Malaysia/

Malaysia, a middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into an emerging multi-sector economy. Under current Prime Minister NAJIB, Malaysia is attempting to achieve high-income status by 2020 and to move farther up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in Islamic finance, high technology industries, medical technology, and pharmaceuticals. The NAJIB administration also is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand and to wean the economy off of its dependence on exports. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics - remain a significant driver of the economy. As an oil and gas exporter, Malaysia has profited from higher world energy prices, although the rising cost of domestic gasoline and diesel fuel, combined with strained government finances, has forced Kuala Lumpur to reduce government subsidies. The government is also trying to lessen its dependence on state oil producer Petronas, which supplies at least 40% of government revenue. The central bank maintains healthy foreign exchange reserves and its well-developed regulatory regime has limited Malaysia’s exposure to riskier financial instruments and the global financial crisis. Nevertheless, decreasing worldwide demand for consumer goods hurt Malaysia’s exports and economic growth in 2009, although both showed signs of recovery in 2010. In order to attract increased investment, NAJIB has also sought to revise the special economic and social preferences accorded to ethnic Malays under the New Economic Policy of 1970, but he has encountered significant opposition, especially from Malay nationalists.

$416.4 billion (2010 est.)

$388.8 billion (2009 est.)

$395.5 billion (2008 est.)

$219 billion (2010 est.)

7.1% (2010 est.)

-1.7% (2009 est.)

4.7% (2008 est.)

$14,700 (2010 est.)

$14,000 (2009 est.)

$14,500 (2008 est.)

11.62 million (2010 est.)

3.5% (2010 est.)

3.7% (2009 est.)

5.1% (2002 est.)

46.1 (2002)

49.2 (1997)

20.1% of GDP (2010 est.)

52.6% of GDP (2010 est.)

53.3% of GDP (2009 est.)

1.8% (2010 est.)

0.6% (2009 est.)

1% (31 December 2009)

NA% (31 December 2008)

5.08% (31 December 2009 est.)

6.08% (31 December 2008 est.)

$69.03 billion (31 December 2010 est)

$57 billion (31 December 2009 est)

$337.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$280.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$314.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$265.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$256 billion (31 December 2009)

$187.1 billion (31 December 2008)

$325.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah - subsistence crops, coconuts, rice; rubber, timber; Sarawak - rubber, timber; pepper

Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, electronics, tin mining and smelting, logging, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum production and refining, logging

8.5% (2010 est.)

103.2 billion kWh (2007 est.)

99.25 billion kWh (2007 est.)

2.268 billion kWh (2007 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

693,700 bbl/day (2009 est.)

536,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

511,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

314,600 bbl/day (2007 est.)

2.9 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

57.3 billion cu m (2008 est.)

26.27 billion cu m (2008 est.)

31.03 billion cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

2.35 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$34.83 billion (2010 est.)

$34.08 billion (2009 est.)

$192.8 billion (2010 est.)

$157.5 billion (2009 est.)

electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Singapore 13.9%, China 12.2%, US 10.9%, Japan 9.8%, Thailand 5.4%, Hong Kong 5.2% (2009)

$149.2 billion (2010 est.)

$117.3 billion (2009 est.)

electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

China 13.9%, Japan 12.5%, US 11.2%, Singapore 11.1%, Thailand 6%, Indonesia 5.3% (2009)

$104.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$96.71 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$62.82 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$58.79 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$77.44 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$74.64 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$82.65 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$75.62 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

ringgits (MYR) per US dollar - 3.2182 (2010), 3.5246 (2009), 3.33 (2008), 3.46 (2007), 3.6683 (2006)