MALAYSIA AT A GLANCE
Country
The Federation at Malaysia comprises of Peninsular Malaysia, and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo.
Location
Situated between 2° and 7° to the North of the Equator line, Peninsular Malaysia is separated from Sabah and Sarawak by the South China Sea. In the northern part of Peninsula Malaysia lies Thailand, while neighboring Singapore resides to the South. Sabah and Sarawak are bounded by Indonesia with Sarawak also sharing borders with Brunei.
Conference Venue
GES 2013 will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre designed to be a "city within a city". This 100 acre site includes the KLCC Park and Petronas Twin Towers.
How to get to Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is located 75 kilometers (35 miles) south of Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) – an hour's drive by direct motorway link or 28 minutes on the KLIA Express Rail Link (ERL).
KLIA is served by 47 airlines operating to over 100 scheduled destinations and this number is increasing. Direct mid to long haul access is provided to 5 Australian and 5 Middle East cities, 7 North American and African cities and 9 European cities plus the Asian regional and domestic network. For more information, visit the KLCC website and select 'attending an event' and then 'transport'.
Geography
Covering an area of 329,758 square km, the two distinct parts of Malaysia share a largely similar landscape featuring coastal plains which rise to often densely forested hills and mountains, the highest of which Mount Kinabalu at 4,095.2 metres on the island of Borneo.
Climate
The country experiences tropical weather year-round. Temperatures are from 21°C(70°F) to 32°C(90°F). Higher elevation are much colder with temperatures between 15°C(59°F) to 25°C(77°F). Annual rainfall varies from 2,000mm to 2,500mm.
Population
27.17 million. Malays comprise 57% of the population, while the Chinese, Indian and Bumiputeras and other races make up the rest of the country's population.
Language
Bahasa Melayu or Malay is the national language in use, but English is widely spoken. The ethnic groups also converse in various languages and dialects."
Religion
Islam is the official religion of the country, but other religions are widely practiced.
Currency
The monetary unit of the country is Ringgit Malaysia and is written as RM.
Government
Malaysia follows a bicameral legislative system, practising parliamentary democracy. The head of the country is the King or the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, a position which is changed every five years among the Malay Sultanates. The head of government is the Prime Minister.
Visa Information
Please visit this link to find out more about visa and entry requirements for travelling to Malaysia from your country.
Economic Profile
Manufacturing constitutes the largest single component of Malaysia's economy. Tourism and primary commodities such as petroleum, palm oil, natural rubber and timber are major contributors to the economy.
Banking Hours
Most States: Monday – Friday; 9.30am to 4.30pm, Saturday & Sunday; Closed (Some banks and its branches are opened Saturdays). Kelantan & Terengganu: Sunday – Wednesday; 9.30am to 4.30pm,Friday/Saturday/Public Holiday: Closed
Post Office
Opening Hours are from 8.30am to 6.00pmdaily, except for the first Saturdays of the month, Sundays, and public holidays. In Kelantan and Terengganu the post office operates at the same time, but is closed on Fridays and public holidays.
Local Time
Eight hours ahead of GMT and 16 hours ahead of US Standard Time.
Electricity
Voltage is 220 – 240 Volt AC at 50 cycles per second. Standard 3-pinsquare plugs and sockets.
Measurement and Weight
Malaysia follows the metric system for a measurement and weight.
Telephone
Local calls can be made from public phones using coins or prepaid cards. International calls can also be made using card phones or at any Telekom office.
