Malaysia is a federal constitutional monarchy in Asia. Kuala Lumpur is the largest city and capital. This country consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a population of 29.24 million as of 2012. Their government consists of an elective monarchy, constitutional monarchy, democracy, and parliamentary system. Their motto is "Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu" which means "Unity Is Strength". Their King is Abdul Halim. The Prime Minister is Naijib Tun Razak. The Deputy Prime Minister is Muhyiddin Yassin. Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government.
Malaysia has many different ethnic groups, the largest being: Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Malay's make up more than 50% of the ethnic population, Chinese 25%, Indians 10%. Together they make up their own unique heritage and culture within Malaysia.
Malay's first religions were Theravada Buddhism and Hinduism but were later converted to Islam. This change was influenced by the royal court of Melaka. They are known for their rich arts heritage and gentile mannerisms.
Many of the Chinese population in Malaysia migrated during the 19th century. Chinese here are known for their diligence and strong business sense. There are three subgroups who speak a different dialect of the Chinese language and live in separate regions. They are the Hokkien, Cantonese, and Mandarin.
Indians, being the smallest ethnic population, traveled to Malaysia during the British colonial rule. Many Indians traveled here in search of a better life in hopes of getting out of the caste system. This ethnic group is mainly Hindu bring with them spicy cuisine and a colorful culture.
Malaysia is known for their colorful holidays and festivals. The most observed national holiday is Hari Merdeka also known as Independence Day on August 31st. Other notable national holidays are Labour Day, May 1st and the King's birthday, the first week of June. Many Muslim holidays are prominent here. They also celebrate festivals such as the Chinese New year. Hindus in Malaysia celebrate Deepavali, the festival of lights.
Popular sports in Malaysia include football, badminton, field hockey, bowls, tennis, squash, martial arts, and skate boarding. Football being the most popular sport in this country, they are trying to bid to be the joint host for 2034 FIFA World Cup. Malaysia has been one of three countries to hold the badminton match called the Thomas Cup. The men's national field hockey team ranked 13th in the world as of November 2013.
One thing that I found that was really interesting was that Malaysia has its own Formula One track call the Sepang International Circuit. It held its first Grand Prix in 1999. Malaysia also competes in the Olympic games and has been in all of them except one. They are known for medals in Badminton and Platform diving.
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