Malaysia: Flag and Facts
Malaysia's flag has 14 red and white horizontal stripes, with a dark blue box in the top corner by the pole holding a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star.
- Capital
- Kuala Lumpur
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia
- Population
- 35 million (2025)
- Languages
- English, Malay
- Currency
- Malaysian ringgit
- Area
- 330,803 km² (127,724 sq mi)
- People
- Malaysian
- Calling code
- +60
- Highest point
- Gunung Kinabalu 4,095 m
- Independence
- 31 August 1957 (from the UK)
- National symbols
- tiger, hibiscus
About Malaysia
People often call it Jalur Gemilang, or Stripes of Glory. The stripes show that the federal government and all 13 states stand as equals, and the star's points stand for unity among them. The crescent is a symbol of Islam, yellow is the royal color, and blue represents Malay unity.
Because the Strait of Malacca runs between the Malay Peninsula and the islands, goods and ideas from China, India, East Africa, and the Middle East have flowed through here for centuries. The Srivijayan and Majapahit empires each held large parts of the peninsula before the 14th century. Malacca grew into a powerful port city in the 15th century. Portuguese and Dutch colonizers came first, but Britain eventually controlled the territory. Malaya became independent on 31 August 1957, and Malaysia was formed on 16 September 1963. Coastal plains rise into hills and mountains.
Did you know?
- Gunung Kinabalu is Malaysia's highest peak at 4,095 m.
- The tiger and the hibiscus are Malaysia's national symbols.
- Malaysia gets two monsoons each year, from the southwest and the northeast.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about Malaysia
What is the capital of Malaysia?
Kuala Lumpur is the capital, with about 8.6 million people in 2023.
What currency does Malaysia use?
Malaysia uses the Malaysian ringgit, written as RM.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.