In 2002 Malaysia's population was estimated to be 22.7 million. Annual population growth was estimated at 1.91%. Around 58% of the population in Malaysia are Malay, 27% Chinese and 8% Indian or Pakistanis.

Religions:
Approximately 52% of Malaysia's population is Muslim, which is the official state religion. 17% is Buddhist, 12% Taoist and 6% Christian. The rest of the population is Hindu or Sikh. 

Languages:
The official language in Malaysia is Bahasa Malaysia. English is also widely spoken along with various Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow). Other languages spoken in Malaysia include Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Panjabi. 

Education System:
Malaysia benefits from one of the highest literacy rates in the world with 93% of the population being able to read and write. The Malaysian Government allocates a high percentage of the national budget for educational purposes. The Ministry of Education is responsible for managing a comprehensive school system, based on the British school system, ranging from primary school to university.