People
Malaysia has a combined population of over 18 million people. As a result, Malaysia has a multicultural and multiracial population consisting of Malays, Chinese, Indians, Eurasians, indigenous Orang Asli (Aborigines) and the various tribes of Sabah and Sarawak (Kadazan, Iban, Dayak etc). Because of its central location, between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, Malaysia has traditionally been a meeting point for traders and travelers from both the East and West.

Language
The official language is Bahasa Melayu. English is widely spoken while Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, Tamil, Hindi and tribal dialects of East Malaysia are among other languages spoken. Although Malay is the official language, English is widely spoken, especially in business, and the English language is a compulsory subject in all schools.
Geography
Malaysia, located in Southeast Asia, consists of the Malaysian Peninsula and the States of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo. The Peninsula is bordered by Thailand in the north; the island of Singapore lies to the south. Singapore is linked to Johor, in Malaysia, by a causeway.

Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur, known as KL, is the capital of Malaysia. More than any other spot in the country, Kuala Lumpur, or "KL" as it is commonly known, is the focal point of new Malaysia. While the city's past is still present in the evocative British colonial buildings of the Dataran Merdeka and the midnight lamps of the Petaling Street nightmarket, that past is everywhere met with insistent reminders of KL's present and future.
The city's bustling streets, its shining, modern office towers, and its cosmopolitan air project an unbounded spirit of progress and symbolize Malaysia's unhesitating leap into the future. To some, this spirit seems to have been gained at the loss of ancient cultural traditions, but in many ways KL marks the continuation rather than the loss of Malaysia's rich past. Like Malacca five hundred years before, KL's commercial centre is a grand meeting place for merchants and travelers from all over the world.

Environment
The jungles of Malaysia are said to be the oldest in the world. They cover more than two thirds of the country and play a vital role in both its economic life and its climate.
The forests stretch from the mangrove swamps of the west coast, through freshwater swamps to lowland hardwood forests, heath forests and mountain forest. There are believed to be around 8,500 species of flowering plants and ferns and 2,500 species of trees, in Malaysia's forests.

Flora & Fauna
Around 450 species of birds are native to Malaysia and many migrating species winter there. Among the most famous are the hornbills, native to Sarawak. Other species of birds including egrets, herons, kingfishers, kites, mynahs, and pheasants.
One of the world's most endangered animals is also unique to Malaysia - the orang utan, found only in Sumatra and Borneo, is the only great ape living naturally outside Africa.

Other animal species of Malaysia include bears, crocodiles, elephants, leopards, monkeys, panthers and rhinoceroses. Borneo has over 160 species of snakes, including the venomous cobras, kraits and sea-snakes. All seven known species of turtles, including the giant leatherback, lay their eggs on Malaysia's beaches.

Source : PUMSA (Purdue University Malaysian Student Association)