Malaysia : a country profile

Foreign Disaster Assistance. Due to Malaysia"s geographic location, flooding during the monsoon seasons is the most typical disaster; for example, tropical storms in 1970-71 left nine-tenths of peninsular (West) Malaysia flooded; other sources of concern are fires, interethnic strife, and refugees from other conflicts in the region. West Malaysia receives most of its average 100 inches of annual rainfall during the southwest monsoon (mid April-mid October), while East Malaysia receives the bulk of its average 150 inches during the northeast monsoon (October- February). Otherwise, the two areas are climatologically and topographically alike; temperatures are generally uniform, averaging about 81 degrees F, and the terrain is characterized by mountainous, rainforested inlands falling away to flat, swampy coastal areas -- often covered by mangrove trees -- and numerous but heavily silted and poorly navigable rivers. The coastal areas are the most populous and commercially productive, where most rice farming, fishing, rubber farming, and other agricultural activity takes place. The profile contains sections on Malaysia"s culture, government, disaster preparedness, population, health, nutrition, housing, agriculture, economy, geography and land use, transportation capabilities (roads, railroads, shipping, air travel), and power and communications.