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Malaysia's population of 25.6 million (2004) continues to grow at a rate of 2.0% per annum; about 32.8% of the population is under the age of 15. Malaysia's population comprises many ethnic groups, with the politically dominant Malays comprising a majority. By constitutional definition, all Malays are Muslim. About a quarter of the population is Chinese, who have historically played an important role in trade and business.
Malaysians of Indian descent comprise about 7% of the population and include Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians. About 85% of the Indian community is ethnically Tamil, with the remainder including those of Telegu, Malayalam, Punjabi and Gujarati descent.
Non-Malay indigenous groups make up more than half of the Borneo state of Sarawak's population and about 66% of the Borneo state of Sabah's population. They are divided into dozens of ethnic groups, but they share some general patterns of living and culture. Until the 20th century, most practiced traditional beliefs, but many have become Christian or Muslim. The "other" category includes Malaysians of, inter alia, Thai, European and Middle Eastern descent. Population distribution is uneven, with some 20 million residents concentrated in the lowlands of peninsular Malaysia, an area slightly smaller than the state of Michigan.
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