Famous landmarks in Malaysia

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia made of two parts separated by the South China Sea: Peninsular Malaysia, south of Thailand, and East Malaysia, which covers the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo. Its capital is Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia is known for ancient rainforests, beaches and islands, a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures, delicious street food and the shining Petronas Twin Towers.

On My Earth Toy you can see the Petronas Twin Towers, the Batu Caves with their giant golden Murugan statue, and the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. Look for the clouded leopard, the sun bear, the black-and-white Malayan tapir, the rhinoceros hornbill and the binturong, and discover the KL Tower.

Geography and nature

Much of Malaysia is covered by tropical rainforest, some of the oldest on Earth. In Sabah, Mount Kinabalu rises to 4,095 metres, and in Sarawak, Gunung Mulu National Park hides enormous caves, including the Sarawak Chamber, one of the largest cave chambers known. The forests of Borneo are home to orangutans, proboscis monkeys and the Rafflesia, which has the largest single flower in the world. Coral reefs surround islands such as Sipadan and the Perhentians.

People, languages and culture

Malay (Bahasa Malaysia) is the national language, and English, Chinese dialects and Tamil are widely spoken. Malays and other Indigenous peoples make up the majority, with large Chinese and Indian communities. Islam is the official religion, and Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity are also practised. Festivals such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year and Deepavali are celebrated by everyone with open houses, where friends of all backgrounds are welcome. Nasi lemak, coconut rice with sambal, is a national favourite.

History in a nutshell

Around 1400, the Sultanate of Malacca became a powerful trading port linking the Indian Ocean and China. The Portuguese captured Malacca in 1511, followed by the Dutch and later the British, who controlled the peninsula and northern Borneo. Japan occupied the region during the Second World War. The Federation of Malaya became independent on 31 August 1957, and Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963 by joining with Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore, which left in 1965.