Malaysia, a member of the Commonwealth,but fought for independence 1965. When it was established on September 16, 1963, Malaysia comprised the territories of Malaya (now Peninsular Malaysia), the island of Singapore, and the colonies of Sarawak and Sabah in northern Borneo.To the south, at the tip of the peninsula, is the island republic of Singapore, with which Malaysia is connected by a causeway and also by a separate bridge. In Malaysia there is dense evergreen rainforest. Rainforest still covers more than two-fifths of the peninsula and a fraction of the country is under swamp forest.
There are several thousand species of plants, including more than 2,000 species of trees. The forests and shrublands are inhabited by a large variety of animal life. Mammals on the peninsula include elephants, tigers, Malayan guard (or seladang, massive wild oxen), Sumatran rhinoceroses, tapirs (hoofed and snouted quadrupeds), wild pigs, and many species of deer, including pelandok, or chevrotains (small, deerlike ruminants, commonly called mouse deer). Crocodiles, monitor lizards, and cobras also are indigenous to the country, while green sea turtles and giant leatherback turtles nest on the beaches of the east coast.
Today the tourism industry in Malaysia is developing and becoming one of the worlds most attractive travel destinations, as well as in the economic and social development has also become important. Mount Kinabalu, Mount Kinabalu is a major destination for climbers—but summiting here can be tricky. Only 185 climb permits are issued daily by the park, and visitors must make accommodation reservations and hire a mountain guide in advance in order to be allowed to hit the trails.
Perhentian Islands, you can hop on a water taxi to move from one beach to the next here, it’s also possible to follow the island’s walking trails instead—a much-recommended option as you get to trek through jungle paths and get stunning views of the water along the way.Scuba diving, snorkeling, and kayaking are popular activities here, but visitors can also volunteer in turtle conservation programs and get unique access to the areas where turtles come to lay eggs.
Gunung Mulu National Park- Thick rain forest covers most of the park and makes some areas difficult to access—one of the reasons some of the caves here weren’t really explored until the 1970s. Another reason is how massive the cave systems are. Both the largest passage and the largest underground chamber in the world are located in caves here.
Top Facts about Malaysia:
1) Kuala Lumpur has more than 7 million inhabitants but the administrative capital, Putrajaya has less than 100,000.
2) The country’s motto is ‘Unity is Strength, a national day on the 31st August where the
national symbols of the Malayan tiger and hibiscus flower are appreciated.
3) Signs of human settlements dating back to more than 400,000 years have been found on the Malayan Peninsula. The first settlers arrived from China and India around the first century AD. Later conquered by the Portuguese in the 15th century and then the British in the 17th century and gained independence in 1963.