Facts & figures

COUNTRY NAME
Malaysia

CAPITAL
Kuala Lumpur

AREA
127,317 sq miles

POPULATION
23,522,482 (July 2004 est.)

ETHNIC GROUPS
Malay and other indigenous 58%, Chinese 24%, Indian 8%, others 10% (2000)

GOVERNMENT TYPE
constitutional monarchy

INDEPENDENCE
31 August 1957 (from UK)

CONSTITUTION
31 August 1957, amended 16 September 1963

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

NATURAL RESOURCES
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

GDP
$207.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (REAL GROWTH RATE)
5.2% (2003 est.)

GDP ( PER CAPITA)
$9,000 (2003 est.)

GDP ( COMPOSITION BY SECTORS)
agriculture: 7.3%, ndustry: 33.5%, services: 59.1% (2003 est.)

LABOR FORCE
10.26 million (2003 est.)

LABOR FORCE BY OCCUPATION
agriculture 14.5%, industry 36%, services 49.5% (2000 est.)

SOURCE: CIA. The World Factbook