Location

Situated near the Equator at longitudes 100 to 119 degrees East. Peninsular Malaysia is in the west at the tip of mainland Southeast Asia, while the states of Sabah and Sarawak are on the island of Borneo, in the east.

Area

330,252 square kilometers (Peninsular Malaysia 131,598 sq. km, Sarawak 124,449 sq. km, Sabah 73,711 sq. Km)

Number of States

13 states and the federal territories Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and  Labuan                         

Capital City

Kuala Lumpur

Weather

Tropical (21ºC - 32º C), High Humidity (80%) with wet (October – February) and dry seasons (March – September)

Population

25.6 million (2004)

Religion

Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and others

Language

Malay (National language), Cantonese, Hokkien, Tamil and others. English is widely used especially in commerce and industry.

Local Time

GMT     12 hours (13 hours during daylight saving)

KL (-) Vancouver (+)

Weights and Measures

Metric system.

Electric System

220-240 volts AC, 50 hz-cycle system.

Water

Tap water is safe to drink.

Currency

Ringgit Malaysia [CAD1.00 = RM3.498] (May 2007))

Banks

International banks includes Citibank, Bank of America, HSBC, ABN Amro Bank, Bank of China, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Bank of Nova Scotia, OCBC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, United Overseas Bank.

Banking hours:  Generally between 0930 – 1500 hours (weekdays)

                        Closed on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

Credit Cards

Visa, Mastercard, American Express accepted in major cities.

Business Hours

Government Offices - 0800–1615 hours.

Private Sector – 0900-1700 hours.

Entry Requirements

Visitors must possess valid international passports or other travel documents recognized by the Government of Malaysia. These documents must be valid for at least six months beyond the date of entry into Malaysia. 

Visa Requirements

Canadian passport holders do not require visa for stay less than 3 months. Other nationalities, please refer to Travel Requirements.

Customs

Personal Duty Free Allowances for visitors staying a minimum of 72 hours:

-          200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 225gm tobacco

-          wines, spirits/malt liquor not exceeding 1 litre

-          cosmetic, perfume, clothes for personal use not exceeding RM            

-          crafts and souvenirs to a total value not exceeding RM   , except when imported from Labuan and Langkawi where    the total value shall not exceed RM500.00

Prohibitions

-          Narcotics and dangerous drugs. Trafficking of illegal drugs carries the death penalty

-          Firearms and ammunitions (unless under special permit)

-          Dagger and flick-knives

-          Pornographic materials

-          All goods from Israel