Population and Demographics of Malaysia
Population changed +1.23% in 2024 · median age 31 years
Annual population movement in Malaysia is +1.23% in 2024, and its age structure leaves 70.47% of residents in the 15-to-64 group. The longer record adds perspective: the population changed by +54.8% between 2000 and 2024. The medium projection reaches 44.29 million in 2050, placing the mid-century total 24.6% above 2024.
Population Over Time in Malaysia
The 2000 to 2024 record shows Malaysia moving from 22.968M people to 35.558M, a 54.8% increase. For 2050, the medium projection is 44.290M. That is a difference of about 8.73 million people from the 2024 estimate. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
The broad age bands show a mixed population structure in Malaysia. At 21.79%, the under-15 group is larger than the 7.74% aged 65+, while ages 15 to 64 account for 70.47%. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
The 2024 World Bank sex-share indicator gives Malaysia a female share of 47.6% and a male share of 52.4%. Males exceed females by 4.8 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Males made up 52.4% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 47.6% females.
What Is Shaping Population Change
The 2024 population series for Malaysia records +1.23% annual change and a fertility rate of 1.5, as the working-age group accounts for 70.47% of the population.
The difference between the 2000 and 2024 population points is +54.8% in Malaysia, and the projected 2024-to-2050 movement is +24.6%; a separate component dataset would be needed to explain how much comes from natural change or migration.
2024 estimate for Malaysia. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Malaysia vs. World
Three same-year indicators show where Malaysia differs from the world in 2024: population change is higher than the global rate, fertility is below the global figure, and median age is close in age to the world benchmark.
| Indicator | Malaysia | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +1.23% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.5 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 31 | 30.6 | 2024 |
To keep the comparison defensible, all three indicators come from one harmonized 2024 table that attributes the demographic series to UN WPP 2024.
Key Takeaways
Malaysia has 35,557,673 people in the 2024 estimate, with the population changing +1.23% over the year.
The 2024 age structure is 21.79% under 15, 70.47% aged 15 to 64 and 7.74% aged 65 or older.
The 2024 female and male shares are 47.6% and 52.4% respectively.
The 2050 medium projection is 44.290M, 24.6% above the 2024 estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Malaysia?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Malaysia is 35,557,673 people.
Is the population of Malaysia growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Malaysia's population is growing, with annual change of +1.23%.
What percentage of the population of Malaysia is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 7.74% of Malaysia's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Malaysia in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Malaysia's 2050 population at 44,289,772.
What is the fertility rate in Malaysia?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Malaysia is 1.5 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.