Annual growth rate of urban population share in Malaysia
Malaysia: Annual growth rate of urban population share was 0.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.6%
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
64th
of 236 countries
All-time high
4.1%
in 1985
All-time low
0.3%
in 2019
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Malaysia, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 0.6% for annual growth rate of urban population share in 2025.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of urban population share in Malaysia peaked at 4.1% in 1985 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2019.
Malaysia ranks 64th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.1% | — |
| 1951 | 3.0% | -4.8% |
| 1952 | 2.8% | -5.1% |
| 1953 | 2.7% | -5.5% |
| 1954 | 2.5% | -5.9% |
| 1955 | 2.4% | -6.3% |
| 1956 | 2.2% | -6.7% |
| 1957 | 2.0% | -7.8% |
| 1958 | 1.8% | -8.8% |
| 1959 | 1.7% | -8.9% |
| 1960 | 1.5% | -8.3% |
| 1961 | 1.4% | -7.6% |
| 1962 | 1.3% | -6.8% |
| 1963 | 1.3% | -5.9% |
| 1964 | 1.2% | -4.9% |
| 1965 | 1.1% | -3.7% |
| 1966 | 1.1% | -2.4% |
| 1967 | 1.1% | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 1.1% | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 1.1% | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 1.2% | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 1.2% | +3.7% |
| 1972 | 1.2% | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 1.3% | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 1.4% | +5.8% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | +6.2% |
| 1976 | 1.6% | +6.5% |
| 1977 | 1.7% | +6.6% |
| 1978 | 1.8% | +6.6% |
| 1979 | 1.9% | +5.4% |
| 1980 | 2.2% | +15.6% |
| 1981 | 2.8% | +26.8% |
| 1982 | 3.4% | +21.5% |
| 1983 | 3.7% | +11.6% |
| 1984 | 4.0% | +6.3% |
| 1985 | 4.1% | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 4.1% | -0.4% |
| 1987 | 3.9% | -2.9% |
| 1988 | 3.7% | -5.1% |
| 1989 | 3.5% | -7.3% |
| 1990 | 3.1% | -10.2% |
| 1991 | 2.8% | -10.4% |
| 1992 | 2.6% | -6.0% |
| 1993 | 2.6% | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 2.5% | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 2.4% | -4.1% |
| 1996 | 2.3% | -4.8% |
| 1997 | 2.1% | -5.5% |
| 1998 | 2.0% | -6.3% |
| 1999 | 1.8% | -7.5% |
| 2000 | 1.7% | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 1.7% | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 1.6% | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 1.5% | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | -4.8% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | -5.8% |
| 2006 | 1.3% | -6.9% |
| 2007 | 1.2% | -8.2% |
| 2008 | 1.1% | -9.8% |
| 2009 | 0.9% | -12.2% |
| 2010 | 0.8% | -11.8% |
| 2011 | 0.8% | -6.6% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | -5.5% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | -6.7% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | -8.1% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | -9.8% |
| 2017 | 0.5% | -12.0% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | -14.8% |
| 2019 | 0.3% | -23.8% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | +37.0% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | +51.8% |
| 2022 | 0.6% | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 0.6% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 0.6% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 0.6% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.4% | 1.7% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.5% | 2.2% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.4% | 1.8% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More population data for Malaysia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.2671 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -5.88 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.2671 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.2686 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 41,032 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8625 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1472 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.3% (2100)
- Population density 134 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.91 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of urban population share in Malaysia?
- Annual growth rate of urban population share in Malaysia was 0.6% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.1% in 1985.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2019.
- How does Malaysia rank for annual growth rate of urban population share?
- Malaysia ranks 64th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of urban population share rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth rate of urban population share. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average annual rate of change of the share of the population living in urban areas.