Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of Malaysia, positioned in South-Eastern Asia. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include Penang, Johor Bahru, Ipoh — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Kuala Lumpur grew from a tin-mining settlement in the 1850s to a city of 7 million in the metropolitan area, its skyline defined by the Petronas Twin Towers — the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004 — which were built 40 storeys taller than originally designed when the construction teams from each tower (Samsung and Hazama) competed on who could build higher.

With a population of approximately 32.7M, Malaysia is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The official language is Malay, which reflects the country's cultural heritage and connects it with a wide international community. Internationally, Malaysia is reached via the dialling code +60. Malaysia's ethnic arithmetic — Malay majority, Chinese minority, Indian minority, and indigenous Orang Asli — is institutionalised in the Bumiputera policy (positive discrimination for Malays and indigenous people) creating a society of extraordinary cultural hybridity in daily life while maintaining political structures premised on ethnic distinction.

Malaysia spans 330,803 km², in the South-Eastern Asia subregion of Asia. Geographically centred around 2.5°N, 112.5°E, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the left-hand rule, in line with surrounding Asia convention.

The official currency is the Malaysian ringgit (RM), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. Malaysia's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC+08:00, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.

The emblematic dish of Malaysia is Nasi Lemak. Nasi lemak — rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, served with ikan bilis (dried anchovies), peanuts, cucumber, hard-boiled egg, and sambal chilli sauce — is consumed for breakfast across all ethnic groups and is officially Malaysia's national dish, functioning as the daily proof that Malay, Chinese, and Indian food traditions have fused into something distinct from all three origins.

Badminton / Football holds a special place in the heart of Malaysia's national identity. Badminton is Malaysia's greatest sporting love and competitive obsession — the Lee Chong Wei-Lin Dan rivalry produced what many consider the greatest individual sporting rivalry of the 2000s, with Chong Wei winning Olympic silver three times and achieving national hero status that transcended sport in a country where badminton court construction is a municipal priority.

The highest point in Malaysia is Mount Kinabalu, rising to 4,095 metres above sea level. Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak contains the world's largest cave chamber — Sarawak Chamber, 600 metres long, 415 metres wide, and 80 metres high, large enough to contain 40 Boeing 747s — part of a limestone karst cave system whose stalactite formations, cave swiftlet colonies, and 8 million bat population emerge each evening in a single black ribbon visible from kilometres away.