Malaysia People - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Population: 15,820,000 (July 1986), average annual growth rate 2.3%

Peninsular Malaysia: 13,002,000 (July 1986), average annual growth rate 2.1%

Sabah: 1,293-000*.July 1986), average annual growth rate 3.9%

Sarawak: 1,525,000 July 1986). average an nual growth rate 2.5%

Nationality: noun—Malaysian(s); adjective—Malaysian

Ethnic divisions: 50% Malay, 36% Chinese, 10% Indian. 4% other

Religion: Peninsular Malaysia: Malays nearly all Muslim, Chinese predominantly Buddhists, Indians predominantly Hindu

Sabah: 38% Muslim, 17% Christian, 45% other

Sarawak: 35% tribal religion, 24% Buddhist and Confucianist, 20% Muslim, 16% Christian, 2% other

Language: Peninsular Malaysia: Malay (official); English, Chinese dialects, Tamil

Sabah: English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate among Chinese

Sarawak: English Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages

Infant mortality rate: 25/1,000 (1985)

Life expectancy: 67.7

Literacy: 72% overall Peninsular Malaysia: 75%

Sabah: 58%

Sarauak: 55%

Labor force: Malaysia: 5.95 million (1985); 33% agriculture, 22% manufacturing. 15% government

Organized labor: 620,000 (1985), about 10% of total labor force; unemployment about 6.2% of total labor force (1985), but higher in urban areas

NOTE: The information regarding Malaysia on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Malaysia 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Malaysia 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.