Malaya

Facing almost entirely the South China Sea, a tributary of the Indian Ocean, Malaysia geographically consists of a continental part, occupying the southeastern tip of the Malay or Malacca Peninsula, which administratively corresponds to most of the federated states of the union, including Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Putrajaya, and the capital Kuala Lumpur; and an insular part, located in the northern region of Borneo, which includes the federated states of Sarawak, Sabah, and Labuan, the latter being an island off the coast of Brunei.

In its continental part, Malaysia borders Thailand to the north, while in Borneo, it borders Indonesia to the south. The territory of Malaysia completely encompasses that of the Sultanate of Brunei. At the southern tip of Malacca lies the city-state of Singapore, which shares no land border with Malaysia but is connected to it via a bridge.

Independent from the United Kingdom since August 31, 1965, Malaysia is an elective constitutional monarchy. At the beginning of the 21st century, it emerged as a medium regional power, ranking as the 10th largest GDP in Asia and the 29th in the world. It is also the fourth among newly industrialized countries.