Malaysia

Malaysia is a country encompassing two main territories within Southeast Asia; peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia, located on the island of Borneo (USDS, 2010). The country spans a total area of 329,847 square kilometers, with a relatively mid-range population for the region of over 28.7 million (CIA, 2011). The country’s terrain is characterized by coastal plains and jungle-covered mountains in the interior, and its climate is tropical. Malaysia has one of the strongest economies in the region, with a solid industrial base centered on oil and gas, plantations, ship building, steel and other industries (USDS, 2010). It has by far the highest human development ranking in the region at 57 of 169 (UNDP, 2010), making it the only country in the region in the top half of the world rankings. The country’s advanced development status affords it an advantage in being better able to address the issues of climate change, but it still faces many of the same threats as it Southeast Asian neighbors.