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Globe trotting: Malaysia 世界走透透 - 馬來西亞

Malaysia is one of the most culturally, ethnically and geographically diverse and unique countries in the world, not to mention beautiful. Come take a closer look at the country who's motto is “Unity is Strength.”

馬來西亞是全球文化、種族與地理最多元獨特的國家之一，更不用說是美不勝收。讓我們一起來探索這個國家格言為「團結就是力量」的國度。

A closer look 說古論今

Malaysia is dotted with plains, forested hills and mountains that cover both East and West Malaysia. West Malaysia shares a border with Thailand and Singapore, and is made up of nine sultanates, two states with governors and two federal territories. Across the South China Sea, East Malaysia on Borneo Island borders Indonesia and Brunei, and consists of just two states and one federal territory.

Malaysia has been a major trading hub and port center for centuries, and is mentioned in Chinese texts as early as 200-300 and in Claudius Ptolemy's Geography from about the same time. Malaysia has long been a major exporter of tin, rubber and palm oil.

The first Malay kingdoms came together around 1100 and were probably ruled by Hindu or Buddhist kings. For some time Malaysia was heavily influenced and occasionally invaded by Indian forces. Indians even used it as a base to attack Sri Lanka in the 1200s.

In the 1400s, the Sultanate of Malacca established itself and spread Islam through most of the Malay archipelago. To this day, most Malays are Muslim.

In 1511, the Portuguese became the first Europeans to set up a colony in Malaysia. The Dutch followed them, and the British came third. The British had firmly established control or influence in most of modern-day Malaysia by 1826. Britain granted Malaysia independence in August 1957 under pressure from guerrilla attacks.

馬來西亞東西散佈著平原、蓊鬱的坡丘與山脈。西馬來西亞與泰國和新加坡為鄰，共分為九個由世襲蘇丹管轄的州、兩個由州長管轄的州與兩個聯邦直轄區。跨越南海，位於婆羅州島上的東馬來西亞與印尼及汶萊為鄰，只包括兩個州與一個聯邦直轄區。

馬來西亞數世紀以來一直都是重要的貿易樞鈕與港口中心，早在西元兩百到三百年間，馬來西亞就出現在中國文獻中，約在同時，希臘天文學家托勒密也在《地理學》一書中提過。馬來西亞一向是錫、橡膠與棕櫚油的重要出口國。

第一個馬來王國建立於西元一一○ ○年左右，受印度教或佛教國王統治。馬來西亞一度深受印度影響，也不時遭印度人入侵。印度人甚至在十三世紀把馬來西亞當做攻打斯里蘭卡的基地。

十五世紀時，麻六甲蘇丹國建國，將伊斯蘭教遍傳到馬來群島。直到今日，大多數的馬來人仍是伊斯蘭教徒。

西元一五一一年，葡萄牙成為歐洲第一個在馬來西亞建立殖民地的國家，其次為荷蘭與英國。到了一八二六年，英國強力掌控並影響了大部分的現代馬來西亞。英國在一九五七年八月屈服於游擊隊攻擊的壓力，承認馬來西亞獨立。

（翻譯：賴美君）

About Malaysia 國家概況 Size: 329,847 km2, or about 10 times the size of Taiwan. Location: Southeast Asia Border countries: Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand Capital: Kuala Lumpur Population: 26.9 million Language: Malay Government: Federal constitutional monarchy Currency: 1 Malaysian Ringgit = around NT$9.4. 面積：三十二萬九千八百四十七平方公里，約為台灣十倍。 位置：東南亞 鄰國：汶萊、印尼、新加坡、泰國 首都：吉隆坡 人口：兩千六百九十萬人 語言：馬來語 政體：聯邦君主立憲 貨幣：一馬幣約等於新台幣九點四元。

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