Malaysia located in southeast Asia. It consists of two parts that are interconnected by the South Korean Sea. Parts are called West and East Malaysia. The country borders in the south with Singapore and Indonesia, with Thailand and Brunei in the north.
The 2010 census data recorded a population of 28.3 million. A distinctive feature of Malaysia has become ethnic diversity. About 60.3% of the country falls on the Austronesian peoples, called the bumiputra. This includes the Malays and indigenous peoples who occupied these lands long before the arrival of the Malaysian nationality. Another significant ethnic group in the country is the Chinese. They account for 24.6% of the total population. The third most important diaspora is the Indians (7.1%).
The official language of the country has become Malay. But at the same time, all administrative institutions in everyday life freely use the English language. In ethnically heterogeneous areas, you can often hear conversations in national languages. So the Chinese in Malaysia use their native language, while the Indians use Tamil.
According to the Constitution of the state, citizens of the country have freedom of religion. But only Islam became the official state religion in Malaysia. It accounts for 61.3% of the total number of believers. Buddhists are much smaller - only 19.8%, Christians - 9.2%, and Hinduism, Confucianism and Taoism are extremely small.
The official currency of Malaysia has become a ringgit, consisting of 100 cents. 10 ringgits are approximately equal to 3.18 German marks.
Malaysia - the capital and major cities
The capital of Malaysia is the city of Kuala Lumpur. Translated, this name means "dirty mouth." The capital is located in the southwestern part of the Malacca Peninsula. The population of the city is 1.8 million people.
Kuala Lumpur is the largest city in the state. All significant cultural values are concentrated here. The capital is not only the administrative, but also the modern industrial and tourist center of Malaysia. It perfectly coexists with styles from different eras. The capital of the state looks very impressive and modern, despite the presence of a large number of architectural monuments of different times.
Here you can find buildings made in the Neo-Moorish, Tudor, Victorian, Neo-Gothic styles. Also in all its diversity are buildings from different ethnic and religious areas.
Other major cities in the country are Subang Jaya (number 1.32 million), Klang (part 1.05 million), Johor Bahru (part 895 thousand), Ampang Jaya (part 756 thousand) and others.
Malaysia - Holidays and Tours
The development of tourism in recent decades is due to the peculiarities of the economic policy of Malaysia. Her government is trying to minimize dependence on the import of foreign goods by expanding the scope of travel agencies. Today, tourism is the third component of the country's budget.
• Tours. Malaysia's sightseeing program is very diverse. Tourists are interested in tropical forest zones, rich wildlife of national parks, protected water areas, mountains of the island of Borneo with caves located here.
Architectural diversity captivates with the beauty of buildings belonging to different periods of the country's history.
• Beach holidays are an integral part of traveling to Malaysia. The most visited islands are Penang and Langkawi. They are located in the northwestern part of the coast. Here, the summer never stops. In the coldest winter month, the thermometer is at +30 degrees. The islands are characterized by beautifully equipped beaches and the proximity of wildlife. It has the cleanest water, so water activities are also available for tourists.
• Diving is a favorite type of outdoor activity for many guests of the country. The best months for scuba diving are December-March in the west of the country and March - October in the east. Sipadan Island is recognized as one of the best diving spots in the world. Due to the warm current, various exotic creatures inhabit coastal waters, which are objects for consideration by numerous tourists.
• Surfing - entertainment for the desperate. There are so many winds on the east coast that the most favorable conditions are created for lovers of extreme relaxation. The best period for riding the waves is considered the time from November to April.
• Ecotourism - a vacation for lovers of the animal and plant world. You can contemplate the rich flora and fauna of Malaysia in national parks and protected natural areas. The largest number of parks are located in the states of Sabah and Sarawah. A feature of such tourism was the elevated location of the trails. They pass along suspension bridges, above the surface of the green zone.
Malaysia - Attractions
In the capital of Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur, collected many interesting sights to see. Among them:
• Masjid Jamek Mosque,
• National Mosque,
• railroad station,
• Palace of the Sultan of Istan Negar,
• British court building,
• twin towers of Petronas and many others.
A few kilometers from the city, a National Zoo with an aquarium was built. It contains about 200 different species of animals, birds, reptiles. And the incredible size of the aquarium shows visitors 80 species of fish and marine animals.
A real collection of natural living beauty was the "Lake Garden". This is a park that has concentrated on its territory habitats for deer, butterflies, exotic birds and a magnificent orchid garden.
The famous stalactite caves are located in Batu. This area is one of the most visited places in Malaysia. A staircase consisting of 272 steps leads to the world-famous Temple Cave. These caves are considered Hindu shrines, every year they are visited by thousands of pilgrims from around the world.
Malaysia - weather (climate)
Malaysia has a hot and humid equatorial climate. Here the sun shines year-round. The average annual air temperature is +27 degrees. About 2.5 thousand mm of precipitation falls on the territory of the country.
The weather is determined by two monsoons: north-east and south-west. The climate mainly depends on the terrain. Therefore, it is conditionally divided into the climate of coastal zones, lowlands and hills. Coolest in the higher parts of the country.
Malaysia is often flooded due to the heavy rainfall. But the territory on which the state is located is stable from a seismic point of view. Tremors can be felt from neighboring, seismically active, regions - the Philippines and Indonesia.
Weather in Malaysia now:
Malaysia - Cuisine
The cuisine of Malaysia is as diverse as the population of this country. A mixture of cultures and traditions of different regions and peoples determined the nature and methods of cooking.
In ancient times, the Spice Road ran through the lands of Malaysia, which is why they are used to adding various spices to food. Meanwhile, you can notice significant differences between the cuisines of different states.
The main product of the Malaysian table is rice. On its basis, the traditional national dish Nasi Lemak is prepared. It is rice stewed over steam, seasoned with coconut milk. Most often it is served with fried anchovies, cucumbers, nuts, hard-boiled eggs, and hot sauce with chili peppers.
Quite often, a side dish of rice serves meat treats - "rendang". In this combination, the dish turns out to be very satisfying and high-calorie.
Similar to Nasi Lemak is the Nasi Datang dish. It is cooked in the east of Malaysia. Instead of rice, noodles are used there.
Since part of the territory of Malaysia is located in the coastal zone, the abundance of seafood has become an integral part of the menu of the country's inhabitants.
For meat, they prefer beef, since most of the population is Muslim. Pork is consumed only by representatives of other religions.
Malaysia - interesting facts
Malaysians have many holidays, which are celebrated both nationwide and at the state level. Many of the dates are related to religious traditions. The main holidays for each group of believers are classified as state holidays.
August 31 - Independence Day. It was announced in 1957, and since then this date has been celebrated annually.
September 16 - Day of Malaysia. The holiday is dedicated to the events of 1963, the memory of the federal device is celebrated.
May 1 - Labor Day.
1st week of July - King's Day.
Among the religious holidays: Uraza Bayram, Kurban Bayram, Chinese New Year, Diwali and others.
Malaysia - visa application
For Russian citizens, a visa is not issued at the entrance to Malaysia. Moreover, the period of stay in the country should not exceed 30 days. The passport must have a minimum six-month validity period. For a visa apply to the Embassy in case of a longer trip.
Malaysia - Embassy
In Moscow, the Embassy of Malaysia is located on Mosfilmovskaya street, house 50. Tel: 147-15-23.
Malaysia Map
