The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Malaysia:

Malaysia is a sovereign country located on the Malay Peninsula and a northern portion of the Island of Borneo in Southeast Asia.^[1] Malaysia comprises thirteen states and three federal territories with a total land area of 329,847 square kilometres (127,355 sq mi).^[2] The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government.

The population stands at over 32 million.^[1] The country is separated into two regions—Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo—by the South China Sea.^[1] Malaysia borders Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines,^[1] and Vietnam. The country is located near the equator and experiences a tropical climate.^[1]

Malaysia is headed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and politically led by a Prime Minister.^[3][4] The government is closely modeled after the Westminster parliamentary system.^[5]

General reference

• Pronunciation: /məˈleɪʒə/ or /məˈleɪziə/
• Common English country name: Malaysia
• Official English country name: Malaysia
• Common endonym(s): Malaysia
• Official endonym(s): Malaysia
• Adjectival(s): Malaysian
• Demonym(s): Malaysians
• Etymology: Name of Malaysia
• International rankings of Malaysia
• ISO country codes: MY, MYS, 458
• ISO region codes: See ISO 3166-2:MY
• Internet country code top-level domain: .my

History of Malaysia

Part of a series on the
History of Malaysia
Prehistoric Malaysia Paleolithic  Lenggong Valley c. 2.000.0000 BCE  Mansuli Valley 235,000 BCE Mesolithic  Niah cultures 65,000–40,000 BCE Neolithic  Bewah man/woman 16,000 BCE  Perak man/woman 11,000–200 BCE  Neolithic Klang 500 – 200 BCE
Early kingdoms Ancient Kedah <100 BCE Chi Tu 100 BCE–642 CE Langkasuka 100 BCE–1474 CE Gangga Negara c. 100 CE–1025 Pan Pan 424–775 Old Kedah 170–1135 Old Pahang 449–1454 Srivijaya 700s–1025 Majapahit 1300s
Rise of Muslim states Kedah Sultanate 1136–present Samudera Pasai Sultanate 1267–1521 Brunei Sultanate 1368–present Malacca Sultanate 1402–1511 Sulu Sultanate 1450–1899 Pahang Sultanate 1470–1623 Aceh Sultanate 1496–1903 Pattani Sultanate 1516– 1902 Johor Sultanate 1528–present Sarawak Sultanate 1599–1641 Selangor Sultanate 1766–present Besut Kingdom 1780–1899 Setul Kingdom 1808–1916 Reman Kingdom 1810–1902 Kubang Pasu Kingdom 1839–1864
Colonial era Portuguese Malacca 1511–1641 Dutch–Portuguese War 1601–1661 Acehnese conquest of Perak 1620 Dutch Malacca 1641–1824 Pahang Kingdom 1770–1881 Straits Settlements 1786–1946 Siamese invasion of Kedah 1821–1826 Anglo-Dutch Treaty 1824 Burney Treaty 1826 Naning War 1831–1832 Kingdom of Sarawak 1841–1946 Separation of Perlis from Kedah 1843 Crown Colony of Labuan 1848–1946 Pahang Civil War 1857–1863 Larut Wars 1861–1874 Klang War 1867–1874 Pangkor Treaty 1874 Perak War 1875–1876 British Malaya / Borneo 1874–1946 Jementah Civil War 1879 North Borneo 1882–1946 Pahang Uprising 1891–1895 Mat Salleh Rebellion 1894–1905 Federated Malay States 1895–1946 Anglo-Siamese Treaty 1909 Unfederated Malay States 1909–1946 Battle of Penang 1914 Kelantan rebellion 1915
World War II Japanese occupation of Malaya / Borneo 1941–1945 Malayan campaign 1941–1942 Bornean Campaign 1941–1942 Battle of Muar 1942 Parit Sulong Massacre 1942 Battle of Singapore 1942 Sook Ching 1942 Syburi 1942 Sandakan Death Marches 1942–1945 Si Rat Malai 1943–1945 Jesselton revolt 1943–1944
Formative era BMA of Malaya/Borneo 1945–1946 Crown Colony of N. Borneo 1946–1963 Crown Colony of Sarawak 1946–1963 Anti-cession movement 1946–1963 Malayan Union 1946–1948 Federation of Malaya 1948–1963 Sungai Siput incident 1948 Malayan Emergency 1948–1960 Batang Kali massacre 1948 Bukit Kepong incident 1950 Baling Talks 1955 Malayan Independence 1957 Singapore Self-governance 1959 ISA 1960 1960–2012 Communist insurgency in Sarawak 1962–1990 North Borneo Self-governance 1963 Konfrontasi 1963–1966 Sarawak Self-governance 1963 Formation of Malaysia 1963 Singapore in Malaysia 1963–1965 ASEAN Declaration 1967 Second communist insurgency 1968–1989 13 May incident 1969 National Operations Council 1969–1971 Declaration of Rukun Negara 1970 New Economic Policy 1971–1990 Peace Agreement of Hat Yai 1989
Barisan Nasional era Federal Territory of KL 1974 1977 Kelantan Emergency 1977 Pedra Branca dispute 1979–2008 South China Sea dispute (Spratly) 1980–present Federal Territory of Labuan 1984 Memali incident 1985 Operation Lalang 1987 Constitutional crisis 1987–1988 Royal Immunity Amendments 1993 Financial crisis 1997–1998 Reformasi Movement 1998–2022 Sedition Dragnet 2014 1MDB scandal 2015–present
Multi-party era Pakatan Harapan takeover 2018 COVID-19 pandemic 2020–present Political crisis 2020–2022 Bornean Amendment 2021–2023 Green Wave 2022–present
Incidents Brunei revolt 1962–1966 North Borneo dispute (Philippine militant attacks) 1962–present Singapore race riots 1964 Brunei's Limbang claim 1967–2009 Penang Hartal riot 1967 13 May Incident 1969 Ligitan and Sipadan dispute 1969–2002 Kuala Lumpur flash floods 1971 Malaysian haze crisis 1972–present AIA building hostage crisis 1975 National Monument bombing 1975 Campbell Shopping Complex fire 1976 Sabah Air GAF Nomad crash 1976 Japan Airlines Flight 715 incident 1977 MH653 incident 1977 Dawn Raid 1981 1985 Lahad Datu ambush 1985 Memali Incident 1985 Sabah Emergency 1986 Ming Court Affair 1987 Penang terminal bridge collapse 1988 Taufiqiah Al-Khairiah madrasa fire 1989 Bright Sparklers disaster 1991 Highland Towers collapse 1993 Genting landslide 1995 MH2133 incident 1995 Pos Dipang mudflow 1996 Tropical Storm Greg 1996 1998–1999 Malaysia Nipah virus outbreak 1998–1999 Al-Ma'unah incident 2000 Sauk Siege 2000 2001 Kampung Medan riots 2001 2002 Taman Hillview landslide 2002 Tsunami in Malaysia 2004 2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods 2006–2007 Bukit Gantang bus crash 2007 Bukit Antarabangsa landslide 2008 2009 swine flu pandemic in Malaysia 2009 Attacks against places of worship 2010 Cameron Highlands bus crash 2010 Hulu Langat landslide 2011 Genting Highlands bus crash 2013 MH370 incident 2014 MH17 incident 2014 2014–15 Malaysia floods 2014–2015 Sabah earthquake 2015 2015 Plaza Low Yat riot 2015 Movida Bar grenade attack 2016 Kim Jong-nam's Assassination 2017 Darul Quran madrasa fire 2017 2018 Subang Temple riot 2018 2020-21 Malaysia floods 2021 LRT train collision 2021 2021-22 Malaysia floods 2021–2022 2022 Batang Kali landslide 2022 2023 Elmina plane crash 2023 2024 Lumut helicopters crash 2024 2024 Ulu Tiram police station attack 2024
By topic Communications Constitutional Economic Immigration Legal Military
By region Kedah Kuala Lumpur Penang George Town Sabah Sarawak
Malaysia portal
v t e

• Military history of Malaysia

Events and treaties

• Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824
• Burney Treaty
• Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909
• Battle of Malaya
• Sandakan Death Marches
• Brunei Revolt
• Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
• May 13 incident
• Mat Salleh Rebellion

Small area histories

• History of Kuala Lumpur
• History of Penang

Politics of Malaysia

Politics of Malaysia

• Form of government: Federal constitutional elective monarchy and parliamentary democracy
• Capital of Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur
• Flag of Malaysia
• Elections in Malaysia
  • 1955, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1995, 1999, 2004, 2008, 2013, 2018, 2022
• Political parties in Malaysia
• Political parties in Malaysia
  • National Front (Barisan Nasional)
    • United Malays National Organisation^N1 (UMNO)
    • Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA)
    • Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC)
    • People's Progressive Party (PPP)
    • United Traditional Bumiputera Party (PBB)
    • Sarawak United People's Party (SUPP)
    • Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP)
    • Sabah United Party^N2 (PBS)
    • Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
    • United Sabah People's Party (PBRS)
    • United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO)
    • Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party (SPDP)
    • Sarawak People's Party (PRS)
  • Alliance of Hope (Pakatan Harapan)
    • People's Justice Party (Keadilan; PKR)
    • Democratic Action Party (DAP)
    • National Trust Party (AMANAH)
  • National Alliance (Perikatan National)
    • Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU; PBBM)
    • Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party^N3 (PAS)
    • Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (GERAKAN; PGRM)
  • Malaysian People's Party (PRM)
  • Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM)
  • Malaysian Democratic Party (MDP)
  • Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA)
• Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia)
  • Conference of Rulers
• Civil Service in Malaysia

Branches of the government of Malaysia

Government of Malaysia

Executive branch of the government of Malaysia

• Head of state: Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar^[6]
• Head of government: Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim^[7]
• Cabinet of Malaysia
• Ministries of Malaysia
  • Ministry of Home Affairs
  • Ministry of Education
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • Ministry of Higher Education
  • Ministry of Internal Security (Malaysia)
  • Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation
  • Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development
  • Ministry of the Federal Territories

Legislative branch of the government of Malaysia

• Parliament of Malaysia (bicameral)
  • Upper house: Dewan Negara
  • Lower house: Dewan Rakyat

Judicial branch of the government of Malaysia

Courts of Malaysia

• Federal Court of Malaysia
• Court of Appeal of Malaysia
• High Courts of Malaysia
• Syariah Court

Foreign relations of Malaysia

Foreign relations of Malaysia

• Diplomatic missions in Malaysia
• Diplomatic missions of Malaysia

International organisation membership

Malaysia is a member of:^[1]

Law and order in Malaysia

Law of Malaysia

• Capital punishment in Malaysia
• Constitution of Malaysia
• Crime in Malaysia
• Human rights in Malaysia
  • LGBT rights in Malaysia
  • Freedom of religion in Malaysia
• Law enforcement in Malaysia

Military of Malaysia

Military of Malaysia

• Command
  • Commander-in-chief: Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Muhammad V of Kelantan
  • Chief of Defence Forces: General (Jen) Tan Sri Zulkifli Zainal Abidin
    • Ministry of Defence of Malaysia
• Forces
  • Army of Malaysia
  • Navy of Malaysia
  • Air Force of Malaysia
  • Malaysian Special Operations Force
• Military history of Malaysia

Geography of Malaysia

Geography of Malaysia

• Malaysia is: a megadiverse country
• Location:
  • Northern Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere
  • Eurasia (both on the mainland and offshore)
    • Asia
      • Southeast Asia
        • Malay Peninsula
        • Borneo
  • Time zone: Malaysian Standard Time = ASEAN Common Time (UTC+08)
  • Extreme points of Malaysia
    • High: Gunung Kinabalu 4,095 m (13,435 ft)
    • Low: South China Sea and Indian Ocean 0 m
  • Land boundaries: 2,669 km

 Indonesia 1,782 km

 Thailand 506 km

 Brunei 381 km

• Coastline: 4,675 km
  • Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km
  • East Malaysia 2,607 km

• Population of Malaysia: 27,730,000 - 43rd most populous country
• Area of Malaysia: 329,847 km² - 66th largest country
• Atlas of Malaysia
• Malaysian Standard Time

Environment of Malaysia

Environment of Malaysia

• Climate of Malaysia
• Environmental issues in Malaysia
• List of ecoregions in Malaysia
• Renewable energy in Malaysia
• Protected areas of Malaysia
  • National parks of Malaysia
• Wildlife of Malaysia
  • Birds of Malaysia
  • Mammals of Malaysia

Natural geographic features of Malaysia

• Islands of Malaysia
• Lakes of Malaysia
• Mountains of Malaysia
  • Volcanoes in Malaysia
  • Caves in Malaysia
• Rivers of Malaysia
• List of World Heritage Sites in Malaysia

Regions of Malaysia

• West Malaysia (Peninsula Malaysia)
• East Malaysia (Malaysian Borneo)

Ecoregions of Malaysia

List of ecoregions in Malaysia

• Ecoregions in Malaysia

Administrative divisions of Malaysia

Administrative divisions of Malaysia

• Local government in Malaysia
• Mukim

States of Malaysia

States of Malaysia

Malaysia has 13 states:

Federal territories of Malaysia

Malaysia also has three federal territories, which are governed directly by the federal government of Malaysia:

1.  Kuala Lumpur
2.  Labuan
3.  Putrajaya

Districts of Malaysia

Districts of Malaysia

Municipalities of Malaysia

Municipalities of Malaysia

• Cities of Malaysia
  • Capital of Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur
  • State capitals of Malaysia
  • Cities, by population

Economy and infrastructure of Malaysiaedit

Economy of Malaysia

• Economic rank, by nominal GDP (2007): 38th (thirty-eighth)
• Agriculture in Malaysia
• Accounting in Malaysia
• Banking in Malaysia
  • Banks in Malaysia
  • National Bank of Malaysia
  • Islamic banking
  • Currency of Malaysia: Ringgit
    • ISO 4217: MYR
• Communications in Malaysia
  • Internet in Malaysia
• Companies of Malaysia
• Energy in Malaysia
• Health care in Malaysia
• Mining in Malaysia
• Science and technology in Malaysia
• Poverty in Malaysia
• Malaysia Stock Exchange
• Telecommunications in Malaysia
• Tourism in Malaysia
• Transport in Malaysia
  • Airports in Malaysia
  • Rail transport in Malaysia
  • Roads in Malaysia
• Water supply and sanitation in Malaysia

Economic plans and policiesedit

• First Malaysia Plan
• Second Malaysia Plan
• Malaysian New Economic Policy
• National Development Policy
• Energy policy of Malaysia

Demography of Malaysiaedit

Demographics of Malaysia

• Languages of Malaysia
• Malaysian citizenship
• Healthcare in Malaysia

Religionedit

Religion in Malaysia

• Buddhism in Malaysia
• Christianity in Malaysia
• Hinduism in Malaysia
• Islam in Malaysia
• Judaism in Malaysia
• Sikhism in Malaysia
• Taoism in Malaysia

Ethnicitiesedit

• Bumiputra
• Malaysian Chinese
• Malaysian Indian
• Malaysian Malays
• Malaysian Siamese

Culture of Malaysiaedit

Culture of Malaysia