Malaysia consists of 22,229,000 people. The population is made of 60% Malay, 25% Chinese, and about 10% Indian and Pakistani. The national religion is Islam; most of the Malays are Muslim, the Chinese are mainly Buddhist, while the Indians are mostly Hindu. The official language is Bahasa Malaysia (Malay), but English is also used in the legal system. The capital and largest city is Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia contains two parts: West and East Malaysia. The country is about 128,430 square miles. The are separated by 400 miles of the South China Sea. (Malaysia)

Malaysian music is influenced by Chinese and Islamic forms and "based largely around the gendang (drums) and includes percussion instruments, flutes, trumpets, and gongs" (Malaysia). The country has a strong presence of dance in the culture, which is influenced from Indian and Portuguese.