Nationhood in progress
Nestled in the heart of the South East Asian region, Malaysia comprises Peninsular Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo. To the north of Peninsular Malaysia is Thailand while its southern neighbour is Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak are bordered by Indonesia while Sarawak also shares a border with Brunei. Malaysia is considered one of Asia’s most culturally diverse nations with its multi-ethnic, multicultural population comprising Malays, Chinese, Indians and more than 200 tribal indigenous ethnic groups. Over 27 million people live in this middle-income country, with seventy per cent concentrated in Peninsular Malaysia. Since independence in 1957, Malaysia has embarked on a progressive path to improve the social and economic standing of the country and her people. Development and high rates of economic growth combined to significantly reduce poverty and unemployment levels, as well as address other socio-economic imbalances. Universal primary education was achieved by 1990. The reductions in child and maternal mortality are exceptional and the levels are now similar to those of many developed countries. These improvements are attributable to a well developed primary health care system, including substantial investments in the reproductive health service, together with access to quality water, sanitation and nutrition. With an estimated Gross National Income per capita of US$ 7,313 (RM 25,743) in 2008*, the continuous development of human capital remains a key strategy to ensure Malaysia’s competitive advantage both regionally and globally. Malaysia’s aspiration is to be a fully developed nation by the year 2020. Known as Vision 2020, this strategy, launched in 1991, describes a fully developed nation not only in economic terms but also politically, socially and spiritually. * Source: Department of Statistics, Malaysia, 2009
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