Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Malaysia
Malaysia: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 27.84 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
27.84 million people
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
35th
of 236 countries
All-time high
27.84 million people
in 2025
All-time low
1.26 million people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas 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 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas in Malaysia is 27.84 million people, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Malaysia peaked at 27.84 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.26 million people, in 1950.
Malaysia ranks 35th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.26 million people | — |
| 1951 | 1.33 million people | +5.8% |
| 1952 | 1.41 million people | +5.7% |
| 1953 | 1.48 million people | +5.5% |
| 1954 | 1.56 million people | +5.4% |
| 1955 | 1.65 million people | +5.3% |
| 1956 | 1.73 million people | +5.2% |
| 1957 | 1.82 million people | +5.1% |
| 1958 | 1.91 million people | +4.7% |
| 1959 | 1.99 million people | +4.4% |
| 1960 | 2.07 million people | +4.3% |
| 1961 | 2.16 million people | +4.2% |
| 1962 | 2.25 million people | +4.1% |
| 1963 | 2.34 million people | +4.0% |
| 1964 | 2.43 million people | +3.9% |
| 1965 | 2.52 million people | +3.8% |
| 1966 | 2.61 million people | +3.7% |
| 1967 | 2.71 million people | +3.5% |
| 1968 | 2.80 million people | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 2.89 million people | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 3.00 million people | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 3.10 million people | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 3.22 million people | +3.7% |
| 1973 | 3.34 million people | +3.7% |
| 1974 | 3.47 million people | +3.8% |
| 1975 | 3.60 million people | +3.9% |
| 1976 | 3.74 million people | +4.0% |
| 1977 | 3.90 million people | +4.1% |
| 1978 | 4.06 million people | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 4.24 million people | +4.3% |
| 1980 | 4.45 million people | +4.9% |
| 1981 | 4.70 million people | +5.8% |
| 1982 | 5.01 million people | +6.5% |
| 1983 | 5.36 million people | +7.0% |
| 1984 | 5.75 million people | +7.4% |
| 1985 | 6.19 million people | +7.6% |
| 1986 | 6.67 million people | +7.6% |
| 1987 | 7.17 million people | +7.5% |
| 1988 | 7.69 million people | +7.2% |
| 1989 | 8.21 million people | +6.9% |
| 1990 | 8.74 million people | +6.5% |
| 1991 | 9.26 million people | +5.9% |
| 1992 | 9.77 million people | +5.5% |
| 1993 | 10.29 million people | +5.3% |
| 1994 | 10.82 million people | +5.2% |
| 1995 | 11.37 million people | +5.1% |
| 1996 | 11.93 million people | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 12.50 million people | +4.8% |
| 1998 | 13.08 million people | +4.6% |
| 1999 | 13.66 million people | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 14.23 million people | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 14.83 million people | +4.2% |
| 2002 | 15.44 million people | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 16.06 million people | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 16.69 million people | +3.9% |
| 2005 | 17.31 million people | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 17.94 million people | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 18.57 million people | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 19.17 million people | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 19.76 million people | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 20.31 million people | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 20.83 million people | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 21.35 million people | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 21.87 million people | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 22.40 million people | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 22.94 million people | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 23.48 million people | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 24.02 million people | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 24.54 million people | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 25.03 million people | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 25.43 million people | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 25.89 million people | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 26.36 million people | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 26.85 million people | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 27.35 million people | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 27.84 million people | +1.8% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 27.84 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.47 million people, 6.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 27.84 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 722,007 people, 38.6× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.61 million people | 1.26 million people | 1.99 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.48 million people | 2.07 million people | 2.89 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.57 million people | 3.00 million people | 4.24 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.12 million people | 4.45 million people | 8.21 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.14 million people | 8.74 million people | 13.66 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.00 million people | 14.23 million people | 19.76 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.68 million people | 20.31 million people | 25.03 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.62 million people | 25.43 million people | 27.84 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More population data for Malaysia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.2686 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.2671 % change on previous year (2100)
- 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)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1472 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8625 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Malaysia?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Malaysia was 27.84 million people 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 number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 27.84 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.26 million people in 1950.
- How does Malaysia rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Malaysia ranks 35th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.4%. 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 Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.