)

unpaved: 18,441 km (2004)

Waterways:

7,200 km

note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km (2005)

Merchant marine:

total: 304 ships (1000 GRT or over) 6,154,877 GRT/8,364,578 DWT

by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 98, chemical tanker 30, container 47, liquefied gas 30, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 68, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 4

foreign-owned: 43 (China 1, Germany 2, Hong Kong 14, Japan 4, Singapore 22)

registered in other countries: 67 (Bahamas 11, Kiribati 1, Marshall Islands 3, Mongolia 1, Panama 14, Philippines 2, Singapore 28, Thailand 3, US 4, unknown 1) (2007)

Ports and terminals:

Bintulu, Johor Bahru, Kuantan, Labuan, George Town (Penang), Port Kelang, Tanjung Pelepas

Military Malaysia

Military branches:

Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2008)

Military service age and obligation:

18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,440,338

females age 16-49: 6,280,826 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 5,374,006

females age 16-49: 5,316,865 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

males age 16-49: 260,725

females age 16-49: 247,309 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:

2.03% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Malaysia

Disputes - international:

Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings in response to the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge; ICJ awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also claimed by Indonesia and Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime boundary and sovereignty of Unarang rock in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; Brunei and Malaysia are still considering international adjudication over their disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds, where hydrocarbon exploration was terminated in 2003; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait