Malaysia Demographics

Population of Malaysia (2026)

View live population, charts & trends: Population of Malaysia

Malaysia Population
36,385,115
see live
Yearly Change
+1.13%
Global Share
0.44%
Global Rank
45

Median Age

The median age in Malaysia is 31.4 years (2026).

Fertility in Malaysia

A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the Replacement-Level Fertility : the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without needing international immigration. A value below 2.1 will cause the native population to decline


Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
1.52
(Live Births per Woman, 2026)

Life Expectancy in Malaysia

See also: Countries in the world ranked by Life Expectancy

Both Sexes
77.2
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes combined)
Females
79.8
(life expectancy at birth, females)
Males
74.8
(life expectancy at birth, males)


Infant Mortality Rate and Deaths of Children under 5 Years Old in Malaysia


Infant Mortality
4.8
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Deaths under age 5
5.9
(per 1,000 live births)


Malaysia Urban Population

Currently, 77.9% of the population of Malaysia is urban (28,335,677 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in Malaysia is 111 people per km² (287 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 328,657 km² (126,895 sq. miles).

Largest Urban Areas in Malaysia

The 30 largest of 42 urban areas, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.

RankUrban AreaPopulation
1Kuala Lumpur8,565,445
2Johor Bahru1,713,260
3Ipoh831,599
4Kota Kinabalu800,493
5George Town769,761
6Kuching593,455
7Malacca City563,080
8Bukit Mertajam521,208
9Kota Bharu466,911
10Seremban442,015
11Sandakan406,297
12Kuantan380,832
13Tawau379,074
14Kuala Terengganu341,474
15Sungai Petani312,145
16Alor Setar265,784
17Taiping223,576
18Kulim208,981
19Rawang197,529
20Sibu191,566
21Kulai172,199
22Kluang164,781
23Batu Pahat155,853
24Kampong Pulau Melayu152,314
25Muar133,113
26Lahad Datu122,888
27Putrajaya116,089
28Bintulu114,358
29Sitiawan95,148
30Keningau90,805
Unlike official city figures, UN urban areas cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.
See all 42 urban areas in Malaysia

See also

Sources

Definitions

Population Pyramid

A Population pyramid (also called "Age-Sex Pyramid") is a graphical representation of the age and sex of a population.

Types:

  • Expansive - pyramid with a wide base (larger percentage of people in younger age groups, indicating high birth rates and high fertility rates) and narrow top (high death rate and lower life expectancies). It suggests a growing population. Example: Nigeria Population Pyramid
  • Constrictive - pyramid with a narrow base (lower percentage of younger people, indicating declining birth rates with each succeeding age group getting smaller than the previous one). Example: United States
  • Stationary - with a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. The population is stable, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Stages:

Population pyramid stages

Dependency Ratio

There are three types of age dependency ratio: Youth, Elderly, and Total. All three ratios are commonly multiplied by 100.

Youth Dependency Ratio

Definition: population ages 0-15 divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 0-15] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Elderly dependency ratio

Definition: population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 65-plus] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Total dependency ratio

Definition: sum of the youth and old-age ratios.

Formula: (([Population ages 0-15] + [Population ages 65-plus]) ÷ [Population ages 16-64] ) × 100

NOTE: Dependency Ratio does not take into account labor force participation rates by age group. Some portion of the population counted as "working age" may actually be unemployed or not in the labor force whereas some portion of the "dependent" population may be employed and not necessarily economically dependent.