The neighbouring Southeast Asian countries of Singapore and Malaysia have contrasting environmental reputations. The small citystate of Singapore, with a population of 4 million and a population density of around 6,150 per square kilometre, is often seen as a model green city. That reputation rests partly on its efforts to control urban congestion and pollution, as well as the retention of green landscapes within the built environment. Malaysia, on the other hand, with a total population of around 20 million distributed between the comparatively urbanized peninsula and the less developed states of Sabah and Sarawak, has a poor environmental image. Deforestation, loss of biodiversity and the marginalization of indigenous populations in resource management decisions account for much of that negative image.
