Basic data
Total area: 330,113 sq km
Population:
24.5m (mid-2002 estimate)
Main towns:
Population in '000 (2002)
Kuala Lumpur (capital) 1,367
Johor Baharu 724
Ipoh 601
Klang 503
Petaling Jaya 460
Climate: Tropical
Weather in Kuala Lumpur (altitude
39 metres): Hottest months, April and May,
23-33 C (average daily minimum and maximum);
coldest month, December, 22-32 C; driest month,
July, 99 mm average rainfall; wettest month,
April, 292 mm average rainfall
Languages:
Malay (the official language); main other
languages: Chinese dialects (including Mandarin),
English, Tamil, Iban (in Sarawak), Banjar
(in Sabah). There are 139 living languages
altogether
Measures:
The metric system has gradually replaced the
UK (imperial) system. Local measures include:
1 pikul=25 gantang=100 katis=60.48
kg
1 koyan=40 pikul=2.419 tonnes
Currency:
Malaysian dollar or ringgit (M$, or RM)=100
sen (cents). Average exchange rates in 2001:
M$3.8:US$1 (pegged at this rate since September
2nd 1998); M$5.47:£1. Exchange rates
on December 4th 2002: M$3.80:US$1; M$5.97:£1
Time: Peninsula:
7 hours ahead of GMT; Sabah and Sarawak: 8
hours ahead of GMT
