INTRODUCTION

Peninsular, or West, Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Malaysia has a total area of 127,584 square miles (330,442 square kilometres), which includes about 265 square miles of inland water. Of this total, Peninsular Malaysia constitutes about 50,810 square miles and East Malaysia about 76,510 square miles. The capital is Kuala Lumpur, located in west-central Peninsular Malaysia.

Peninsular Malaysia occupies most of the Malay Peninsula south of latitude 6°40′ N. To the north it is bordered by Thailand, with which it shares a land boundary of some 300 miles (480 kilometres). To the south, at the tip of the peninsula, is the island republic of Singapore, with which Malaysia is connected by a causeway. To the southwest, across the Strait of Malacca, is the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

East Malaysia consists of the states of Sarawak and Sabah and is separated from Peninsular Malaysia by some 400 miles of the South China Sea. These two states occupy most of the northwestern coastal part of the large island of Borneo and share a land boundary with the Indonesian portion (Kalimantan) of the island. Within Sarawak is a small coastal enclave containing the sultanate of Brunei.

Malaysia, a member of the Commonwealth, represents the political marriage of territories that were formerly under British rule. When it was established on Sept. 16, 1963, Malaysia was

composed of Malaya (now Peninsular Malaysia), Singapore, Sarawak, and Sabah. In August 1965 Singapore seceded from the federation and became an independent republic.

BY: ZILA