Short facts about the geography of Malaysia

Location:

Southeastern Asia, peninsula and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:

2 30 N, 112 30 E

Map references:

Southeast Asia

Area:

total:  329,750 sq km land:  328,550 sq km water:  1,200 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:

total:  2,669 km border countries:  Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, 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 the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

Terrain:

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Indian Ocean 0 m highest point:  Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Natural resources:

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

Land use:

arable land:  3% permanent crops:  12% permanent pastures:  0% forests and woodland:  68% other:  17% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

2,941 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:

flooding, landslides

Environment - current issues:

air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

Source: World Factbook