Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Malaysia
Malaysia: Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception was 1.54 births per woman in 2024. ▼ Falling
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Malaysia, 1960–2024
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per woman.
Analysis
In 2024, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Malaysia stood at 1.54 births per woman. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 25.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Malaysia peaked at 6.41 births per woman in 1960 and was at its lowest, 1.54 births per woman, in 2024.
Malaysia ranks 144th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.87 births per woman | 5.16 births per woman | 6.41 births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.56 births per woman | 4.09 births per woman | 5.04 births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.77 births per woman | 3.31 births per woman | 4.04 births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.28 births per woman | 3.07 births per woman | 3.37 births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.49 births per woman | 2.22 births per woman | 2.94 births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 2 births per woman | 1.78 births per woman | 2.15 births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.58 births per woman | 1.54 births per woman | 1.68 births per woman | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 142 United Kingdom 1.55 births per woman compare
- 143 Isle of Man 1.54 births per woman compare
- 145 Trinidad and Tobago 1.54 births per woman compare
- 146 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.53 births per woman compare
- 147 Cayman Islands 1.52 births per woman compare
More population data for Malaysia
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.3% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.91 million people (2100)
- Population density 134 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.3% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.54 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 138,417 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.54 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 0.7% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.55 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. GDP per capita 1.55 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Malaysia?
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception in Malaysia was 1.54 births per woman in 2024, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 6.41 births per woman in 1960.
- What is the lowest fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.54 births per woman in 2024.
- How does Malaysia rank for fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception?
- Malaysia ranks 144th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The total fertility rate, in a given year. The unmet need for contraception shows the estimated share of married fertile women of reproductive age who do not want to become pregnant and are not using contraception.