Malaysia

Malaysia is a small country that covers a land mass of 329,847 km², divided between Peninsular Malaysia in the west and the northern part of Borneo in the east. It is located at the eastern center of Southeast Asia. The deforestation rate here is one of the highest in the world, with scarcely any primary rainforest left in Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo being rapidly depleted. The total population is around 27 million people with a multi-racial society consisting of Chinese, Indians, Malays and Indigenous Tribes. The country's political system is determined by autocratic democracy. Shopping is a major lure for conventional tourists to Malaysia. Expansive malls and large shopping complexes are a common sight in the large cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown and Johor Bahru.

The favourable exchange rate and low prices make Malaysia a popular destination for shopping for tourists from developed countries in Europe, Asia and Australia. The country's administration is also driven by iconic mega-development and emulating past human achievements from international countries in an attempt to make themselves more known to the world. This includes building a pair of spherical structures known as the Petronas Twin Towers which was at one point, technically considered the tallest buidling in the world, due to their overstretched pinnacles. It has long been surpassed. Also, the administration recently sent in 2007 their first space tourist, a Malay model, to join a departing Russian expedition of cosmonauts, as part of a US1 billion deal with Russia to buy several Sukhoi jet fighters.

Motorcycles make up a large component of vehicles on the road, while trucks, cars and BMX bicycles make up the rest. Proton is a local vehicle marque that accounts for the second most number of cars on the road, due to the exorbitant tax structure placed on non-local cars. Perodua has the most vehicles on the road (a local name plastered on archaic Daihatsu models). In Kuala Lumpur, the city is served by the Rapid KL busline, which takes an average of one hour to pick-up waiting commuters from any station, as well as a series of light transit systems that use small electric-powered trains which run on suspended concrete tracks and subway tunnels.

Plans are also afoot to build a new highway in traffic-laden Penang Island, which will remove a great deal of Penang's green landscape in the north. The Chinese have a long historical and economic role in Malaysia. Despite a lack of financial support or constitutional benefits, the Chinese, which form 24 percent of the population, transformed Malaysia into a partly-modern landscape and propelled commercial development to make Malaysia able to stand on its feet among Southeast Asian nations. However, the Chinese in Malaysia are generally a fixated group that will avoid any issue of political bearing, especially those that may affect their economic role and position.

The lions-with-sheep-heart dance effectively portrays this situation.O

The cities of Malaysia offer a fascinating blend of modern landscapes and traditional backgrounds. Malaysia's capital city of Kuala Lumpur is the most popular city to be visited by tourists, but other places like Ipoh and Malacca offer their own historical charm and colourful heritage. Most cities have their own international airports, facilitating quick travel to these destinations. Cities also offer great shopping in markets and malls.

The highlands of Malaysia offer a cooling retreat from the hot weather and humid climate below. The most popular highland tourist destination is Cameron Highlands in Pahang, filled with tea fields and continental flowers. Genting Highlands is located a short distance away from Kuala Lumpur and has the only legal casino in the country. Fraser's Hill is a pristine nature getaway popular for bird watching and hiking.

The islands around Malaysia are tropical wonders abounding with warm beaches and marine treasures, like Pulau Tioman and Pulau Redang. Some islands are popular shopping destinations, such as Penang; a cosmopolitan city nestled on a charming island teeming with cultural heritage and colonial landmarks, and Langkawi; a popular duty-free shopping zone with unique landscapes and geological wonders, earning it a UNESCO Geopark status.

The beaches in Malaysia are located mostly along the east coast of the Peninsular, but there are a few hidden gems along the west as well. Along the eastern shoreline, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan (Cherating) and Desaru are the most popular beaches on the mainland. On the west coast, some of the popular beaches include Port Dickson, which attracts many visitors from Singapore, and Lumut in Perak.

Malaysia's nature heritage is abundant, taking the form of lush rainforests, verdant mountains, geological formations and mangrove swamps. Nature lovers will enjoy Malaysia for its natural beauty evident in the rich and green landscape. In both West Malaysia and Borneo, there are many national parks to explore, called 'Taman Negara'. Near Kuala Lumpur, you can visit Kuala Selangor, a mangrove sanctuary.