Area comparison map:

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 2,742 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (3): Brunei 266 km, Indonesia 1881 km, Thailand 595 km

Coastline:
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive economic zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

Climate:
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
More Climate Details

Terrain:
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation:
mean elevation: 419 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,095 m

Natural resources:
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Land use:
agricultural land: 23.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 2.9% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 19.4% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 0.9% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 62% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 14.8% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
3,800 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
a highly uneven distribution with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula

Natural hazards:
flooding; landslides; forest fires

Environment - current issues:
air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires; endangered species; coastal reclamation damaging mangroves and turtle nesting sites

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea