Government and economy
- How do state and federal powers differ?
- How does Malaysia's government work?
- How does Malaysia's rotating monarchy work?
Malaysia, connected
Encyclopedia Malaysia
A sourced starting point for Malaysia's history, places, people, institutions and natural world.
Why this site exists now
A useful subject guide, with its history stated plainly
The domain formerly presented The Encyclopedia of Malaysia. This is a new independent online reference and is not the original publisher or book series.
Explore the subject
Five routes into the guide
5 sections · 25 focused answers
02
Malaysian history
All 5 answers →03
Nature and geography
- How is Malaysia protecting biodiversity?
- What are Malaysia's major landscapes?
- What is Mount Kinabalu?
04
People, languages and culture
- How do Malaysia's major festivals fit the calendar?
- What defines Malaysian food culture?
- What does Bumiputera mean?
05
States and federal territories
- How does Peninsular Malaysia differ from East Malaysia?
- What are Malaysia's states and federal territories?
- What is a federal territory in Malaysia?
From the reference
Recently updated
- What Makes Sabah Distinct Within the Malaysian Federation Sabah is a Borneo state with immigration autonomy, a Kadazan-Dusun and Bajau ethnic majority, and an economy driven by palm oil and petroleum under a contested revenue-sharing arrangement with the federation.
- What Is a Federal Territory in Malaysia and How Is It Governed Malaysia's three federal territories—Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Labuan—are governed directly by the federal government without state assemblies, heads of state, or state constitutions.
- What Are the Major Landscapes and Physical Features of Malaysia How the Titiwangsa Range, Borneo's Crocker Range, monsoon systems, and the South China Sea separation define Malaysia's distinct physical landscapes.
- Why Are Malaysia's Rainforests Important for Biodiversity and Climate Why Malaysian rainforests are not one thing but distinct ecoregions, how dipterocarp masting drives ecological cycles, and the gap between official and intact forest cover.
- What Wildlife Is Native to Malaysia and Where Is It Found How Malaysia's native wildlife divides along the Sundaic-Bornean biogeographic boundary, with the Malayan tiger and Bornean orangutan as flagship species.
- What Is Mount Kinabalu and Why Is It Geologically and Ecologically Significant How a young granite batholith reaching 4,095 metres created exceptional plant endemism, and why Kinabalu is distinct from Taman Negara and Gunung Mulu.
- How Is Malaysia Protecting Biodiversity Through Laws and Protected Areas How Malaysia's federal-state jurisdictional split shapes biodiversity protection through the Wildlife Conservation Act, Central Forest Spine, and state-managed parks.
- Malaysian History Hub Anchored Events Dated Institutions and Contested Narratives The Malaysian history section routes researchers to dated events and primary institutions, distinguishing the Federation of Malaya from Malaysia and presenting contested narratives as a feature.
- Malaysia Government and Economy: Institutions, Policy, and Data A structured overview of Malaysia's federal institutions, economic policy frameworks, and official data sources, with all claims dated and sourced.
- Formation of Malaysia 1963 How the Federation Was Created from Malaya Sabah Sarawak and Singapore How the Federation of Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore combined under the Malaysia Agreement 1963, with dated events and the constitutional distinction that underpins Borneo states' special status.