The jungle

Our expert Malaysia

The jungle

Previous Next

The Malay jungle Most of the Malay territory is occupied by primary forest, with this constituting the oldest area of primary forest on the planet. © Wong Sze Fei / age fotostock

See more pictures: The jungle

The Malaysian jungle is the oldest primary forest on the planet. It covers two thirds of the national territory, i.e. 70% of the peninsula and 95% of Sabah and Sarawak. Plantlife includes mangroves, tualangs and palms, amongst others. There are no less than two thousand tree and shrub species. Trees more than 260 feet tall do not let in enough sunlight.
The jungle is a hostile environment where it is dangerous to live. Today, it is suffering from deforestation. Actually, wood is one of the main exports of the Malaysia.
Amongst the most extraordinary species, take note of the rafflesia in the forests of Mount Kinabalu, in Sabah province on Borneo island. It is a purple flower, one of the largest in the world wth a diameter ranging from 17.5 inches to 3.5 feet!