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Malaysia is a large Islamic country in Southeast Asia, consisting of Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. The Strait of Malacca is an important shipping route, and the area has been an important place in the world for thousands of years. The modern state of Malaysia was created in 1963 and is made up of just over 50% ethnic Malays. The country’s economy has grown substantially, despite a slowdown during the East Asian financial crisis.
Malaysia is a large Islamic country in Southeast Asia. All in all it covers 127,000 square miles (330,000 square km), making it a bit larger than Italy. It consists of two main parts: Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. The peninsula is part of mainland Asia, sharing a border with Thailand. Malaysian Borneo is part of the large island of Borneo, which shares the island with Brunei and Indonesian Borneo. These two large sections are separated by the South China Sea.
Between the peninsula and the island of Sumatra is the Strait of Malacca, arguably the most important shipping route in the world. It is through this channel that a huge amount of goods is transported from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean, and then from India to China and Indonesia. The Strait of Malacca is, as a result, one of the most pirated stretches of water in the world, although piracy appears to be in decline with the intervention of various navies.
The area that is now Malaysia was part of a much larger Malay group, which included many of the islands that are now part of the nation of Indonesia. For thousands of years this area has been an important place in the world, connecting so many great civilizations through its important shipping lanes. It was probably first settled around 60,000 years ago. Around 300 BC India began to take an interest in Malaya, both for its resources and as a meeting point with Chinese traders. Buddhism and Hinduism then asserted themselves and endured through various empires until around 1400 AD when Islam became the dominant religion. During the era of European conquest the area was contested by various colonial powers, with the artificial division created by the Dutch and British having perhaps the most lasting impact, separating what is now Indonesia from the rest of Malaysia.
The modern state of Malaysia was created in 1963, after officially declaring independence in 1957. While the country for this period was relatively free and open as a society, this came to a fairly abrupt end in 1969. Following brutal riots racial and subsequent state crackdowns, the Malaysian government adopted a “coalition” system that effectively enforced one-party rule. The nation is made up of just over 50% ethnic Malays, with the remainder of the population mainly made up of Chinese, Indians, and various indigenous groups. The nation is quite religiously diverse, with around 60% of the population adhering to Islam, 20% to Buddhism, 10% to Christianity, and just over 6% to Hinduism. Even with this diversity, however, the country remains an Islamic nation, governed by sharia law, with a number of restrictions on the free practice of religion, particularly in some states.
Economically, the country flourished following the consolidation of state power, with its economy growing by leaps and bounds until the East Asian financial crisis caused a substantial slowdown. Despite this bump, Malaysia’s economy continues to grow slowly and the country offers many excellent opportunities for visitors.
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