Geographic coordinates: 2 30 N, 112 30 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total:
329,750 kmē
land:
328,550 kmē
water:
1,200 kmē
Area - comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total:
2,669 km
border countries:
Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km
Coastline: 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
exclusive economic zone:
200 nautical miles
territorial sea:
12 nautical miles
Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Terrain: coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount_Kinabalu 4,093m
Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use:
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
12%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
68%
other:
17% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,941 kmē (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding, landslides
Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea