History And Geography

History

The beautiful country of Malaysia is located in the central region of Southeast Asia. Malaysia also serves as a significant trade route to India, China, the Orient, and Europe. The warm tropical climate and the natural beauty of Malaysia made it favorable for immigrants even in ancient times. About several thousand years ago, the ancestors of the Orang Asli came and settled in this region. The Malays soon followed them and introduced farming skills and the use of metals. By first century BC, this region established trade relations with India and China. The development of these relations led to a strong influence on language, social customs, and culture of Malaysia. The temple sites of Merbok Estuary and Bujang Valley in Kedah near the Thai border indicate the existence of Hindu-Buddhist period in the ancient period of Malaysia. By the 13th century, the Hindu-Buddhist era culminated with the spread of Islam owing to the large number of Arabian and Indian traders. Finally, Islam became a predominant religion in Malaysia with the conversion of the Malay-Hindu rulers that ruled either side of the Straits of Malaka. The entry of Europeans in Malaysia dramatically influenced the country. In the year of 1511, Malaka came under Portuguese rule and the rulers of the Melaka Sultanate took refuge in Johor where they made an effort to set up a new kingdom. They received strong opposition from the Europeans, the Acehnese, the Bugis, and the Minangkabau. In the year 1641, the Dutch defeated the Portuguese and established their colonies in Melaka till the time the British arrived in the region. The Dutch surrendered Melaka to the Birtish in exchange for Bencoolen in Sumatra in the year 1824. From their base in Straits, settlements that comprised of Singapore, Melaka, and Penang, the British, used their power and influence to start political integration of the Malay states in the region of Peninsular Malaysia. After the end of World War II and the Japanese occupation in the period from 1941 to 1945, the British formed the Malayan Union in the year 1946. The Union was discarded in the year 1948 and was replaced by the Federation of Malaya. Finally, the Federation became free from the British rule on 31 August 1957. Sarawak, Sabah, Malaya and Singapore came together in September 1963 to form Malaysia. Malaysia today is a harmonious potpourri of social customs, culture, language, and religions.

Geography

Malaysia is located in the central region of Southeast Asia and is surrounded by the South China Sea. Typically, the island of Malaysia has a crescent shape, and starts from Peninsular Malaysia on the West and stretches out to the other end of Sabah and Sarawak in eastern Malaysia, situated on the island of Borneo. The total area of Malaysia amounts to somewhere around 330,000 square km, with majority of its regions located on the island of Borneo. Out of the total area, Peninsular Malaysia occupies only about 40%. Almost half of Malaysia is covered by forests and the most striking tropical forest areas are found in Sabah and Sarawak. Deforestation is one of the major issues the country has to deal with in modern Malaysia. The topography of the regions in Peninsular Malaysia is distinct and is marked by the central mountain ranges that extend from north to south. Gunung Tahan is the highest peak and stands 2,187 m above seal level. The high mountain ranges in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak include Mt Kinabalu that has a height of 4,101 m above sea level and also happens to be the highest peak all throughout South Eastern Asia. Some large rivers including Sungai Baram in Sarawak, Sungai Rajang, and Sungai Kinabatangan in Sabah have their origins in these mountain ranges.

The climate experienced in Malaysia is tropical, which prevails all through the year. Some of the natural hazards that the country faces are floods and landslides.