 Malaysia is divided into two
distinct parts: Peninsular Malaysia and the East Malaysian provinces of Sabah and Sarawak
in North Borneo. The two regions are 650km (403mi) apart, separated by the South China
Sea. Peninsular Malaysia shares borders with Thailand and Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak
border Kalimantan (the Indonesian part of Borneo), and Sarawak surrounds the tiny enclave
of Brunei. The Andaman Sea is on the west coast of the peninsula. The east coast of the
peninsula, Sabah, and Sarawak all adjoin the South China Sea.
Peninsular Malaysia accounts for 40 percent of the country's land mass. Several mountain
ranges run north-south along the spine of the peninsula. There is a wide, fertile plain on
the west coast, and a narrow coastal plain on the east. Sabah and Sarawak are covered by
dense jungles and have large river systems. Mt Kinabalu (4101m/13,450ft) in Sabah is one
of the highest peaks in South-East Asia.
 More
than 60 per cent of the country is still rainforest, but a government plan to build a huge
hydroelectric dam in Sarawak is expected to decimate 27,600ha (69,000ac) of forest, which
does not augur well for the future. There are 8000 species of flowering plants in
Peninsular Malaysia alone, including 2000 tree species, 800 different orchids and 200
types of palm. Fauna includes elephants, rhinos, tigers, leopards, tapirs, sun bears,
orangutans and gibbons. East Malaysia has one of the most abundant and varied bird
populations in the world.
 Malaysia is
hot and humid all year. Temperatures are usually between 20-30°C (68-86°F); humidity is
usually 90 per cent. The region has a monsoonal climate, but only the east coast of
Peninsular Malaysia has a real rainy season. The wettest season on the west coast of the
peninsula is between September and December; on the east coast and in Sabah and Sarawak
it's between October and February. Rain, when it comes, generally interrupts the sunshine
only briefly; most of it falls in short, strong bursts.
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