Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Malaysia
Malaysia: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 77.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
77.4%
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
81st
of 236 countries
All-time high
77.4%
in 2025
All-time low
20.6%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita 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
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Malaysia is 77.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Malaysia peaked at 77.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 20.6%, in 1950.
That places Malaysia 81st out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 20.6% | — |
| 1951 | 21.3% | +3.1% |
| 1952 | 21.9% | +2.9% |
| 1953 | 22.5% | +2.8% |
| 1954 | 23.1% | +2.6% |
| 1955 | 23.7% | +2.5% |
| 1956 | 24.2% | +2.3% |
| 1957 | 24.7% | +2.1% |
| 1958 | 25.2% | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 25.7% | +1.8% |
| 1960 | 26.1% | +1.6% |
| 1961 | 26.5% | +1.5% |
| 1962 | 26.8% | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 27.2% | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 27.5% | +1.2% |
| 1965 | 27.8% | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 28.1% | +1.1% |
| 1967 | 28.5% | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 28.8% | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 29.1% | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 29.4% | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 29.8% | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 30.1% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 30.5% | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 30.9% | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 31.4% | +1.4% |
| 1976 | 31.9% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 32.4% | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 33.0% | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 33.6% | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 34.2% | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 35.1% | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 36.2% | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 37.5% | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 39.0% | +4.0% |
| 1985 | 40.6% | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 42.3% | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 44.0% | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 45.8% | +3.9% |
| 1989 | 47.4% | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 49.0% | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 50.5% | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 51.9% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 53.2% | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 54.6% | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 55.9% | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 57.2% | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 58.5% | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 59.7% | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 60.9% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 62.0% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 63.0% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 64.1% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 65.1% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 66.1% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 67.0% | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 67.9% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 68.8% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 69.5% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 70.2% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 70.9% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 71.4% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 72.0% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 72.5% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 73.0% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 73.4% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 73.9% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 74.2% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 74.6% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 74.8% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 75.1% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 75.5% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 76.0% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 76.4% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 76.9% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 77.4% | +0.6% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 77.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 1.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 77.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 1.2× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 23.3% | 20.6% | 25.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 27.6% | 26.1% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 31.3% | 29.4% | 33.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 40.2% | 34.2% | 47.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 55.1% | 49.0% | 60.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 66.4% | 62.0% | 70.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 73.1% | 70.9% | 74.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.2% | 75.1% | 77.4% | 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 share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Malaysia?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Malaysia was 77.4% 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 share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 77.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.6% in 1950.
- How does Malaysia rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Malaysia ranks 81st out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.