Malay States
Coordinates: 4°0′N 102°30′E / 4.000°N 102.500°E
Peninsular Malaysia (Malay: Semenanjung Malaysia), also known as West Malaysia (formerly Malaya), is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula and surrounding islands. Its area is 130,598 square kilometres (50,424 sq mi). It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore.
Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra (Indonesia). East Malaysia (on the island of Borneo) is to the east across the South China Sea. Peninsular Malaysia accounts for the majority (roughly 80%) of Malaysia's population and economy; as of 2015 its population is roughly 25 million.
Peninsular Malaysia consists of the following 11 states and two federal territories (starting from the North going to the South):
The name "Malaya" is derived from the name of a river of a similar name found in Sumatra. In 1963, the name Malaysia was adopted by the new federation uniting the Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore. At the time, the Philippines had also contemplated adopting the name.
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