Facts about Malaysia National Day

The currency of Malaysia is called the Ringgit, which means jagged in Malay, which originally refers to the jagged edges of Spanish silver dollars that were once commonly used in the region. Malaysia National Day Facts

The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were the world's tallest buildings between 1998 and 2004. They are still the world’s tallest 'twin' buildings. The two buildings are joined by sky bridges, 558 feet (170 m) off the ground. Malaysia National Day Facts

The Sultanate of Kedah on the Malay Peninsula is one of the oldest in the world. It was established in 1136AD. Malaysia National Day Facts

Malaysia has a total of 878 islands. Malaysia National Day Facts

Malaysia is the ninth most visited country in the world, According to the World Tourism Organization, with 27 million visitors in 2016. Malaysia National Day Facts

The number four is seen as unlucky in Malaysia, as the word for four sounds similar to the word for death in Chinese. As a result, some buildings in Malaysia do not have a fourth floor. They are replaced by floor "3A". Malaysia National Day Facts

The states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo have more autonomy that other parts of Malaysia and even have their own immigration laws. This means that a passport is required for all Malaysians when travelling between East and Peninsular Malaysia. Malaysia National Day Facts

The world's biggest roundabout is located at Putrajaya in Malaysia. It is 2.2 miles (3.5 km) in diameter. Malaysia National Day Facts

The word Ketchup is thought to be derived from the Malay word 'kicap' (also spelled as kecap or ketjap). Originally this was a fish sauce brought from China to Melaka, Malaysia, where it was used by European traders. Malaysia National Day Facts

Why not celebrate Hari Merdeka with the national dish of Malaysia, Nasi lemak? This is a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk. It is often served wrapped in a banana leaf, and usually eaten for breakfast. Malaysia National Day Facts