Located between two and seven degrees north of the Equator, Malaysia is formed by 13 states – Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak, Pulau Pinang, Kedah, Perlis, Sabah and Sarawak; and three Federal Territories – Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan. Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan are located in East Malaysia, while others are in Peninsular Malaysia.
Malaysia is a fascinating country with a vibrant multicultural population. Besides the Malays and the native groups, immigrants from China, India, Indonesia and other parts of the world have all contributed to the multi-racial composition of its population.
Based on statistics from the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the country’s population in 2020 is estimated at 32.7 million people. Out of the 29.7 million citizens, the Bumiputera (Malays and Orang Asli or indigenous peoples) comprises 69.6 percent of the population, the Chinese (22.6 percent), and Indians (6.9 percent), while others (1.0 percent).
