:Malawi Communications
Railroads:
789 km 1.067-meter gauge
Highways:
13,135 km total; 2,364 km paved; 251 km crushed stone, gravel, or stabilized
soil; 10,520 km earth and improved earth
Inland waterways:
Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi); Shire River, 144 km
Ports:
Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, and Nkotakota - all on Lake Nyasa (Lake
Malawi)
Civil air:
5 major transport aircraft
Airports:
48 total, 43 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
fair system of open-wire lines, radio relay links, and radio communications
stations; 42,250 telephones; broadcast stations - 10 AM, 17 FM, no TV;
satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT
Note:
a majority of exports would normally go through Mozambique on the Beira or
Nacala railroads, but now most go through South Africa because of insurgent
activity and damage to rail lines
:Malawi Defense Forces
Branches:
Army (including Air Wing and Naval Detachment), Police (including
paramilitary Mobile Force Unit), paramilitary Malawi Young Pioneers
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 2,000,406; 1,016,901 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $22 million, 1.6% of GDP (1989 est.)
:Malaysia Geography
Total area:
329,750 km2
Land area:
328,550 km2
Comparative area:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
2,669 km; Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782, Thailand 506 km
Coastline:
4,675 km; Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km
Maritime claims:
Continental shelf:
200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation, specified boundary in the South
China Sea
Exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China,
Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; State of Sabah claimed by
the Philippines; Brunei may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that
divides Brunei into two parts; two islands in dispute with Singapore
Climate:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to
February) monsoons
Terrain:
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Natural resources:
tin, crude oil, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use:
arable land 3%; permanent crops 10%; meadows and pastures NEGL%; forest and
woodland 63%; other 24%; includes irrigated 1%
Environment:
subject to flooding; air and water pollution
Note:
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
:Malaysia People
Population:
18,410,920 (July 1992), growth rate 2.4% (1992)
Birth rate:
29 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
27 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
66 years male, 71 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
3.6 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Malaysian(s); adjective - Malaysian
Ethnic divisions:
Malay and other indigenous 59%, Chinese 32%, Indian 9%
Religions:
Peninsular Malaysia - Malays nearly all Muslim, Chinese predominantly
Buddhists, Indians predominantly Hindu; Sabah - Muslim 38%, Christian 17%,
other 45%; Sarawak - tribal religion 35%, Buddhist and Confucianist 24%,
Muslim 20%, Christian 16%, other 5%
Languages:
Peninsular Malaysia - Malay (official); English, Chinese dialects, Tamil;
Sabah - English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin and Hakka
dialects predominate among Chinese; Sarawak - English, Malay, Mandarin,
numerous tribal languages
Literacy:
78% (male 86%, female 70%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
7,258,000 (1991 est.)
Organized labor:
640,000; 10% of total labor force (1990)
:Malaysia Government
Long-form name:
none
Type:
Federation of Malaysia formed 9 July 1963; constitutional monarchy nominally
headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament; Peninsular
Malaysian states - hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, where governors are
appointed by Malaysian Pulau Pinang Government; powers of state governments
are limited by federal Constitution; Sabah - self-governing state, holds 20
seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal
security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak -
self-governing state within Malaysia, holds 27 seats in House of
Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other
powers delegated to federal government
Capital:
Kuala Lumpur
Administrative divisions:
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) and 2 federal territories*
(wilayah-wilayah persekutuan, singular - wilayah persekutuan); Johor, Kedah,
Kelantan, Labuan*, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau
Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu, Wilayah Persekutuan*
Independence:
31 August 1957 (from UK)
Constitution:
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963 when Federation of Malaya became
Federation of Malaysia
Legal system:
based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the
Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
National Day, 31 August (1957)
Executive branch:
paramount ruler, deputy paramount ruler, prime minister, deputy prime
minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament (Parlimen) consists of an upper house or Senate (Dewan
Negara) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Paramount Ruler AZLAN Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Sultan Yusof Izzudin (since 26
April 1989); Deputy Paramount Ruler JA'AFAR ibni Abdul Rahman (since 26
April 1989)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Dr. MAHATHIR bin Mohamad (since 16 July 1981); Deputy Prime
Minister Abdul GHAFAR Bin Baba (since 7 May 1986)
Political parties and leaders:
Peninsular Malaysia:
National Front, a confederation of 13 political parties dominated by United
Malays National Organization Baru (UMNO Baru), MAHATHIR bin Mohamad;
Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), LING Liong Sik; Gerakan Rakyat
Malaysia, Datuk LIM Keng Yaik; Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), Datuk S.
Samy VELLU
Sabah:
Berjaya Party, Datuk Haji Mohammed NOOR Mansor; Bersatu Sabah (PBS), Joseph
Pairin KITINGAN; United Sabah National Organizaton (USNO), leader NA