National Identity
- Official name
- Malaysia
- Name etymology
devised in the early 19th century by British geographers; the suffix -sia was added to the name of the Malay people to form a classical-style name; the name Malay may come from the Tamil word malai, meaning "mountain"
Sources:- Federal Constitution ↗ - Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
- The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Coat of arms
- National flag
Translated from the Government of Malaysia There are 14 horizontal red and white stripes of equal width, beginning with a red stripe at the top and ending with a white stripe at the bottom.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from National Archives of Malaysia The dark blue part on the left [...] The yellow colour of the crescent symbol and the 14-pointed star
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from National Archives of Malaysia Every symbol and colour found on the Flag of Malaysia represents particular meanings. The dark blue part on the left symbolises the unity of the multiracial people of Malaysia, united and striving to develop an economy based on science and technology. The yellow colour of the crescent symbol and the 14-pointed star signifies the sovereignty of the Constitutional Rulers as well as upholding and respecting the principles of the constitution and the philosophy of the Rukun Negara. The crescent symbol signifies Islam as the official religion of the country, while the 14-pointed star shows the unity of the 13 states, namely Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu and the Federal Government (the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya). Red symbolises courage and readiness to face all obstacles and challenges in the effort to establish Malaysia as a developed nation. While white symbolises purity, sincerity and earnestness in enhancing the resilience of a people who are civilised, cultured and of Malaysian character.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from National Archives of Malaysia When the Federation of Malaya was formed in 1948, the need arose for a flag as a symbol of the existence of that federation. The creation of the Flag of the Federation of Malaya was inspired through a flag design competition organised at the national level.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from National Archives of Malaysia On 15 November 1949, the Special Committee received a total of 373 flag designs, which were forwarded to the Federal Legislative Council for consideration and selection, and only three designs were chosen for the shortlist. The first design was a symbol of crossed kerises in the centre surrounded by 11 five-pointed stars. The second design was almost the same as the first design except that the 11 five-pointed stars were arranged in two circles surrounding the crossed kerises. The third design was 11 blue-and-white stripes with a white crescent and star at the left edge.
The third design, by Mohamed bin Hamzah, an architect of the Johor Public Works Department, was the majority's choice. The selection of this flag received the assent of the Meeting of the Conference of Rulers held on 22–23 February 1950 after several amendments were made. Originally the crescent and star were white in colour, but on the proposal of the Sultan of Kedah and with the agreement of the other Malay Rulers, the white colour was replaced with yellow to symbolise the royal colour. On 19 April 1950, the Federal Legislative Council passed the motion tabled by the Acting Chief Secretary concerning the flag of the Federation of Malaya as assented to by the Conference of Rulers.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from National Archives of Malaysia On 26 May 1950, for the first time, the Flag of the Federation of Malaya was flown at the Palace of the Sultan of Selangor in Kuala Lumpur.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from National Archives of Malaysia When the country achieved independence, an official ceremony of raising the flag of the Federation of Malaya was held once again. At exactly 12.01 a.m. on 31 August 1957 at the Selangor Club Padang, the flag of the Federation of Malaya was proudly flown to replace the Union Jack flag. The flag was raised by Encik Tahir bin Abdul Majid, accompanied by the national anthem, namely Negaraku, which was played to the public for the first time.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from National Archives of Malaysia After the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963, the Flag of the Federation of Malaya was modified by increasing the number of stripes and star points from 11 to 14, showing the 14 states in Malaysia. The Flag of Malaysia was officially flown throughout the country on 16 September 1963 as a symbol of the birth of the nation of Malaysia.
Although Singapore separated from Malaysia on 9 August 1965, the 14 stripes and the 14-pointed star have been retained to this day.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerTranslated from National Archives of Malaysia Jalur Gemilang is the official name given to the Flag of Malaysia. [...] The Cabinet chose Jalur Gemilang, proposed by Encik Redzuan bin Tumin, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Museums and Antiquities, as the new name for the flag of Malaysia.
The proclamation of the name Jalur Gemilang was held on 30 August 1997, at 11.58 p.m., by YAB Dato' Seri Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, the Prime Minister, at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur.
Unofficial translation by WorldometerSources:- malaysia.gov.my ↗ - the Government of Malaysia
- arkib.gov.my ↗ - National Archives of Malaysia
- National anthem
- Negaraku0:59
- Title (in Malay)
- Negaraku
- Title (in English, translated)
- My Country
- Short version
- 0:42
- Lyrics
Negara ku Tanah tumpahnya darahku, Rakyat hidup bersatu dan maju, Rahmat bahagia tuhan kurniakan, Raja kita selamat bertakhta, Rahmat bahagia tuhan kurniakan. Raja kita selamat bertakhta.
Source: - Citizens
- Malaysians
- Official name:Federal Constitution ↗ - Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
- Official name, Citizens:The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- National flag:malaysia.gov.my ↗ - the Government of Malaysia
- National flag:arkib.gov.my ↗ - National Archives of Malaysia
- National anthem:nationalanthems.info ↗
Geography
- Location
- Total area
- 329,847 km²
- Land area
- 328,657 km²
- Water area
- 1,190 km²
- Land borders
- 2,742 km(3 countries)
- Coastline
- 4,675 km
- Peninsular Malaysia
- 2,068 km
- East Malaysia
- 2,607 km
Source:- The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Terrain
Coastal plains rising to hills and mountains - Mean elevation
- 419 m
- Highest point
- 4,095 mGunung Kinabalu
- Lowest point
- 0 mIndian Ocean
- Climate
Tropical annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons - Avg. temperature
- 25.5 °C
- Avg. daily range
- 22.5 to 30 °C
- Annual precipitation
- 2,900 mm
Temperature °CMeanDaily rangePrecipitation mmMonthly climate normals Month Avg. high, °C Mean, °C Avg. low, °C Precipitation, mm January 29 24.9 22.1 251 February 29.6 25.2 22.1 191 March 30.3 25.7 22.5 226 April 30.7 26 22.8 237 May 30.8 26.2 23 236 June 30.5 25.9 22.7 200 July 30.3 25.7 22.4 192 August 30.4 25.7 22.4 213 September 30.3 25.6 22.4 240 October 29.9 25.4 22.4 292 November 29.5 25.2 22.4 315 December 29.1 25 22.3 308 Country-wide averages over 1991–2020.
Sources:- The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Weather
- Loading
- Land use2023
- Arable2.4%Perm. crops22.7%Pasture0.9%Forest57.8%Other16.0%
- Arable land
- 784,300 hectares (2.4%)
- Permanent crops
- 7,460,000 hectares (22.7%)
- Permanent meadows & pastures
- 285,000 hectares (0.9%)
- Forest
- 19,004,740 hectares (57.8%)
- Other land
- 5,263,760 hectares (16.0%)
Source: - Natural hazards2026
- River floods6.8Very high#45/191Coastal floods6.4High#31/191Epidemics5.9High#64/191Tsunamis5.4High#53/191Drought3.1Low#97/191Earthquakes1.9Very low#111/191Tropical cyclones0.0Very low
Scores out of 10, ranks out of 191 countries.
Source:- INFORM Risk Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
- Location, Land borders, Coastline, Terrain, Mean elevation, Highest point, Lowest point, Climate:The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Climate:Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5 reanalysis) ↗ - World Bank
- Land use:FAOSTAT Land Use domain ↗ - FAO
- Natural hazards:INFORM Risk Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
Demographics
- Population change2026
- +1.13% per year+407,277 people/yearWorld Rank90thof 237
- Birth rate
- 12.1 per 1,000 population
- Death rate
- 5.5 per 1,000 population
- Net migration rate
- +4.4 per 1,000 population
- 2026
- 31.4 yearsWorld Rank128thof 237
- Age structure2026
- 0-14 years20.8%15-64 years70.8%65 years +8.3%
- Share aged 65 and over
- 8.3%
- Share aged under 18
- 25.4%
- Total dependency ratio
- 41
- Youth dependency ratio
- 29
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 12
- Sex ratio
- 1.1 male / female
MaleAgeFemalePopulation by age group, % of total population Age Male Female 80+ 0.6% 0.7% 70-79 1.8% 2.0% 60-69 3.5% 3.6% 50-59 5.1% 4.8% 40-49 7.9% 6.8% 30-39 9.5% 7.9% 20-29 9.2% 8.2% 10-19 8.0% 7.5% 0-9 6.7% 6.3% - 2026
- 0.58 below the replacement level for Malaysia ()1.52 births per womanreplacement 2.10123World Rank162ndof 237
- 0.73 daughters per woman0.27 below replacement, long-run each generation smaller than the lastreplacement 1.000.511.5
- 2026
- +6.7 per 1,000 populationfor every 1,000 people, 6.7 more births than deaths a year
- 2026
- +4.4 per 1,000 population
- Urbanization2026
- 77.9% live in 28,335,677 urban residents
- Largest urban areas2026
- Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Ipoh, Kota KinabaluRankUrban AreaPopulation (2026 estimate)1Kuala Lumpur8,565,4452Johor Bahru1,713,2603Ipoh831,5994Kota Kinabalu800,4935George Town769,7616Kuching593,4557Malacca City563,0808Bukit Mertajam521,2089Kota Bharu466,91110Seremban442,015
Unlike official city figures, UN urban areas cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.
- Population distribution
- A highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula.
- Ethnic groups2023
- Bumiputera63.8%Chinese20.6%Indian6.0%Other0.6%Non-citizens9.0%
- Bumiputera
- 63.8%
- Malay
- 52.8%
- Indigenous peoples, including Orang Asli, Dayak, Anak Negeri
- 11.0%
Source:- The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Religions2020
- Muslim63.5%Buddhist18.7%Christian9.1%Hindu6.1%Other0.9%None/unspecified1.8%
Other includes Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions.Islam is the official religion.
Source:- The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Languages
- Malay (Bahasa Melayu), English
- Population, Population change, Median age, Age structure, Total fertility rate, Net reproduction rate, Natural change, Net migration rate:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Urbanization, Largest cities:UN World Urbanization Prospects ↗
- Population distribution, Ethnic groups, Religions:The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
Government & Administration
- Form of state
- Constitutional monarchyThe Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Supreme Head of the Federation, is elected by the Conference of Rulers for five years, may be removed by it, and must be a Ruler; the Federation comprises the States of Malaya and the Borneo States (Arts. 1, 32, 38).Source:
- Federal Constitution (Malaysia), Reprint as at 30 November 2025 ↗, Arts. 1, 32, 38
- System of government
- ParliamentaryThe Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints as Prime Minister the member likely to command a majority in the House of Representatives; the Cabinet is collectively responsible to Parliament, and the Agong may refuse a requested dissolution (Arts. 43, 40, 55).Source:
- Federal Constitution (Malaysia), Reprint as at 30 November 2025 ↗, Arts. 43, 40, 55
- Territorial organisation
- Federal
- Official websites
- Capital
- Kuala Lumpur2.1 million people(2024)
- National holidays
- 16 days in 2026
- TueFeb 17Chinese New Year
- WedFeb 18Chinese New Year (Second Day)
- FriMar 20Eid al-Fitr (additional holiday)
- SatMar 21Eid al-Fitr
- SunMar 22Eid al-Fitr (Second Day)
- MonMar 23Eid al-Fitr (Second Day) (observed)
- FriMay 1Labor Day
- WedMay 27Eid al-Adha
- SunMay 31Vesak Day
- MonJun 1Birthday of HM Yang di-Pertuan Agong
- TueJun 2Vesak Day (observed)
- WedJun 17Islamic New Year
- TueAug 25Prophet Muhammad's Birthday
- MonAug 31National Day
- WedSep 16Malaysia Day
- FriDec 25Christmas Day
Nationwide public holidays only, excluding regional, bank and government-only days.
- Time
- MYTMalaysia TimeUTC+8
- Currency
- Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
- Entry requirements
- Official visa and entry information (in Malay)
- Calling code
- +60
- Internet TLD
- .my
- ISO 3166-1 codes
- MY, MYS
- Infrastructure
- Passengers carried
- 46,698,381 by the country's airlines(2023)
- Heliports
- 24
- Aircraft departures
- 359,378 by the country's airlines(2023)
- Air freight
- 1,910.1 million tonne-km(2023)
- Aircraft registration prefix
- 9M
Sources:- The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Flag carrier
- Malaysia AirlinesState-owned
- Passenger rail
- Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTMB)
- 2025
- 52 / 100World Rank54thof 182Confidence interval
Corruption index score by year Year Score Lower bound Upper bound 2012 49 44 55 2013 50 44 56 2014 52 47 57 2015 50 45 55 2016 49 45 53 2017 47 43 51 2018 47 42 52 2019 53 49.2 56.8 2020 51 48.3 53.7 2021 48 45.8 50.2 2022 47 44.8 49.2 2023 50 48.4 51.6 2024 50 48.2 51.8 2025 52 49.9 54.1 Source:- Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 ↗ - Transparency International, CC BY 4.0
- Form of state, System of government, Territorial organisation:Federal Constitution (Malaysia), Reprint as at 30 November 2025 ↗ - Attorney General's Chambers of Malaysia
- National holidays:Open World Holidays Framework (vacanza/holidays) ↗
- Infrastructure:The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Infrastructure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Corruption Perceptions Index:Corruption Perceptions Index 2025 ↗ - Transparency International, CC BY 4.0
Economy
- Upper middle income
- GDP growth (real)2026
- +5.2% per yearWorld Rank28thof 195
- GDP per capita (PPP)2026
- GDP per capita (nominal)
- $15,981 (76th in the world)
Source:- 2025
- Services54.8% of GDPIndustry35.7% of GDPAgriculture8.2% of GDPManufacturing22.1%part of industry
- Households
- +61.6%
- Government
- +12.4%
- Investment
- +20.5%
- Exports
- +71%
- Imports
- −65.4%
The shape of the economyGDP by end useSource:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Inflation2026
- 2.2%up 0.8 percentage points0.8pp from 2025
- Labor force2024
- 18.4 million (52% of population)World Rank36thof 187
- Labor force participation2024
- 66.1% of people aged 15+
- Unemployment2024
- 3.8%
- Youth unemployment2024
- 12.3% ages 15 to 24
- Labor productivity2024
- $29.7 per hour worked at PPP
- Budget balance2026
- 3.5% of GDP deficit
- Current account
- 2.1% of GDP, $11.5 billion surplus
Source: - Debt2024
- Government debt70.4% of GDPHousehold debt69.5% of GDPCompany debt87.6% of GDPInterest on debt2.8% of GDPCentral government debt62.6% of GDP
- Trade2024
- Goods$248.4 billion82.3%
- Services$53.4 billion17.7%
- Total exports
- $301.8 billion
- Change from 2023
- up 10.1 percent on the previous year10.1%
Sources:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- 2024
- +0.82World Rank32ndof 145
- Projected GDP growth
- +4.5% a year over the next 10 years
Source:- Atlas of Economic Complexity ↗ - Harvard Growth Lab
- Agricultural products2024
- Oil palm fruit, Meat of chickens (fresh or chilled), Rice
- 1Oil palm fruit24.7×
- 2Meat of chickens (fresh or chilled)1.3×
- 3Rice0.3×
ProductSource:- FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Gold reserves2025
- 38.9 tonnesWorth $5.5 billion, 4% of total official reserves by value
- Industries
- Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, petroleum and natural gas, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, electronics and semiconductors, timber processing
- Sabah - logging, petroleum and natural gas production
- Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum and natural gas production, logging
- Income level, GDP by sector, Trade, Gold reserves:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- GDP (nominal), GDP growth (real), GDP per capita (PPP), Inflation, Budget balance:IMF World Economic Outlook ↗
- Labor force, Labor force participation, Unemployment, Youth unemployment, Labor productivity:ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- Debt:IMF Global Debt Database ↗
- Debt:IMF Public Finances in Modern History ↗
- Trade, Industries:The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Economic Complexity Index:Atlas of Economic Complexity ↗ - Harvard Growth Lab
- Agricultural products:FAOSTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
Cost of Living
- Cost of living index
- Loading
- Monthly costs (excluding rent)
- Loading
- Rent
- Loading
- Buying an apartment
- Loading
- Average gross salary2020
- MYR 2,933 per month$698 (USD), $1,866 (PPP)
- Men
- MYR 2,963 per month($705)
- Women
- MYR 2,889 per month($687)
Source:- ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
- 2024
- MYR 1,500 per month, gross$328 (USD), $1,035 (PPP)
- Average gross salary, Minimum wage:ILOSTAT ↗ - International Labour Organization
Society
- 2023
- 0.819Very highWorld Rank67thof 193MalaysiaWorld
Human Development Index by year Year Malaysia World 1990 0.653 0.608 1991 0.661 0.611 1992 0.670 0.614 1993 0.677 0.617 1994 0.684 0.620 1995 0.691 0.625 1996 0.701 0.631 1997 0.713 0.636 1998 0.718 0.641 1999 0.723 0.646 2000 0.733 0.651 2001 0.731 0.657 2002 0.732 0.662 2003 0.737 0.669 2004 0.739 0.675 2005 0.736 0.681 2006 0.742 0.688 2007 0.754 0.694 2008 0.765 0.698 2009 0.773 0.701 2010 0.779 0.707 2011 0.782 0.713 2012 0.787 0.717 2013 0.791 0.721 2014 0.795 0.726 2015 0.800 0.731 2016 0.805 0.735 2017 0.807 0.739 2018 0.809 0.741 2019 0.812 0.745 2020 0.810 0.742 2021 0.802 0.742 2022 0.810 0.752 2023 0.819 0.756 Source:- Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- 2021
- 40.7
- Mean years of schooling2023
- 11.1 years
- Expected for a child today
- 12.7 years
Source:- Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- Literacy2022
- 95.8% of adults
- Education expenditure2023
- 3.5% of GDP
- Share of government spending
- 14.1%
Source:- World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Internet users2024
- 98% of the population
- Households with Internet access
- 96.8%
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Mobile subscriptions2024
- 49.7 million
- Fixed telephone lines
- 8,219,000
- Fixed broadband
- 13.5 subscriptions per 100 people
Counts subscriptions, not people.
Source:- ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Credit-card ownership2024
- 13% of adults
- Debit-card ownership
- 80%
- Account at a bank or mobile-money provider
- 89%
- Mobile-money account
- 45%
- Made or received a digital payment
- 77%
Source:- Global Findex Database ↗ - World Bank
- Refugees hosted2025
- 144,448 people
- Asylum seekers
- 57,205
- Stateless persons
- 128,255
- Internally displaced persons
- 610All due to disasters
- Refugees from Malaysia abroad
- 2,002
Sources:- Refugee Data Finder ↗ - UN Refugee Agency
- Global Internal Displacement Database ↗ - Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
- Inbound tourists2022
- Official tourism site10.1 million arrivalsdown 61% against 201961% below 2019World Rank29thof 139
- Per resident
- 2.9 arrivals per 10 residents
- Same-day visitors
- 8.9 million arrivals
- $24.6 billion(2024)
- Share of GDP
- 4.5% tourism direct GDP(2023)
- Domestic trips
- 71.9 million overnight trips by residents
- $14.2 billion(2024)
Overnight arrivals by year2010 to 2022A tourist stays at least one night. Arrivals count trips, not people.
Source:- UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- 6 sites4 cultural2 natural
Site Type Gunung Mulu National Park Natural Kinabalu Park Natural Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Melaka Cultural Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley Cultural The Archaeological Heritage of Niah National Park’s Caves Complex Cultural Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park Selangor Cultural Source:- The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Human Development Index, Mean years of schooling:Human Development Report ↗ - United Nations Development Programme
- Income inequality (Gini), Education expenditure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Literacy:UIS Data Browser ↗ - UNESCO Institute for Statistics
- Internet users, Mobile subscriptions:ITU DataHub ↗ - International Telecommunication Union
- Credit-card ownership:Global Findex Database ↗ - World Bank
- Refugees hosted:Refugee Data Finder ↗ - UN Refugee Agency
- Refugees hosted:Global Internal Displacement Database ↗ - Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
- Inbound tourists:UN Tourism Data Dashboard ↗ - UN Tourism
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites:The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
Crime & Safety
- Travel advisory (US)
- Loading
- Active humanitarian crisisAug 2026
- Low3.8 out of 10International displacementSeverity by monthSep 2024 to Aug 2026What the score is made ofImpact of the crisis3.7Conditions of people affected4.0Complexity of the crisis3.4
Data reliability as rated by INFORM: Very high. Last updated Aug 31, 2026.
Source:- INFORM Severity Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
- Homicide rate2024
- Very low by global standards0.7 per 100,000 peopleWorld Rank99thof 115
- Crime rates
- 3 offence categories
Offence Per 100,000 Count Year Homicide (victims) 0.7 244 2024 Serious assault 10.5 3,693 2023 Sexual violence 10.4 3,644 2023 A low figure can also mean weak recording.
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Prison population2023
- 216.3 per 100,000 people
- Persons held
- 75,965
Source:- UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
- Active humanitarian crisis:INFORM Severity Index ↗ - European Commission Joint Research Centre
- Homicide rate, Crime rates, Prison population:UNODC Data Portal ↗ - UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Health
- Life expectancy2026
- 77.2 years
- Health expenditure2023
- 4% of GDP$450 per person
- Physicians2023
- 2.34 per 1,000 population
- Hospital beds2023
- 2 per 1,000 population
- Infant mortality2026
- 4.8 per 1,000 live births
- Maternal mortality2023
- 26 per 100,000 live births
- Alcohol consumption2022
- 0.8 litres of pure alcohol per adult per year
- Tobacco use2023
- 17.1% of adults
- Men
- 33.5%
- Women
- 0.7%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Alcohol and Tobacco Spending2023
- 1.6% of household spendingWorld Rank81stof 105
- World median
- 3.1%
Source:- The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Road traffic deaths2019
- 22.5 per 100,000 population
- Life expectancy, Infant mortality:UN World Population Prospects ↗
- Health expenditure, Physicians, Hospital beds, Road traffic deaths:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Maternal mortality:Maternal mortality estimates ↗ - UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-agency Group
- Alcohol consumption, Tobacco use:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Alcohol and Tobacco Spending:The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
Environment
- CO₂ emissions2024
- 296 Mt per yearup 4.8 percent on the previous year4.8% from 2023
- CO₂ per capita
- 8.6 t per personWorld Rank29thof 207
- Share of global CO₂
- 0.75%
- Methane (CH₄)
- 26.3 Mt CO₂-eq
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
- 7.45 Mt CO₂-eq
- Fluorinated gases
- 2.51 Mt CO₂-eq
- All greenhouse gases
- 332.2 Mt CO₂-eq
Source:- Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- 2024
- 13.9 µg/m³ of PM2.50.9 years of life expectancy lost against the WHO guidelineMost polluted101stof 236
- WHO guideline
- 5 µg/m³
- National standard
- 15 µg/m³
Source:- Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues
- air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions
- water pollution from raw sewage
- deforestation
- smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires
- endangered species
- coastal reclamation damaging mangroves and turtle nesting sites
Source:- The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- International agreements
- 16 of 20 landmark treaties in forceParty to 74 multilateral environmental agreements
Treaty Standing Joined Climate Paris Agreement in force 2016 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in force 1994 Kyoto Protocol in force 2005 Ozone layer Montreal Protocol in force 1989 Vienna Convention (Ozone Layer) in force 1989 Biodiversity Convention on Biological Diversity in force 1994 CITES in force 1978 Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn) not a party Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety in force 2003 Nagoya Protocol in force 2019 Land and heritage Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in force 1995 World Heritage Convention in force 1989 UN Convention to Combat Desertification in force 1997 Chemicals and waste Basel Convention in force 1994 Rotterdam Convention (PIC) in force 2004 Stockholm Convention (POPs) signed 2002, not ratified Minamata Convention on Mercury signed 2014, not ratified Oceans UN Convention on the Law of the Sea in force 1996 High Seas Treaty (BBNJ) signed 2025, not ratified MARPOL 73/78 in force 1997 Source:- International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
- CO₂ emissions:Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) ↗ - European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- Air pollution:Air Quality Life Index ↗ - Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago
- Environmental issues:The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- International agreements:International Environmental Agreements Database ↗ - Université Laval
Food & Water
- No access to safe drinking water2022
- 1.8% of the population
- Renewable water2022
- 580 billion m³ per year
- Per person
- 16,717 m³ per year
- Dependency ratio
- 0% originates outside the country
- Annual water withdrawal
- 5.5 billion m³ per year
- Withdrawn for agriculture
- 46%
- Water stress
- 3% of available freshwater withdrawn
Source:- AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Undernourishment2022
- 2.7% of the population900,000 people
- Obesity2024
- 23.3% of adults
- Men
- 18.3%
- Women
- 28.9%
Source:- Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Underweight children2022
- 15.3% of children under five
- No access to safe drinking water, Renewable water:AQUASTAT ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Undernourishment:Food security indicators (FAOSTAT) ↗ - Food and Agriculture Organization
- Obesity:Global Health Observatory ↗ - World Health Organization
- Underweight children:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
Energy
- Energy consumption2024
- Per capita
- 128.7 GJ per person
- Share of world total
- 0.72%
- Supply
- Self-sufficientproduction matches consumption, 2024
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Electricity2024
- 195 TWh generated per year
- Generation
- 195 TWh per year
- Consumption
- 181 TWh per year
- Imports
- 0 TWh per year
- Exports
- 1.1 TWh per year
- Net
- +1.1 TWh per year
Source:- International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal
- Deficitproduces 77% of what it consumes, 2024Oil reserves20252.7 billion barrelsWorld Rank29thof 99
Oil imports and exports count crude oil only.
- Mineral resources2025
- Rare earths
Mineral Mine production Reserves Rare earthsas rare-earth oxide 110 t0.03% of world 710,000 t USGS estimates. Shows only minerals where the country is a major producer.
Source:- Mineral Commodity Summaries ↗ - U.S. Geological Survey
- Energy consumption, Electricity, Oil, gas & coal:International Energy Statistics ↗ - U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Oil, gas & coal:Worldwide Oil and Gas Survey ↗ - Oil & Gas Journal
- Mineral resources:Mineral Commodity Summaries ↗ - U.S. Geological Survey
Defense
- Military expenditure2024
- 1% of GDP$4.3 billion, 4.5% of government spending
- Military personnel2025
- approximately 110,000active Malaysian Armed Forces
- Military service2025
- Voluntaryno conscription; men and women 17 years 6 months+, younger with parental consent and proof of age; mandatory retirement age 60
- Space program2025
- Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA; established 2019)
Has a national space policy and program focused on the areas of remote sensing (RS), navigational services, and telecommunications to support domestic economic sectors; seeks to promote a domestic space industry; acquires, manufactures, and operates satellites; conducts research in RS capabilities and space sciences such as astronomy, atmospherics, space environment, and weather; has an astronaut training exchange program with Russia and works with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of the ESA, individual ESA member states, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, the UK, and the US
- Launch sites
- Has launched feasibility studies for potential space launch sites in Pahang, Sabah, and Sarawak
- 1996
- First of a series of domestically produced commercial communications satellites (MEASAT) launched on European rocket
- 2000
- First multipurpose (remote sensing/RS, communications, scientific) microsatellite (TiungSat-1) produced with technology and training from the UK and launched by Russia
- 2007
- First Malaysian astronaut (trained in Russia) to space on International Space Station
- 2009
- First RS satellite (RazakSat) built with assistance from South Korea and launched by US
- 2011
- Completed construction of a satellite assembly, integration, and testing facility
- 2025
- First commercial high-resolution RS satellite (UzmaSat-1) launched by US; signed US-led Artemis Accords
Key milestones
MYSA was established through the merging of the National Space Agency (ANGKASA; established 2002) and the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency (MRSA; established 1998)
Source:- The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Nuclear weapons2026
- None - no nuclear arsenal
- Military expenditure:SIPRI Military Expenditure Database ↗ - Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- Military expenditure:World Development Indicators ↗ - World Bank
- Military personnel, Military service, Space program:The World Factbook: Malaysia - CIA
- Nuclear weapons:Status of World Nuclear Forces ↗ - Federation of American Scientists
