The earliest civilizations in Malaysia date back thousands of years. In ancient times, the Malay Archipelago was dominated by powerful maritime kingdoms.

The Srivijaya Empire, which flourished from the 7th to the 13th century, controlled major trade routes across the Straits of Melaka, making the region a vital hub for international trade between East Asia, South Asia and the Middle East.

Later, the Melaka Sultanate rose to prominence in the 15th century, establishing formal Islamic governance and spreading Islamic culture throughout the peninsula.

Malaysia was first colonized when Portugal captured Melaka in 1511, followed by Dutch (1641 to 1824) and British (1786 to 1957) rule, while Japan occupied Malaya from 1941 to 1945 during World War II.

In 1957, Peninsular Malaysia officially gained independence. In 1963, the Federation of Malaysia was formed through the merger of Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak. Later Singapore separated from the federation in 1965 and became an independent country.