Credit Management January February 2024

on Malaysia...
Geography and demographics
As countryreports.org outlines, Peninsular Malaysia
extends south for 800km from Thailand’s Isthmus of Kra
to Singapore and the Indonesian Archipelago. Sabah and
Sarawak, the States of East Malaysia, lie 600km to the east
across the South China Sea.
A central mountain range divides Peninsular Malaysia with
coastal plains on either side. Most of the population lives
in the plains and foothills of the western coast along the
Straits of Malacca. As for the east, it has fewer people.
Primary forest covers 60 percent of Malaysia which
contains diminishing but still vast timber reserves. Overall,
its landmass is 328,657 sq.km which dwarfs that for the UK
at 242,495 sq.km. The World Bank notes that the population
grew from 7.83m in 1960 to 13.22m in 1980, 22.95m in 2000,
and 33.2m in 2020.
As the government outlines, based on 2016 data, the
Malaysian population consists of multiple races, religions,
and race. The largest group consist of Malays, Chinese and
Indians. Orang Asli are the natives in Peninsular Malaysia
and are divided into three major groups – the Negrito,
Senoi and Proto-Malay. Sabah’s population consists of 32
ethnic groups with the major ethnic being Kadazandusun.
The Sarawak population consists of 27 ethnic groups and
Iban is the major ethnic group.
Brave | Curious | Resilient / www.cicm.com /January & February 2024 / PAGE 35
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