USD to MYR Live Rate

North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

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

38 00 N, 97 00 W

2 30 N, 112 30 E

North America

Southeast Asia

total: 9,833,517 sq km

land: 9,147,593 sq km

water: 685,924 sq km

note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia, no overseas territories (2010)

country comparison to the world: 4

total: 329,847 sq km

land: 328,657 sq km

water: 1,190 sq km

country comparison to the world: 68

about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; more than twice the size of the European Union

total: 12,048 km

border countries (2): Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska), Mexico 3,155 km

note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 28.5 km

total: 2,742 km

border countries (3): Brunei 266 km, Indonesia 1,881 km, Thailand 595 km

19,924 km

4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: not specified

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea

mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains

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

vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

mean elevation: 760 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Death Valley -86 m (lowest point in North America)

highest point: Denali (Mount McKinley) 6,190 m (highest point in North America)

note: the peak of Mauna Kea (4,205 m above sea level) on the island of Hawaii rises about 10,200 m above the Pacific Ocean floor; by this measurement, it is the world's tallest mountain - higher than Mount Everest (8,850 m), which is recognized as the tallest mountain above sea level

mean elevation: 419 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,095 m

coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, rare earth elements, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber, arable land

note: the US has the world's largest coal reserves with 491 billion short tons accounting for 27% of the world's total

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

agricultural land: 44.5%

arable land 16.8%; permanent crops 0.3%; permanent pasture 27.4%

forest: 33.3%

other: 22.2% (2011 est.)

agricultural land: 23.2%

arable land 2.9%; permanent crops 19.4%; permanent pasture 0.9%

forest: 62%

other: 14.8% (2011 est.)

264,000 sq km (2012)

3,800 sq km (2012)

large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western tier states; mountainous areas, principally the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian chain, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prairie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast - with particular emphasis on the city of Anchorage - and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu

a highly uneven distribution with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula

tsunamis; volcanoes; earthquake activity around Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes in the Midwest and Southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

volcanism: volcanic activity in the Hawaiian Islands, Western Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and in the Northern Mariana Islands; both Mauna Loa (4,170 m) in Hawaii and Mount Rainier (4,392 m) in Washington have been deemed Decade Volcanoes by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to their explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pavlof (2,519 m) is the most active volcano in Alaska's Aleutian Arc and poses a significant threat to air travel since the area constitutes a major flight path between North America and East Asia; St. Helens (2,549 m), famous for the devastating 1980 eruption, remains active today; numerous other historically active volcanoes exist, mostly concentrated in the Aleutian arc and Hawaii; they include: in Alaska: Aniakchak, Augustine, Chiginagak, Fourpeaked, Iliamna, Katmai, Kupreanof, Martin, Novarupta, Redoubt, Spurr, Wrangell, Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Ukinrek Maars, Veniaminof; in Hawaii: Haleakala, Kilauea, Loihi; in the Northern Mariana Islands: Anatahan; and in the Pacific Northwest: Mount Baker, Mount Hood

flooding; landslides; forest fires

large emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels; air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural freshwater resources in much of the western part of the country require careful management; desertification

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

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Denali (Mt. McKinley) is the highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

326,625,791 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

31,381,992 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 41

noun: American(s)

adjective: American

noun: Malaysian(s)

adjective: Malaysian

white 72.4%, black 12.6%, Asian 4.8%, Amerindian and Alaska native 0.9%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2%, other 6.2%, two or more races 2.9% (2010 est.)

note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean persons of Spanish/Hispanic/Latino origin including those of Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican Republic, Spanish, and Central or South American origin living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group (white, black, Asian, etc.); an estimated 16.3% of the total US population is Hispanic as of 2010

Bumiputera 61.7% (Malays and indigenous peoples, including Orang Asli, Dayak, Anak Negeri), Chinese 20.8%, Indian 6.2%, other 0.9%, non-citizens 10.4% (2017 est.)

English 79%, Spanish 13%, other Indo-European 3.7%, Asian and Pacific island 3.4%, other 1% (2015 est.)

note: data represent the language spoken at home; the US has no official national language, but English has acquired official status in 32 of the 50 states; Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii, and 20 indigenous languages are official in Alaska

Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai

note: Malaysia has 134 living languages - 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages; in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan

Protestant 46.5%, Roman Catholic 20.8%, Jewish 1.9%, Mormon 1.6%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 0.9%, Jehovah's Witness 0.8%, Buddhist 0.7%, Hindu 0.7%, other 1.8%, unaffiliated 22.8%, don't know/refused 0.6% (2014 est.)

Muslim (official) 61.3%, Buddhist 19.8%, Christian 9.2%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 1.3%, other 0.4%, none 0.8%, unspecified 1% (2010 est.)

total dependency ratio: 51.2

youth dependency ratio: 29

elderly dependency ratio: 22.1

potential support ratio: 4.5 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 44.6

youth dependency ratio: 36.1

elderly dependency ratio: 8.5

potential support ratio: 11.8 (2015 est.)

total: 38.1 years

male: 36.8 years

female: 39.4 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 60

total: 28.5 years

male: 28.2 years

female: 28.8 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

0.81% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

1.37% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 82

12.5 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 158

19.1 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 85

8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 85

5.1 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 192

3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 117

large urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western tier states; mountainous areas, principally the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian chain, deserts in the southwest, the dense boreal forests in the extreme north, and the central prarie states are less densely populated; Alaska's population is concentrated along its southern coast - with particular emphasis on the city of Anchorage - and Hawaii's is centered on the island of Oahu

a highly uneven distribution with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula

urban population: 82% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 0.99% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population: 76% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 2.19% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

New York-Newark 18.593 million; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana 12.31 million; Chicago 8.745 million; Miami 5.817 million; Dallas-Fort Worth 5.703 million; WASHINGTON, D.C. (capital) 4.955 million (2015)

KUALA LUMPUR (capital) 6.837 million; Johor Bahru 912,000 (2015)

at birth: NA

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

26.4 years (2015 est.)

14 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 138

40 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 105

total: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 170

total: 12.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 10.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 115

total population: 80 years

male: 77.7 years

female: 82.2 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

total population: 75.2 years

male: 72.4 years

female: 78.2 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 109

1.87 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 143

2.1 children born/woman (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 80

74.1%

note: percent of women aged 15-44 (2011/13)

52.2% (2014)

17.1% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 1

4.2% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 163

2.57 physicians/1,000 population (2014)

1.53 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2013)

1.9 beds/1,000 population (2015)

improved:

urban: 99.4% of population

rural: 98.2% of population

total: 99.2% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0.6% of population

rural: 1.8% of population

total: 0.8% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 93% of population

total: 98.2% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: 7% of population

total: 1.8% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 96.1% of population

rural: 95.9% of population

total: 96% of population

unimproved:

urban: 3.9% of population

rural: 4.1% of population

total: 4% of population (2015 est.)

NA

0.4% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 67

NA

97,000 (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

NA

7,000 (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 26

36.2% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 12

15.6% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 125

0.5% (2012)

country comparison to the world: 136

12.4% (2015)

country comparison to the world: 58

5% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 63

4.8% of GDP (2016)

country comparison to the world: 46

total: 17 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2014)

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2015)

total: 10.4%

male: 11.4%

female: 9.3% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 127

total: 10.7%

male: 9.9%

female: 11.8% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 124

degree of risk: intermediate

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2016)

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 94.6%

male: 96.2%

female: 93.2% (2015 est.)

conventional long form: United States of America

conventional short form: United States

abbreviation: US or USA

etymology: the name America is derived from that of Amerigo VESPUCCI (1454-1512) - Italian explorer, navigator, and cartographer - using the Latin form of his name, Americus, feminized to America

conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Malaysia

local long form: none

local short form: Malaysia

former: Federation of Malaya

etymology: the name means "Land of the Malays"

constitutional federal republic

federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy

note: all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans) except Melaka (Malacca) and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government; powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration controls)

name: Washington, DC

geographic coordinates: 38 53 N, 77 02 W

time difference: UTC-5 (during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in March; ends first Sunday in November

note: the 50 United States cover six time zones

name: Kuala Lumpur; note - nearby Putrajaya is referred to as a federal government administrative center but not the capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu; and 1 federal territory (Wilayah Persekutuan) with 3 components, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island

note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a political relationship with all four political entities: the Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21 October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1 October 1994)

4 July 1776 (declared independence from Great Britain); 3 September 1783 (recognized by Great Britain)

31 August 1957 (from the UK)

Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Independence Day (or Merdeka Day), 31 August (1957) (independence of Malaya); Malaysia Day, 16 September (1963) (formation of Malaysia)

previous 1781 (Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union); latest drafted July - September 1787, submitted to the Congress of the Confederation 20 September 1787, submitted for states' ratification 28 September 1787, ratification completed by nine states 21 June 1788, effective 4 March 1789; amended many times, last in 1992 (2016)

history: previous 1948; latest drafted 21 February 1957, effective 27 August 1957

amendments: proposed as a “bill” by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in the bill’s second and third readings; a number of constitutional sections are excluded from amendment or repeal; amended many times, last in 2010 (2017)

common law system based on English common law at the federal level; state legal systems based on common law except Louisiana, which is based on Napoleonic civil code; judicial review of legislative acts

mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Court at request of supreme head of the federation

withdrew acceptance of compulsory ICJ jurisdiction in 2005; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2002

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent: yes

dual citizenship recognized: no, but the US government acknowledges such situtations exist; US citizens are not encouraged to seek dual citizenship since it limits protection by the US

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Malaysia

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 out 12 years preceding application

18 years of age; universal

21 years of age; universal

chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, approved by the Senate

elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by the Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state; president and vice president serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 10 November 2020)

election results: Donald J. TRUMP elected president; electoral vote - Donald J. TRUMP (Republican Party) 304, Hillary D. CLINTON (Democratic Party) 227, other 7; percent of direct popular vote - Hillary D. CLINTON 48.2%, Donald J. TRUMP 46.1%, other 5.7%

chief of state: King MUHAMMAD V (formerly known as Tuanku Muhammad Faris Petra) (selected on 14 October 2016; installed on 13 December 2016); note - the position of the king is primarily ceremonial, but he is the final arbiter on the appointment of the prime minister

head of government: Prime Minister MAHATHIR Mohamad (since 10 May 2018); Deputy Prime Minister WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismail (since 10 May 2018)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament with the consent of the king

elections/appointments: king elected by and from the hereditary rulers of 9 states for a 5-year term; election is on a rotational basis among rulers of the 9 states; election last held on 14 October 2016 (next to be held in 2021); prime minister designated from among members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister

election results: Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Najib Razak (UMNO) sworn in as prime minister for second term on 3 April 2009

description: bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats; 2 members directly elected in each of the 50 state constituencies by simple majority vote except in Georgia and Louisiana which require an absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 6-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 2 years) and the House of Representatives (435 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote except in Georgia which requires an absolute majority vote with a second round if needed; members serve 2-year terms)

elections: Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 6 November 2018); House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 6 November 2018)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 24, Democratic Party 10; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 241, Democratic Party 194,

note: in addition to the regular members of the House of Representatives there are 6 non-voting delegates elected from the District of Columbia and the US territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands; these are single seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term (except for the resident commissioner of Puerto Rico who serves a 4-year term); the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of delegates last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held on 6 November 2018)

description: bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 members appointed by the king and 26 indirectly elected by 13 state legislatures; members serve 3-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)

elections: House of Representatives - last held on 9 May 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - People's Alliance 45.6%, BN 33.8%, PAS 16.9%, WARISAN 2.3%, other 1.4%; seats by party/coalition - People's Alliance 113, BN 79, PAS 18, WARISAN 8, STAR 1, independent 3

highest court(s): US Supreme Court (consists of 9 justices - the chief justice and 8 associate justices)

judge selection and term of office: president nominates and, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoints Supreme Court justices; justices appointed for life

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (includes the US Court of Appeal for the Federal District and 12 regional appeals courts); 94 federal district courts in 50 states and territories

note: the US court system consists of the federal court system and the state court systems; although each court system is responsible for hearing certain types of cases, neither is completely independent of the other, and the systems often interact

highest court(s): Federal Court (consists of the chief justice, president of the Court of Appeal, chief justice of the High Court of Malaya, chief judge of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak and 7 judges); note - Malaysia has a dual judicial hierarchy of civil and religious (sharia) courts

judge selection and term of office: Federal Court justices appointed by the monarch on advice of the prime minister; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 65

subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Sessions Court; Magistrates' Court

Democratic Party [Tom PEREZ]

Green Party [collective leadership]

Libertarian Party [Nicholas SARWARK]

Republican Party [Ronna Romney MCDANIEL]

National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN: Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LIOW Tiong Lai]

Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. SUBRAMANIAM]

Progressive Democratic Party or PDP [TIONG King Sing]

Sarawak People's Party (Parti Rakyat Sarawak) or PRS [James MASING]

Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [Dr. SIM Kui Hian]

United Malays National Organization or UMNO [Ahmad ZAHID Hamidi]

United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Wilfred Madius TANGAU]

United Sabah Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah) or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]

United Sabah People's (Party Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]

United Traditional Bumiputera Party (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersata) or PBB [

Coalition of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH (formerly the People's Alliance):: Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [TAN Kok Wai]

Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM [MAHATHIR Mohamad]

National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [Mohamad SABU]

People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN AZIZAH Wan Ismail]

Other: Homeland Solidarity Party or STAR [Jeffrey KATINGAN]

Islamic Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]

Sabah Heritage Party or WARISAN [Shafie APDAL]

environmentalists; business groups; labor unions; churches; ethnic groups; political action committees or PACs; health groups; education groups; civic groups; youth groups; transportation groups; agricultural groups; veterans groups; women's groups; reform lobbies

Bar Council

BERSIH (electoral reform coalition)

ISMA (Muslim NGO)

PERKASA (defense of Malay rights)

other: religious groups; women's groups; youth groups

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), ANZUS, APEC, Arctic Council, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS (observer), CD, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CICA (observer), CP, EAPC, EAS, EBRD, EITI (implementing country), FAO, FATF, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, G-20, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MINUSTAH, MONUSCO, NAFTA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SELEC (observer), SICA (observer), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNRWA, UNSC (permanent), UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies; the blue stands for loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship; red symbolizes courage, zeal, and fervency, while white denotes purity and rectitude of conduct; commonly referred to by its nickname of Old Glory

note: the design and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the flag is often referred to as Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of Glory); the 14 stripes stand for the equal status in the federation of the 13 member states and the federal government; the 14 points on the star represent the unity between these entities; the crescent is a traditional symbol of Islam; blue symbolizes the unity of the Malay people and yellow is the royal color of Malay rulers

note: the design is based on the flag of the US

bald eagle; national colors: red, white, blue

tiger, hibiscus; national colors: gold, black

name: "The Star-Spangled Banner"

lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH

note: adopted 1931; during the War of 1812, after witnessing the successful American defense of Fort McHenry in Baltimore following British naval bombardment, Francis Scott KEY wrote the lyrics to what would become the national anthem; the lyrics were set to the tune of "The Anacreontic Song"; only the first verse is sung

name: "Negaraku" (My Country)

lyrics/music: collective, led by Tunku ABDUL RAHMAN/Pierre Jean DE BERANGER

note: adopted 1957; full version only performed in the presence of the king; the tune, which was adopted from a popular French melody titled "La Rosalie," was originally the anthem of Perak, one of Malaysia's 13 states

chief of mission: Ambassador ZULHASNAN Rafique (since 9 January 2017)

chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700

FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

chief of mission: Ambassador Kamala Shirin LAKHDIR (since 21 February 2017)

embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur

mailing address: US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152

telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000

FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

The US has the most technologically powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $59,500. US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances, especially in computers, pharmaceuticals, and medical, aerospace, and military equipment; however, their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War II. Based on a comparison of GDP measured at purchasing power parity conversion rates, the US economy in 2014, having stood as the largest in the world for more than a century, slipped into second place behind China, which has more than tripled the US growth rate for each year of the past four decades.

In the US, private individuals and business firms make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business firms enjoy greater flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same time, businesses face higher barriers to enter their rivals' home markets than foreign firms face entering US markets.

Long-term problems for the US include stagnation of wages for lower-income families, inadequate investment in deteriorating infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population, energy shortages, and sizable current account and budget deficits.

The onrush of technology has been a driving factor in the gradual development of a "two-tier" labor market in which those at the bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. But the globalization of trade, and especially the rise of low-wage producers such as China, has put additional downward pressure on wages and upward pressure on the return to capital. Since 1975, practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top 20% of households. Since 1996, dividends and capital gains have grown faster than wages or any other category of after-tax income.

Imported oil accounts for more than 50% of US consumption and oil has a major impact on the overall health of the economy. Crude oil prices doubled between 2001 and 2006, the year home prices peaked; higher gasoline prices ate into consumers' budgets and many individuals fell behind in their mortgage payments. Oil prices climbed another 50% between 2006 and 2008, and bank foreclosures more than doubled in the same period. Besides dampening the housing market, soaring oil prices caused a drop in the value of the dollar and a deterioration in the US merchandise trade deficit, which peaked at $840 billion in 2008. Because the US economy is energy-intensive, falling oil prices since 2013 have alleviated many of the problems the earlier increases had created.

The sub-prime mortgage crisis, falling home prices, investment bank failures, tight credit, and the global economic downturn pushed the US into a recession by mid-2008. GDP contracted until the third quarter of 2009, the deepest and longest downturn since the Great Depression. To help stabilize financial markets, the US Congress established a $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in October 2008. The government used some of these funds to purchase equity in US banks and industrial corporations, much of which had been returned to the government by early 2011. In January 2009, Congress passed and former President Barack OBAMA signed a bill providing an additional $787 billion fiscal stimulus to be used over 10 years - two-thirds on additional spending and one-third on tax cuts - to create jobs and to help the economy recover. In 2010 and 2011, the federal budget deficit reached nearly 9% of GDP. In 2012, the Federal Government reduced the growth of spending and the deficit shrank to 7.6% of GDP. US revenues from taxes and other sources are lower, as a percentage of GDP, than those of most other countries.

Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required major shifts in national resources from civilian to military purposes and contributed to the growth of the budget deficit and public debt. Through FY 2018, the direct costs of the wars will have totaled more than $1.9 trillion, according to US Government figures.

In March 2010, former President OBAMA signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), a health insurance reform that was designed to extend coverage to an additional 32 million Americans by 2016, through private health insurance for the general population and Medicaid for the impoverished. Total spending on healthcare - public plus private - rose from 9.0% of GDP in 1980 to 17.9% in 2010.

In July 2010, the former president signed the DODD-FRANK Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a law designed to promote financial stability by protecting consumers from financial abuses, ending taxpayer bailouts of financial firms, dealing with troubled banks that are "too big to fail," and improving accountability and transparency in the financial system - in particular, by requiring certain financial derivatives to be traded in markets that are subject to government regulation and oversight.

In December 2012, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) announced plans to purchase $85 billion per month of mortgage-backed and Treasury securities in an effort to hold down long-term interest rates, and to keep short-term rates near zero until unemployment dropped below 6.5% or inflation rose above 2.5%. The Fed ended its purchases during the summer of 2014, after the unemployment rate dropped to 6.2%, inflation stood at 1.7%, and public debt fell below 74% of GDP. In December 2015, the Fed raised its target for the benchmark federal funds rate by 0.25%, the first increase since the recession began. With continued low growth, the Fed opted to raise rates several times since then, and in December 2017, the target rate stood at 1.5%.

In December 2017, Congress passed and President Donald TRUMP signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which, among its various provisions, reduces the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%; lowers the individual tax rate for those with the highest incomes from 39.6% to 37%, and by lesser percentages for those at lower income levels; changes many deductions and credits used to calculate taxable income; and eliminates in 2019 the penalty imposed on taxpayers who do not obtain the minimum amount of health insurance required under the ACA. The new taxes took effect on 1 January 2018; the tax cut for corporations are permanent, but those for individuals are scheduled to expire after 2025. The Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) under the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the new law will reduce tax revenues and increase the federal deficit by about $1.45 trillion over the 2018-2027 period. This amount would decline if economic growth were to exceed the JCT’s estimate.

Malaysia, an upper middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into a multi-sector economy. Under current Prime Minister NAJIB, Malaysia is attempting to achieve high-income status by 2020 and to move further up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in high technology, knowledge-based industries and services. NAJIB's Economic Transformation Program is a series of projects and policy measures intended to accelerate the country's economic growth. The government has also taken steps to liberalize some services sub-sectors. Malaysia is vulnerable to a fall in world commodity prices or a general slowdown in global economic activity.

The NAJIB administration is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand and reduce the economy's dependence on exports. Domestic demand continues to anchor economic growth, supported mainly by private consumption, which accounts for 53% of GDP. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics, oil and gas, and palm oil - remain a significant driver of the economy. In 2015, gross exports of goods and services were equivalent to 73% of GDP. The oil and gas sector supplied about 22% of government revenue in 2015, down significantly from prior years amid a decline in commodity prices and diversification of government revenues. Malaysia has embarked on a fiscal reform program aimed at achieving a balanced budget by 2020, including rationalization of subsidies and the 2015 introduction of a 6% value added tax. Sustained low commodity prices throughout the period not only strained government finances, but also shrunk Malaysia’s current account surplus and weighed heavily on the Malaysian ringgit, which was among the region’s worst performing currencies during 2013-17. The ringgit hit new lows following the US presidential election amid a broader selloff of emerging market assets.

Bank Negara Malaysia (the central bank) maintains adequate foreign exchange reserves; a well-developed regulatory regime has limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier financial instruments, although it remains vulnerable to volatile global capital flows. In order to increase Malaysia’s competitiveness, Prime Minister NAJIB raised possible revisions to the special economic and social preferences accorded to ethnic Malays under the New Economic Policy of 1970, but retreated in 2013 after he encountered significant opposition from Malay nationalists and other vested interests. In September 2013 NAJIB launched the new Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Program, policies that favor and advance the economic condition of ethnic Malays.

Malaysia signed the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement in February 2016, although the future of the TPP remains unclear following the US withdrawal from the agreement. Along with nine other ASEAN members, Malaysia established the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, which aims to advance regional economic integration.

$19.36 trillion (2017 est.)

$18.95 trillion (2016 est.)

$18.67 trillion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 3

$926.1 billion (2017 est.)

$878.4 billion (2016 est.)

$842.8 billion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 27

$19.36 trillion (2017 est.)

$309.9 billion (2017 est.)

2.2% (2017 est.)

1.5% (2016 est.)

2.9% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

5.4% (2017 est.)

4.2% (2016 est.)

5% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 32

$59,500 (2017 est.)

$58,600 (2016 est.)

$58,200 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 20

$28,900 (2017 est.)

$27,800 (2016 est.)

$27,000 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 70

17.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

18% of GDP (2016 est.)

19.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 105

28% of GDP (2017 est.)

28.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

28.2% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 37

household consumption: 69.1%

government consumption: 17.2%

investment in fixed capital: 16.3%

investment in inventories: 0.3%

exports of goods and services: 12.2%

imports of goods and services: -15.1% (2017 est.)

household consumption: 55.4%

government consumption: 12.5%

investment in fixed capital: 26.3%

investment in inventories: 0.1%

exports of goods and services: 75.2%

imports of goods and services: -69.5% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 0.9%

industry: 18.9%

services: 80.2%

(2017 est.)

agriculture: 8.4%

industry: 36.9%

services: 54.7% (2017 est.)

wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish; forest products

Peninsular Malaysia - palm oil, rubber, cocoa, rice; Sabah - palm oil, subsistence crops; rubber, timber; Sarawak - palm oil, rubber, timber; pepper

highly diversified, world leading, high-technology innovator, second-largest industrial output in the world; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, petroleum and natural gas, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, electronics and semiconductors, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum and natural gas production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum and natural gas production, logging

1.8% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

4.6% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 57

160.4 million

note: includes unemployed (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

14.94 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 40

farming, forestry, and fishing: 0.7%

manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts: 20.3%

managerial, professional, and technical: 37.3%

sales and office: 24.2%

other services: 17.6%

note: figures exclude the unemployed

(2009 est.)

agriculture: 11%

industry: 36%

services: 53% (2012 est.)

4.4% (2017 est.)

4.9% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 60

3.4% (2017 est.)

3.5% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 38

15.1% (2010 est.)

3.8% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 30% (2007 est.)

lowest 10%: 1.8%

highest 10%: 34.7% (2009 est.)

45 (2007 est.)

40.8 (1997 est.)

country comparison to the world: 41

46.2 (2009 est.)

49.2 (1997 est.)

country comparison to the world: 32

revenues: $3.336 trillion

expenditures: $3.991 trillion

note: for the US, revenues exclude social contributions of approximately $1.0 trillion; expenditures exclude social benefits of approximately $2.3 trillion (2017 est.)

revenues: $51.23 billion

expenditures: $60.26 billion (2017 est.)

17.2% of GDP

note: excludes contributions for social security and other programs; if social contributions were added, taxes and other revenues would amount to approximately 22% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 176

16.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 181

-3.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 128

-2.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 109

77.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

76.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover only what the United States Treasury denotes as "Debt Held by the Public," which includes all debt instruments issued by the Treasury that are owned by non-US Government entities; the data include Treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data exclude debt issued by individual US states, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of Treasury borrowings from surpluses in the trusts for Federal Social Security, Federal Employees, Hospital and Supplemental Medical Insurance (Medicare), Disability and Unemployment, and several other smaller trusts; if data for intra-government debt were added, "gross debt" would increase by about one-third of GDP

country comparison to the world: 43

52.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

52.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: this figure is based on the amount of federal government debt, RM501.6 billion ($167.2 billion) in 2012; this includes Malaysian Treasury bills and other government securities, as well as loans raised externally and bonds and notes issued overseas; this figure excludes debt issued by non-financial public enterprises and guaranteed by the federal government, which was an additional $47.7 billion in 2012

country comparison to the world: 95

1 October - 30 September

calendar year

2.1% (2017 est.)

1.3% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 97

3.8% (2017 est.)

2.1% (2016 est.)

note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled

country comparison to the world: 150

0.5% (31 December 2010 est.)

0.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 134

3% (31 December 2011 est.)

2.83% (31 December 2010 est.)

country comparison to the world: 108

4.3% (31 December 2017 est.)

3.51% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 156

4.5% (31 December 2017 est.)

4.49% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 151

$3.627 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.25 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

$95.12 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$84.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

$14 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$12.84 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

$406.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$365.1 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 28

$21.59 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$20.24 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

$447.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$398.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

$25.07 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$26.33 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$24.03 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

$383 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$459 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$500.4 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 27

$-462 billion (2017 est.)

$-451.7 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 201

$7.486 billion (2017 est.)

$6.996 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

$1.576 trillion (2017 est.)

$1.456 trillion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

$188.2 billion (2017 est.)

$165.3 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0% (2008 est.)

semiconductors and electronic equipment, palm oil, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals, solar panels

Canada 18.3%, Mexico 15.9%, China 8%, Japan 4.4% (2016)

Singapore 14.7%, China 12.6%, US 10.3%, Japan 8.1%, Thailand 5.7%, Hong Kong 4.8%, India 4.1% (2016)

$2.352 trillion (2017 est.)

$2.208 trillion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

$163.4 billion (2017 est.)

$140.9 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 27

agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture, toys) (2008 est.)

electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

China 21.1%, Mexico 13.4%, Canada 12.7%, Japan 6%, Germany 5.2% (2016)

China 19.4%, Singapore 9.8%, Japan 7.7%, US 7.6%, Thailand 5.8%, South Korea 5%, Indonesia 4% (2016)

$117.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$117.6 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

$97.44 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$94.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 27

$17.91 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)

$17.85 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)

note: approximately 4/5ths of US external debt is denominated in US dollars; foreign lenders have been willing to hold US dollar denominated debt instruments because they view the dollar as the world's reserve currency

country comparison to the world: 1

$213 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$195.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 35

$4.084 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.614 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

$133.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$121.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 41

$5.644 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$5.352 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

$137.9 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$126.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 32

British pounds per US dollar: 0.7836 (2017 est.), 0.738 (2016 est.), 0.738 (2015 est.), 0.607 (2014 est), 0.6391 (2013 est.)

Canadian dollars per US dollar: 1, 1.308 (2017 est.), 1.3256 (2016 est.), 1.3256 (2015 est.), 1.2788 (2014 est.), 1.0298 (2013 est.)

Chinese yuan per US dollar: 1, 6.7588 (2017 est.), 6.6445 (2016 est.), 6.2275 (2015 est.), 6.1434 (2014 est.), 6.1958 (2013 est.)

euros per US dollar: 0.885 (2017 est.), 0.903 (2016 est.), 0.9214(2015 est.), 0.885 (2014 est.), 0.7634 (2013 est.)

Japanese yen per US dollar: 111.10 (2017 est.), 108.76 (2016 est.), 108.76 (2015 est.), 121.02 (2014 est.), 97.44 (2013 est.)

ringgits (MYR) per US dollar -

4.34 (2017 est.)

4.15 (2016 est.)

4.15 (2015 est.)

3.91 (2014 est.)

3.27 (2013 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

population without electricity: 100,000

electrification - total population: 99.5%

electrification - urban areas: 99.8%

electrification - rural areas: 98.7% (2013)

4.088 trillion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

141.9 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 30

3.911 trillion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

133 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

9.695 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

3 million kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 94

80.66 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

13 million kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 113

1.074 billion kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

33.34 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 32

70.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 103

82.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 82

9.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

7.4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 124

14% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 107

10.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

4% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 105

8.853 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

666,900 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 26

590,900 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

310,900 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

7.85 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

194,400 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 31

36.52 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 11

3.6 billion bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

20.08 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

512,900 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 31

19.69 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

760,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

4.67 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

231,400 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 32

2.205 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

409,500 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

766.2 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

63.43 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 14

773.2 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 1

40.67 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

50.52 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 7

34.99 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

76.96 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

3.27 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 41

8.714 trillion cu m (1 January 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

1.183 trillion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

5.402 billion Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 2

208 million Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 27

total subscriptions: 121.53 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 3

total subscriptions: 4,837,200

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 15 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 30

total: 395.881 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 121 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

total: 43,912,600

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 140 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 34

general assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose communications system

domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile telephone traffic throughout the country

international: country code - 1; multiple ocean cable systems provide international connectivity; satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16 Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4 Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2016)

general assessment: modern system featuring good intercity service on Peninsular Malaysia provided mainly by microwave radio relay and an adequate intercity microwave radio relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; international service excellent

domestic: domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 155 per 100 persons

international: country code - 60; landing point for several major international submarine cable networks that provide connectivity to Asia, Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2016)

4 major terrestrial TV networks with affiliate stations throughout the country, plus cable and satellite networks, independent stations, and a limited public broadcasting sector that is largely supported by private grants; overall, thousands of TV stations broadcasting; multiple national radio networks with many affiliate stations; while most stations are commercial, National Public Radio (NPR) has a network of some 600 member stations; satellite radio available; overall, nearly 15,000 radio stations operating (2008)

state-owned TV broadcaster operates 2 TV networks with relays throughout the country, and the leading private commercial media group operates 4 TV stations with numerous relays throughout the country; satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates multiple national networks, as well as regional and local stations; many private commercial radio broadcasters and some subscription satellite radio services are available; about 55 radio stations overall (2012)

.us

.my

total: 246,809,221

percent of population: 76.2% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

total: 24,384,952

percent of population: 78.8% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 30

number of registered air carriers: 92

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6,817

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 798.23 million

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 37.219 billion mt-km (2015)

number of registered air carriers: 12

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 263

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 50,347,149

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,005,979,379 mt-km (2015)

N (2016)

9M (2016)

13,513 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 1

114 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 51

total: 5,054

over 3,047 m: 189

2,438 to 3,047 m: 235

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,478

914 to 1,523 m: 2,249

under 914 m: 903 (2013)

total: 39

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 7

914 to 1,523 m: 8

under 914 m: 8 (2017)

total: 8,459

over 3,047 m: 1

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6

1,524 to 2,437 m: 140

914 to 1,523 m: 1,552

under 914 m: 6,760 (2013)

total: 75

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 69 (2013)

5,287 (2013)

4 (2013)

natural gas 1,984,321 km; petroleum products 240,711 km (2013)

condensate 354 km; gas 6,439 km; liquid petroleum gas 155 km; oil 1,937 km; oil/gas/water 43 km; refined products 114 km; water 26 km (2013)

total: 293,564.2 km

standard gauge: 293,564.2 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

country comparison to the world: 1

total: 1,851 km

standard gauge: 59 km 1.435-m gauge (59 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 1,792 km 1.000-m gauge (339 km electrified) (2014)

country comparison to the world: 77

total: 6,586,610 km

paved: 4,304,715 km (includes 76,334 km of expressways)

unpaved: 2,281,895 km (2012)

country comparison to the world: 1

total: 144,403 km (excludes local roads)

paved: 116,169 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways)

unpaved: 28,234 km (2010)

country comparison to the world: 35

41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce; Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint Lawrence River of 3,058 km, is shared with Canada) (2012)

country comparison to the world: 5

7,200 km (Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 19

total: 3,611

by type: bulk carrier 5, container ship 61, general cargo 114, oil tanker 66, other 3,365 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 5

total: 1,690

by type: bulk carrier 12, container ship 26, general cargo 188, oil tanker 129, other 1,335 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 14

cargo ports: Baton Rouge, Corpus Christi, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Plaquemines (LA), Tampa, Texas City

container port(s) (TEUs): Hampton Roads (2,549,000), Houston (2,131,000), Long Beach (7,192,000), Los Angeles (8,160,000), New York/New Jersey (6,372,000), Oakland (2,278,000), Savannah (3,737,000), Seattle (3,531,000) (2015)

cruise departure ports (passengers): Miami (2,032,000), Port Everglades (1,277,000), Port Canaveral (1,189,000), Seattle (430,000), Long Beach (415,000) (2009)

oil terminal(s): LOOP terminal, Haymark terminal

LNG terminal(s) (import): Cove Point (MD), Elba Island (GA), Everett (MA), Freeport (TX), Golden Pass (TX), Hackberry (LA), Lake Charles (LA), Neptune (offshore), Northeast Gateway (offshore), Pascagoula (MS), Sabine Pass (TX)

LNG terminal(s) (export): Kenai (AK)

major seaport(s): Bintulu, Johor Bahru, George Town (Penang), Port Kelang (Port Klang), Tanjung Pelepas

container port(s) (TEUs): George Town (Penang) (1,317,000), Port Kelang (Port Klang) (11,887,000), Tanjung Pelepas (8,797,000) (2015)

LNG terminal(s) (export): Bintulu (Sarawak)

LNG terminal(s) (import): Sungei Udang

3.29% of GDP (2016)

3.3% of GDP (2015)

3.51% of GDP (2014)

3.83% of GDP (2013)

4.24% of GDP (2012)

country comparison to the world: 25

1.41% of GDP (2016)

1.53% of GDP (2015)

1.46% of GDP (2014)

1.52% of GDP (2013)

1.43% of GDP (2012)

country comparison to the world: 83

United States Armed Forces: US Army, US Navy (includes Marine Corps), US Air Force, US Coast Guard; note - Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy (2017)

Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2013)

18 years of age (17 years of age with parental consent) for male and female voluntary service; no conscription; maximum enlistment age 42 (Army), 27 (Air Force), 34 (Navy), 28 (Marines); 8-year service obligation, including 2-5 years active duty (Army), 2 years active (Navy), 4 years active (Air Force, Marines); all military occupations and positions open to women (2016)

17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent and proof of age); mandatory retirement age 60; women serve in the Malaysian Armed Forces; no conscription (2013)

the International Maritime Bureau reports that the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea remain high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; in the past, commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift; seven attacks were reported in 2016 including five ships boarded, two hijacked, and 47 crew taken hostage, this is down from 13 attacks in 2015; during the first half of 2017, three attacks were reported including two ships that were boarded and one that was hijacked

the US has intensified domestic security measures and is collaborating closely with its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, to monitor and control legal and illegal personnel, transport, and commodities across the international borders; abundant rainfall in recent years along much of the Mexico-US border region has ameliorated periodically strained water-sharing arrangements; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian Duma ratification; Canada and the United States dispute how to divide the Beaufort Sea and the status of the Northwest Passage but continue to work cooperatively to survey the Arctic continental shelf; The Bahamas and US have not been able to agree on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other states; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island; Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island among the islands listed in its 2006 draft constitution

while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in 2008, ICJ awarded sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh/Horsburgh Island) to Singapore, and Middle Rocks to Malaysia, but did not rule on maritime regimes, boundaries, or disposition of South Ledge; land and maritime negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and disputed areas include the controversial Tanjung Datu and Camar Wulan border area in Borneo and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; per Letters of Exchange signed in 2009, Malaysia in 2010 ceded two hydrocarbon concession blocks to Brunei in exchange for Brunei's sultan dropping claims to the Limbang corridor, which divides Brunei; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

refugees (country of origin): the US admitted 53,716 refugees during FY2017 including: 9,377 (Democratic Republic of the Congo); 6,886 (Iraq); 6,557 (Syria); 6,130 (Somalia); 5,078 (Burma); 3,550 (Bhutan); 2,577 (Iran)

note: more than 46,000 Venezuelans have claimed asylum since 2014 because of the economic and political crisis (2017)

refugees (country of origin): 87,036 (Burma) (2016)

stateless persons: 10,931 (2016); note - Malaysia's stateless population consists of Rohingya refugees from Burma, ethnic Indians, and the children of Filipino and Indonesian illegal migrants; Burma stripped the Rohingya of their nationality in 1982; Filipino and Indonesian children who have not been registered for birth certificates by their parents or who received birth certificates stamped "foreigner" are not eligible to attend government schools; these children are vulnerable to statelessness should they not be able to apply to their parents' country of origin for passports

world's largest consumer of cocaine (shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the Caribbean), Colombian heroin, and Mexican heroin and marijuana; major consumer of ecstasy and Mexican methamphetamine; minor consumer of high-quality Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering center

drug trafficking prosecuted vigorously, including enforcement of the death penalty; heroin still primary drug of abuse, but synthetic drug demand remains strong; continued ecstasy and methamphetamine producer for domestic users and, to a lesser extent, the regional drug market

current situation: Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; Malaysia is mainly a destination country for foreign workers who migrate willingly from countries, including Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Nepal, Burma, and other Southeast Asian countries, but subsequently encounter forced labor or debt bondage in agriculture, construction, factories, and domestic service at the hands of employers, employment agents, and labor recruiters; women from Southeast Asia and, to a much lesser extent, Africa, are recruited for legal work in restaurants, hotels, and salons but are forced into prostitution; refugees, including Rohingya adults and children, are not legally permitted to work and are vulnerable to trafficking; a small number of Malaysians are trafficked internally and subjected to sex trafficking abroad

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch list - Malaysia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, amendments to strengthen existing anti-trafficking laws, including enabling victims to move freely and to work and for NGOs to run protective facilities, were drafted by the government and are pending approval from Parliament; authorities more than doubled investigations and prosecutions but convicted only three traffickers for forced labor and none for sex trafficking, a decline from 2013 and a disproportionately small number compared to the scale of the country’s trafficking problem; NGOs provided the majority of victim rehabilitation and counseling services with no financial support from the government (2015)