Malaysia


Malaysia Overview - Malaysia’s location has long made it an important cultural, economic, historical, social, and trade link between the islands of Southeast Asia and the mainland. Through the Strait of Malacca, which separates the Malay Peninsula from the archipelago, flowed maritime trade and with it influences from China, India, the Middle East, and the east coast of Africa.

​High Tech Growth - "Malaysia has one of the most developed data centre markets in Southeast Asia, with market analyst organisation Arizton estimating the value at $1.06 billion in 2021. That figure is expected to grow rapidly in the near future, rising to $1.57 billion by 2027." Rueters - https://www.reuters.com/plus/malaysia-driven-by-digital-evolution​​
The country of Malaysia is two separate areas of land known as Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia. The two regions are separated by the South China Sea by about 400 miles -National Geographic
 Economic Strengths 
  • Strong economic growth: Consistent growth with an average GDP growth rate of 5.9% between 2010 and 2020 [^1].
  • Diversified economy: Manufacturing remains important, but the services sector is growing and contributes over 55% of GDP [^2]​​
  • ​Government support: Investments in infrastructure, education, and technology, alongside attractive tax incentives for foreign investment [^3].
  • Strategic location: Crossroads of Asia, ideal for trade and commerce with well-developed ports and airports, and proximity to major markets [^4].
  • Highly skilled workforce: Young and well-educated workforce with a 92% literacy rate [^5].
Footnotes​
​^1. World Bank: [https://data.worldbank.org/country/MY]
^2. Department of Statistics Malaysia: [https://www.dosm.gov.my/]
^3. Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA): [https://www.mida.gov.my/]
^4. InvestPenang: [https://investpenang.gov.my/]
^5. Department of Statistics Malaysia: [https://www.dosm.gov.my/]
Economic Weaknesses 
  • Dependence on foreign investment: Makes it vulnerable to external shocks [^6].
  • Income inequality: Top 20% of households control approximately 45% of income, while the bottom 20% control only 4% [^7].
  • Corruption: Ranked 57th out of 180 countries in 2022 by Transparency International [^8].
  • Brain drain: Loss of talented professionals to other countries [^9].​
  • Environmental challenges: Deforestation, air pollution, and their impact on tourism and health [^10].​
Footnotes

^6. World Bank: [https://data.worldbank.org/country/MY]
^7. Department of Statistics Malaysia: [https://www.dosm.gov.my/]
^8. Transparency International: [https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2022]
^9. World Bank: [https://data.worldbank.org/country/MY]
^10. World Bank: [https://data.worldbank.org/country/MY]
Terrain
​
Rolling plains with mountains along the borders
Source
Location
Value
Percentage of English Spoken
62.7%
CIA Factbook
Population
33.5 Million
​Department of Statistics Malaysia 2023 Population and Housing Census
High Tech  Cities
Kuala Lumpur, Cyberjaya, ​Penang, ​Putrajaya
CIA Factbook
Main Industries
​rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, petroleum and natural gas, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, ​electronics and semiconductors, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum and natural gas production;Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum and natural gas production, logging
CIA Factbook
GDP 
8.7% (2022)
World Bank
Government Type
federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
CIA Factbook
Recent History
Value
Urbanization
75.9% (2023 est.)
​Department of Statistics Malaysia 2023 Population and Housing Census
Internet Connectivity
​97% (2021 est.)
CIA Factbook
Moody's Credit Rating
A3 stable: Regular update
Moody's 
Travel Advisory
Level 1
US State Department
Corporate Headquarters​
Petronas, Maybank, Tenaga Nasional, Public Bank Berhad, CIMB Group Holdings,, RHB Bank​
Wikipedia 
NATO Member
No
Corruption Index
47/100
Transparency.org
VAT Tax
6%
https://www.lawofficemalaysia.com/vat-registration-in-malaysia