Malaysia's Geography | Malaysia Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates: 2 30 N, 112 30 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: Total: 329,750 sq km land: 328,550 sq km water: 1,200 sq km
Area - comparative: Slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries: Total: 2,669 km border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Coastline: 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims: Territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
Climate: Tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Terrain: Coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m
Natural resources: Tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use: Arable land: 5.48% permanent crops: 17.61% other: 76.91% (2001)
Irrigated land: 3,650 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: Flooding, landslides, forest fires
Environment - current issues: Air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
Environment - international agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
Geography - note: Strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
