Malaysia — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Malaysia, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Malaysia was 1.17% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 3.29% in 1985. The lowest was 1.15% in 2021 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.22% per year.
Malaysia ranks 91 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 42%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 0.64%, so Malaysia sits above it. It peaked in 1985 and has fallen 64% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 32%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 11 of 37 economies; New Caledonia (0.92%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 16% in 2020. That is 19% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 85th of 216 in 1961 → 97th of 216 in 1970 → 59th of 216 in 1980 → 44th of 216 in 1990 → 56th of 217 in 2000 → 72nd of 217 in 2010 → 89th of 217 in 2020 → 91st of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.17% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 1.22% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 1.23% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 1.2% | +0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 1.15% | -0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 1.33% | -0.3 pp |
| 2019 | 1.6% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 1.7% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 1.76% | -0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 1.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 1.73% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 1.71% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 1.71% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 1.7% | -0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 1.75% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 1.87% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 1.99% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 2.1% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 2.17% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 2.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 2.27% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 2.31% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 2.37% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 2.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 2.4% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 2.34% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 2.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 2.46% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 2.49% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 2.52% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 2.54% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 2.54% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 2.56% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 2.65% | -0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 2.82% | -0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 2.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 3.04% | -0.1 pp |
| 1988 | 3.14% | -0.1 pp |
| 1987 | 3.22% | -0.1 pp |
| 1986 | 3.28% | -0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 3.29% | +0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 3.26% | +0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 3.22% | +0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 3.18% | +0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 3.15% | +0.4 pp |
| 1980 | 2.78% | +0.4 pp |
| 1979 | 2.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 2.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 2.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1976 | 2.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 2.39% | -0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 2.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 2.39% | -0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 2.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 2.38% | +0.1 pp |
| 1970 | 2.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 2.26% | -0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 2.27% | -0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 2.37% | -0.1 pp |
| 1966 | 2.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 2.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 2.6% | -0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 2.61% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 2.61% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 2.58% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Malaysia’s Population growth in 1962?
2.61% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Malaysia’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -54.5% in total — about 1.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.17%; 2024: 1.22%; 2023: 1.23%; 2022: 1.2%; 2021: 1.15%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.