MA'LAY PENINSULA, or MALACCA. A long. narrow peninsula projecting in a south easterly direction from the southeastern part of Asia, beginning about latitude 13' 30' N., and terminating in latitude 1° 22' N. It is bounded by the China Sea on the east and the Indian (wean on the west, and is separated from Su matra by the Straits of Malacca (Map: French Indo-China, D 6). It is about 850 miles long, and its width varies from 45 miles at the Isthmus of Kra to upward of 200 miles at Perak. The peninsula is formed by the southern extension of the mountain ranges that are the water part ing between the basins of the Salivin and Menam rivers. The highest elevation is 8000 feet. The granite and sandstone mountain backbone is not continuous, but is broken into several fragments; and the plains, east and west of the mountains, are vitt up into areas, large or small, by broad river valleys, ill which comparatively small streams carry the drainage to the sea, same of them being navigalile for short distances.
The climate is and exceedingly unhealthful for foreigners, malaria being a common disease. The health conditions of the lowns important in commerce have been much improved by sanitary measures. The port of Mahn•ea, for example, (MCP regarded as the grave of Europeans. is now fairly salubrious. The is rich and varied, and the forests which still cover nearly the entire peninsula are full of palms. as many as 42 varieties being known to exist. The fauna of the peninsula is not unlike that of Borneo and Sumatra, lint it has in addition some species unknown in those islands, as the royal tiger, the elephant. deer, and rhinoceros, of which there are two kinds. The peninsula is very rich in min erals. especially tin, which is mined to a very large extent. the greater part of the worlil's tin coming from this region. Silver and gold are also found, the export of the latter from the State of Pahang for 1898 amounting to 22.1(10 ounces. The principal agricultural products are raw sugar, cotton, tot-lace/1. nail
Politically the peninsula is divided betWe011 Siam and Creat Britain. To the former belting the provinces of Quedah, Patnni, Kelantan, Trunganu. and some others. occupying the north eastern and middle portions of the peninsula. The southern half of the rich Province of Ten asse1'im. Burma. forms the northwestern part of the peninsula. The Straits Settlements, consist ing of Singapore, Malacea. and Penang, with the province. of Wellesley and the Dingdings, constitute a Crown colony of Great Britain. while the Federated Malay States of Perak, Selangor, Negri Semhilan. with its ainalamated States. and Pahang. together with the native' State of Jobore, are under the protection of (-treat Britain. The total area of the peninsula is es timated at about 100.000 square miles, with a population of about 1,500,000, consisting for the greater part of Malays and Siamese, with a small number of Negritos, Chinese, and Euro N. The commerce of the peninsula is greatly promoted by the fact that the Straits of Malacca are the gateway between the Far East and the Occident. The vessels of over fifty regular steam ship lines are constantly passing through the straits, stopping at Singapore. For details, see articles on STRAITS SETTLEMENTS; SINGAPORE; PAIIANC; PERAK; BURMA, etc.
BIBLIorRAPHY. Keane, Malay Peninsula (Lon don, 1887) ; MeNair, Perak and the Malays; Sa rong and Kris (London, 187S) ; Bishop, The Gulden Chersonese (London, 1883) ; Skinner. The Eastern Geography: A Geography of the Malay Peninsula and Surrounding Countries (London, 1884) ; Keane, Eastern Geography (2d ed., Lon don, 1892); Lucas. Historical Geography of the British Colonies (Oxford, 1894) ; Clifford, St reties in Brown Ilu»utnity (London, 1898) ; In a Corner of Asia (ib., 1899) ; Swettenham, The Real Malay (London, 1899)1 Skeat, Malay Magic (London, 1900) ; Rathbone, Camping and Tramp ing in Malay ( London, 1898)..