Malaysia Culture
- Area: 329,847km2
- Location: Southeast Asia
- Climate: equatorial, characterised by annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
- Population: 27,730,000 (estimate 2008)
- People: Malays and bumiputra groups 65 %
- Language: Malay
- Currency and monetary unit: Ringgit RM
- Form of Government: Government Federal constitutional elective monarchy and Parliamentary democracy
Geography
The two distinct parts of Malaysia, separated from each other by the South China Sea, share a largely similar landscape in that both West and East Malaysia feature coastal plains rising to often densely forested hills and mountains, the highest of which is Mount Kinabalu at 4,095.2 metres (13,435.7 ft) on the island of Borneo.
Natural Resources
Malaysia is well-endowed with natural resources in areas such as agriculture, forestry and minerals. In terms of agriculture, Malaysia is one of the top exporters of natural rubber and palm oil, which together with sawn logs and sawn timber, cocoa, pepper, pineapple and tobacco dominate the growth of the sector. Palm oil is also a major generator of foreign exchange
Attractions and Destinations
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur, often abbreviated as K.L., is the capital and the largest city of Malaysia. The city proper, making up an area of 244 km2, had an estimated population of 1.6 million in 2006. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million. It is the fastest growing metropolitan region in the country, in terms of population as well as economy.
Kuala Lumpur is the seat of the Parliament of Malaysia, making it the country's legislative capital. The city was once home to the executive and judicial branches of the federal government, but they have since moved to Putrajaya starting in 1999. Some sections of the judiciary remain in the capital. The official residence of the Malaysian King, the Istana Negara, is also situated in Kuala Lumpur. The city is also the cultural and economic centre of Malaysia due to its position as the capital as well as being a primate city. Kuala Lumpur is rated as a gamma world city, and is the only global city in Malaysia.
Petronas Twin Towers - The 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, otherwise known as KLCC the world's tallest twin structures. Located in the heart of the capital city, the crown of the Kuala Lumpur contains a complex of office buildings, conference halls, a sprawling park and an upmarket shopping complex.
Inspired by the geometric shape found in Islamic architecture, this gleaming mega-structure was designed by Argentinian-American architect Cesar Pelli. Stretching out to one side of this architectural masterpiece is the spacious and beautifully landscaped KLCC Park. Other attractions at KLCC are Suria Shopping Complex, Petronas Philharmonic Hall, Petrosains Science Centre, Petronas Art Gallery and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, where The Aquaria Oceanarium is situated.
Kinabalu Park
Kinabalu Park, the entrance to Mt Kinabalu, is located at 1,585 metres above sea level and is the main starting point for the summit trail that leads to the top of Mt Kinabalu. Its covers an area of 754 sq km and is made up of Mount Kinabalu, Mount Tambayukon and the foothills.
It was gazetted to preserve this valuable natural environment. The mountains have a fascinating geological history, taking 'just' a million years to form. The mighty Mount Kinabalu is actually a granite massif that was later thrust upwards through the crust of the surface.
Subsequent erosion removed thousands of feet of the overlying sand and mud stone, exposing this massif. During the Ice Age, glaciers running across the summit smoothed it out, but the jagged peaks that stood out above the ice surface remained unaffected, retaining the extremely ragged surfaces. This rugged mountain is the focal point of the National Park.
Taman Negara (National Park)
Taman Negra is the first and the oldest official Protected Area in the country, originally named King George V National Park. Declared in 1938 by the Sultans of Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu (during King George's Silver Jubilee), it was gazetted to preserve the land's indigenous nature in perpetuity. The park was renamed Taman Negara after the nation gained independence in 1957.
The most popular activities at Taman Negara are river cruises and jungle trekking. The canopy walk is also a must-see, offering a fantastic close up view of activity in the rainforest canopy. Observation hides are another great way to observe wildlife. Simple huts built high above the ground allow guests to stay overnight to catch opportunities to observe animals in their natural habitat. Cave exploration is also available, either by boat or by foot. Taman Negara is actually one of the oldest rainforests in the world, estimated at 130 million years old. The abundance and diversity of nature here is phenomenal, making it one of the world's most complex and rich ecosystems.
Endau - Rompin State Park
Endau Rompin, straddling the Johor/Pahang border, is the second National Park, after Taman Negara. It covers an area of approximately 80,000 hectares of rich and exotic flora and fauna, encompassing the watershed of the rivers Endau and Rompin, from which it derives its name. In other words, this place is huge. The entry point to the park is an Orang Asli (Malaysian aborigines) village. Although the natives have been influenced by the modern world, they still practise a hunting and gathering lifestyle. They are also the custodians of fascinating myths and legends about the jungle that have been handed down from one generation to the next. But apart from exploring this spellbinding cultural aspect of the park, how can you get your hands dirty in this giant, timeless Garden of Eden? Easy. You can camp, hike, fish, canoe, shoot rapids, explore caves, climb mountains, bird watch and swim in this amazing national park.The park is home to a vast range of species of birds, mammals, frogs, insects and exotic varieties of orchids, herbs, medicinal plants and trees. It seems that every time a scientific expedition returns from Endau - Rompin, they discover a new species! In existence for over 130 million years, this rainforest holds rare flora and fauna, many of which are not found anywhere else in the tropics. The most prominent of these unique species is the Sumatran Rhinoceros. Regular treks through the jungle will give adventurers sightings of leaf monkeys, long-tail macaques, white-handed gibbons, elephants, deer, tapirs and the occasional tiger and leopard. For adventure lovers and river trekkers, there are exhilarating rapids and fairly substantial waterfalls.
To protect the pristine environment, only limited areas of the park are open for ecotourism. Entry to the park requires a special permit from the Johor National Park Corporation. But the much easier option is to get the permits at the District Office, which is just next to the Police Department in Kuala Rompin before reaching the FELDA Selendang turnoff from Lanjut Beach. Upon entry to this park, trekkers will be guided by forest rangers to ensure safety at all times.
All photographs and main part of texts courtsey of ©Malaysia Tourism.
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