Population by age group in Malaysia
Malaysia: Population by age group was 2.27 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.27 million people
Change on year
down 3.8%
World rank
56th
of 236 countries
All-time high
2.70 million people
in 2018
All-time low
992,934 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population by age group in Malaysia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population by age group in Malaysia is 2.27 million people, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.8% on the previous year and down 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by age group in Malaysia peaked at 2.70 million people in 2018 and was at its lowest, 992,934 people, in 1950.
Malaysia ranks 56th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population by age group in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 992,934 people | — |
| 1951 | 1.06 million people | +6.7% |
| 1952 | 1.12 million people | +5.8% |
| 1953 | 1.18 million people | +5.2% |
| 1954 | 1.24 million people | +4.8% |
| 1955 | 1.28 million people | +3.9% |
| 1956 | 1.32 million people | +3.2% |
| 1957 | 1.37 million people | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 1.41 million people | +3.0% |
| 1959 | 1.45 million people | +2.7% |
| 1960 | 1.48 million people | +2.4% |
| 1961 | 1.51 million people | +2.1% |
| 1962 | 1.54 million people | +1.9% |
| 1963 | 1.56 million people | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 1.58 million people | +1.2% |
| 1965 | 1.59 million people | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 1.60 million people | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 1.59 million people | -0.2% |
| 1968 | 1.59 million people | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 1.58 million people | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 1.58 million people | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 1.59 million people | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 1.61 million people | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 1.64 million people | +1.5% |
| 1974 | 1.67 million people | +1.7% |
| 1975 | 1.69 million people | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 1.72 million people | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 1.75 million people | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 1.78 million people | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 1.81 million people | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 1.85 million people | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 1.89 million people | +2.6% |
| 1982 | 1.95 million people | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 2.01 million people | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 2.08 million people | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 2.15 million people | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 2.22 million people | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 2.29 million people | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 2.34 million people | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 2.38 million people | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 2.39 million people | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 2.39 million people | -0.0% |
| 1992 | 2.40 million people | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 2.44 million people | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 2.49 million people | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 2.54 million people | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 2.59 million people | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 2.63 million people | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 2.66 million people | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 2.67 million people | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 2.65 million people | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 2.64 million people | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 2.63 million people | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 2.62 million people | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 2.62 million people | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 2.62 million people | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 2.62 million people | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 2.61 million people | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 2.60 million people | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 2.58 million people | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 2.54 million people | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 2.51 million people | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 2.50 million people | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 2.52 million people | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 2.55 million people | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 2.60 million people | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 2.65 million people | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 2.69 million people | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 2.70 million people | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 2.68 million people | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 2.60 million people | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 2.47 million people | -4.7% |
| 2022 | 2.36 million people | -4.6% |
| 2023 | 2.27 million people | -3.8% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 2.27 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 447,677 people, 5.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 2.27 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 156,933 people, 14.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.24 million people | 992,934 people | 1.45 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.56 million people | 1.48 million people | 1.60 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.68 million people | 1.58 million people | 1.81 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.12 million people | 1.85 million people | 2.38 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.52 million people | 2.39 million people | 2.67 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.62 million people | 2.58 million people | 2.65 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.59 million people | 2.50 million people | 2.70 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.43 million people | 2.27 million people | 2.60 million people | 4 |
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 population by age group in Malaysia?
- Population by age group in Malaysia was 2.27 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by age group recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.70 million people in 2018.
- What is the lowest population by age group recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 992,934 people in 1950.
- How does Malaysia rank for population by age group?
- Malaysia ranks 56th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population by age group rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by age group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-4.