Located in the tropics, Malaysia straddles the South China Sea.  Peninsula Malaysia is at the tip of mainland Southeast Asia, while the states of Sabah and Sarawak are on the island of Borneo.  Total land mass covers 329,757 square kilometers.  Its largest urban areas include the capital, Kuala Lumpur, Penang in the north west and Johor Bahru in the south bordering Singapore.

Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government.  The monarch, the Yang di Pertuan Agong, is rotated among the rulers of nine of the thirteen states of Malaysia.  The role has, over time, become almost entirely ceremonial and symbolic.

Malaysia's population approaches 22 million and includes three primary ethnic groups:  the Malays (50%), the Chinese (27%) and the Indians (8%).  Bahasa Malaysia is the national language, although English is widely understood and is used in business communication.

Over the last decade the Malaysian economy has undergone rapid expansion, with emphasis shifting from agriculture to manufacturing.  More changes are envisaged for the new millenium, with the nation set to move from the industrial to the information age.  The Government has targeted year 2020 for the country to achieve "developed nation" status.

Malaysia has long been a leading producer and exporter of commodities such as rubber, palm oil, timber, tin petroleum and gas.  Major manufactured exports include electronics, chemicals, textiles and apparel.  It is also a leading producer and exporter of semiconductors, audio-visual products and air conditioners.  The manufacturing sector is expected to lead economic growth into the next decade with emphasis on higher value-added products and activities including research and development, design and prototyping, distribution and logistics.  Malaysia's main trading partners are Japan, the United States and Singapore.