Malaysia 

Malaysia - 'Truly Asia', is a fascinating and beautiful country that one can spend months and even years to explore. Consisted of 13 states, this multi-ethnicity and multi-cultured Malaysian society is a true melting pot of different nationalities, festivals, customs, arts and culture. The country consists of two geographical regions divided by the South China Sea:

• Peninsular Malaysia (or commonly known as West Malaysia) - The Peninsular shares a land border on the North with Thailand and is connected by the Johor-Singapore Causeway to the South with Singapore.
• Malaysian Borneo ( East Malaysia) - The states of Sabah and Sarawak occupies the Northern part of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia's Kalimantan and surrounding the Sultanate of Brunei.
  

Apart from 'owning' the world's oldest, lush and pristine rainforests, Malaysia is also endowed with some of the world's best dive sites such as the one in Sipadan Island, fascinating animal and marine life, a diversity of flora and fauna and other natural surroundings unique to this part of the world.

Malaysia's 13 states have their own distinctive attractions that can easily grab the attention of many. Each state boasts of its different customs and cultures as well as the different natural places of interest. Some states have idyllic beaches to lull your minds while others have highland resorts for a cool escape from the hustle and bustle of the city life. Malaysia's colourful historical past which is evident in all the states, but particularly Penang, will definitely be an eye-opener for International students.

States & Capitals

Language

Bahasa Melayu is the national language of Malaysia, although English is the most commonly used and spoken. The Mandarin language and other Chinese dialects (particularly Hokkien and Cantonese), as well as Indian dialects such as Tamil and Hindi are common among the Chinese and Indian communities.

Religion

Islam is the official religion of the nation. However, the Malaysian Constitution guarantees freedom of worship and as such, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism make up the other primary religions that are embraced by the Malaysian society.

Currency

All transaction in Malaysia are carried out using the official Malaysian currency of Ringgit Malaysia (RM).

Time Difference

The standard Malaysian time is 8 hours ahead of the GMT.

Climate

Malaysia has a pleasant tropical climate and is generally warm all year round with temperatures ranging from 21 - 31 degree Celsius, and generally humid.

(Source: Study in Malaysia - 6th International Edition 2007)