What is population in Malaysia?

Population in Malaysia was 35.13 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest population recorded in Malaysia?

The highest recorded value was 35.13 million people in 2023.

What is the lowest population recorded in Malaysia?

The lowest recorded value was 6.10 million people in 1950.

How does Malaysia rank for population?

Malaysia ranks 44th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.

Is population rising or falling in Malaysia?

Over the last ten years it is up 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Population in Malaysia

Name: Population in Malaysia
Creator: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Malaysia: Population was 35.13 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)

35.13 million people

Change on year

up 1.2%

World rank

44th

of 236 countries

All-time high

35.13 million people

in 2023

All-time low

6.10 million people

in 1950

Years of data

1950–2023

Population 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 in Malaysia is 35.13 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.

The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 16.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population in Malaysia peaked at 35.13 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 6.10 million people, in 1950.

That places Malaysia 44th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1950s	6.89 million people	6.10 million people	7.76 million people	10
1960s	8.95 million people	7.96 million people	9.95 million people	10
1970s	11.36 million people	10.18 million people	12.63 million people	10
1980s	15.07 million people	12.98 million people	17.32 million people	10
1990s	20.11 million people	17.83 million people	22.44 million people	10
2000s	25.55 million people	22.97 million people	28.12 million people	10
2010s	31.01 million people	28.66 million people	33.44 million people	10
2020s	34.50 million people	33.89 million people	35.13 million people	4

Countries ranked near Malaysia

41 Morocco 37.71 million people compare
42 Angola 36.75 million people compare
43 Uzbekistan 35.65 million people compare
45 Peru 33.85 million people compare
46 Ghana 33.79 million people compare
47 Mozambique 33.64 million people compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

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)
Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.54 births per woman (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)

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is population in Malaysia?: Population in Malaysia was 35.13 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest population recorded in Malaysia?: The highest recorded value was 35.13 million people in 2023.
What is the lowest population recorded in Malaysia?: The lowest recorded value was 6.10 million people in 1950.
How does Malaysia rank for population?: Malaysia ranks 44th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is population rising or falling in Malaysia?: Over the last ten years it is up 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Population
Unit: people
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.