Malaysia

Malaysia is a country that is made up of the Malay Peninsula south of Thailand, and the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is a former British colony, and is a multiethnic and multireligious society. It has a population of 28 million, with its major ethnic groups being the Malays, 60 percent; the Chinese, 26 percent; and the Indians, 10 percent. Malay, or Bahasa Melayu, is the official language of the state. It is a relatively wealthy country within southeast Asia, with major industries in computers, petroleum and chemicals, palm oil, rubber, and timber.

Malaysia is a majority Muslim country in most of its states, but its economy is dominated by a powerful ethnic Chinese community. In 1971, the Malaysian government began the New ...