ABSTRACT
Malaysia is one of the smaller states of Southeast Asia. With just under 30 million people, it is far outstripped in terms of population by Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, Philippines and Indonesia. However, in terms of per capita income it is well above each of these countries, and third only to tiny Singapore and Brunei. Geographically, it is split between peninsular Malaysia to the west and, 600 miles across the South China Sea, its two eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak.
