In Malaysia, all of Asia's main ethnics groups and all the world's major religious are represented.
In Malaysia, visitors will be surprised to find all of Asia's main ethnic groups living together in harmony. Indeed, all the world's major religions are also represented here. An interesting sight in major towns is the proximity of mosques, temples and churches to each other. This social phenomenon has enriched the shared character, cultural mosaic and vision of the nation.
Mingle wit the country's over 25 million people, consisting of the majority Malays and other indigenous groups including the Orang Asli, Dayaks, Kadazan Dusun, Melanau, Murut and more. Joining them are the Chinese, Indians, group of mixed descent such as Baba-Nyonyas and Eurasians of Portuguese and other European ancestry as well as more recent immigrants from Asian Countries.
Malaysia is a home to a remarkable number of indigenous groups. Some still lead semi-nomadic lives, but many have settled in villages and live increasingly modern lives. On the peninsula, the many tribes of Orang Asli (Aboriginal People) form the largest group, numbering just over 100,000.
The state of Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo are mainly made up of their native communities. The major groups in Sarawak are the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu, sometimes collectively called Dayaks. There are also the Melanau and Penan. They traditionally live in long houses along the state's many rivers.
The largest group in Sabah are the Kadazan Dusun, Bajau and Murut, while smaller communities include the Bisayah, Iranun, Suluk and Bonggi. Traditionally, they live in the many water villages found along the coastal areas.
Finally, there are the mixed races, who hail mainly from Malacca and Penang, the historic places of cultural intermixing. They include Baba-Nyonyas also known as 'Peranakan' or 'Straits Chinese', who are of Chinese-Malay ancestry, and Eurasians who are direct descendants of Portuguese colonist in 16th century of Malacca.
