Climate
According to philosophynearby.com, Malaysia’s climate is equatorial, influenced by the Asian monsoon, with a wet season (from November to March) and a dry season (between June and October). The plains are very hot, reaching annual averages above 28ºC (which is why the population is concentrated on the coast), while in the mountains, and in relation to altitude, temperatures drop. Average annual rainfall is about 2,500 mm in the peninsula and about 2,300 mm in the insular region.
The days are warm and the nights quite cool. The main rainy season in the east lasts from November to February, while in the west, the wettest month is August.
Flora and fauna
It has a great Biodiversity of Flora and Fauna, and it is considered one of the eighteen megadiverse countries. Something to highlight in the country are its National Parks: three quarters of Malaysia is made up of green spaces of which two thirds are virgin. The best known is the Taman Negara National Park, considered a true garden of Eden. The national parks of the country are:
- Gunung Mulu National Park
- Kinabalu National Park
- Taman Negara National Park
The dense equatorial jungle occupies most of the country, which favors a rich and varied vegetation. Bamboo, ebony, sandalwood, teak and palm trees predominate, while mangrove swamps develop on the coast. The most important river is the Pahang, located on the Malay Peninsula.
Mountain Sistems
In both parts of Malaysia there are recent mountain ranges belonging to the Himalayan-Alpine system. On the Malay Peninsula, the Kerbau Mountains, in the center of the country, form a mountain range that reaches 2,000 m in height (Korbu, 2,182 m; Tahan, 2,190 m). Most of the peninsular territory, however, is occupied by extensive alluvial plains, rugged by small residual reliefs. The relief of eastern Malaysia is much higher than that of Malacca, reaching an altitude of 4,101 m (Kinabalu Peak). In Sarawak there is a region of valleys covered with dense equatorial forest, so that the population of the island region is concentrated on the coast (Kuching, Kota Kinabalu or Sandakan).
Beaches
Malaysia boast white sand beaches, its coral reefs are extraordinary places for divers. The most prominent beaches are:
- Tioman Beaches: They are found on the southern coast of Malaysia. They are calm, the water is perfectly crystal clear and the sand impeccably white. It is visited by a large number of tourists.
- Langkawi Beaches: Famous not only among Malaysians, but among all tourists in the world. They really are the best in all of Malaysia.
- Pantai Tengah Beaches: It is a very quiet beach. There are excellent hotels along the coast and a very good selection of places to eat.
Etymology
The name Malaysia was adopted in 1963, when the nations of the Federation of Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo and Sarawak were confederated. However, the expression had already been used to refer to different places in Southeast Asia.
On a 1914 map the word already appears to indicate Insulindia. In the Philippines they even contemplated calling the archipelago that way. Names such as Langkasuka were also considered, as the kingdom located in the upper section of the peninsula between the 1st and 10th centuries.
In 1850 the Englishman George Samuel Windsor Earl proposed calling the islands of Indonesia Melayunesia or Indunesia, opting for the first alternative.
Demography
The population, mostly concentrated in the peninsular territory, is made up of different ethnic groups that coexist with others from China (the second largest group that practices Taoism and Buddhism), India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The aboriginal population of Malacca is made up of Malays, with Mongoloid features, while more than 25 ethnic groups coexist in the insular area. The Iban and the Land Daka coexist in the Sarawak region, while the Sanah are concentrated in the Sabah and, in the coastal area of Borneo, the group of the Bajan, of agricultural tradition, settle.
The official language is Bahasa Malaysia, although other languages are also spoken, such as Chinese, English or Tamil. Although the majority of the population is Muslim (Islam is the official religion of the Federation), Hinduism and Buddhism are also practiced to a lesser extent.
The most important cities are:
- Ipoh, capital of the state of Perak, on the banks of the Kinta.
- Pinang, island city.
- Johor Baharu, south of the peninsula.
- Kuala Lumpur, the main capital of the federal state.
Other significant cities in Peninsular Malaysia are Subang Jaya, Ampang, Petaling Jaya, Taiping, Lumut, Kuantan, Klang or Port Dickson. In East Malaysia, there are also urban centers such as Sibu, Bintulu, Miri, Tawau, Lahad Datu and Kudat.
