Total fertility rate: 3.35 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Malaysian(s) adjective: Malaysian
Ethnic groups: Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 26%,
Indian 7%, others 9%
Religions: Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity,
Sikhism; note—in addition, Shamanism is practiced on East Malaysia
Languages: Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects
(Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil,
Telugu, Malalalam, Panjabi, Thai; note—in addition, in East Malaysia
several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are
Iban and Kadazan
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.5%
male: 89.1%
female: 78.1% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia former: Malayan Union
Data code: MY
Government type: constitutional monarchy note: Malaya (what is now Peninsular Malaysia) formed 31 August 1957; Federation of Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore) formed 9 July 1963 (Singapore left the federation on 9 August 1965); nominally headed by the paramount ruler (king) and a bicameral Parliament consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house; Peninsular Malaysian states—hereditary rulers in all but Melaka, Penang, Sabah, and Sarawak, where governors are appointed by the Malaysian Government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of the federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., the right to maintain their own immigration controls); Sabah—holds 20 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government; Sarawak—holds 27 seats in House of Representatives, with foreign affairs, defense, internal security, and other powers delegated to federal government