Introduction
Background
Malaysia’s location has long made it an important cultural, economic, historical, social, and trade link between the islands of Southeast Asia and the mainland. Through the Strait of Malacca, which separates the Malay Peninsula from the archipelago, flowed maritime trade and with it influences from China, India, the Middle East, and the east coast of Africa. Prior to the 14th century, several powerful maritime empires existed in what is modern-day Malaysia, including the Srivijayan, which controlled much of the southern part of the peninsula between the 7th and 13th centuries, and the Majapahit Empire, which took control over most of the peninsula and the Malay Archipelago between the 13th and 14th centuries. The adoption of Islam between the 13th and 17th centuries also saw the rise of a number of powerful maritime states and sultanates on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo, such as the port city of Malacca (Melaka), which at its height in the 15th century had a navy and hosted thousands of Chinese, Arab, Persian, and Indian merchants.
The Portuguese in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century were the first European colonial powers to establish themselves on the Malay Peninsula and Southeast Asia. However, it was the British who ultimately secured their hegemony across the territory and during the late 18th and 19th centuries established colonies and protectorates in the area that is now Malaysia. These holdings were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula except Singapore formed the Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore, as well as Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo, joined the Federation. The first several years of the country's independence were marred by a communist insurgency, Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's expulsion in 1965. During the 22-year term of Prime Minister MAHATHIR Mohamad (1981-2003), Malaysia was successful in diversifying its economy from dependence on exports of raw materials to the development of manufacturing, services, and tourism. Prime Minister MAHATHIR and a newly formed coalition of opposition parties defeated Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul Razak's United Malays National Organization (UMNO) in May 2018, ending over 60 years of uninterrupted rule by UMNO. Since 2018, Malaysia has undergone considerable political upheaval with a succession of coalition governments holding power.
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Geography
Location
Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates
2 30 N, 112 30 E
Map references
Southeast Asia
Land boundaries
total: 2,742 km
border countries (3): Brunei 266 km; Indonesia 1,881 km; Thailand 595 km
Coastline
4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea
Climate
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Terrain
coastal plains rising to hills and mountains
Elevation
highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,095 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 419 m
Natural resources
tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite
Land use
agricultural land: 23.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 19.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.9% (2018 est.)
forest: 62% (2018 est.)
other: 14.8% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
4,420 sq km (2020)
Population distribution
a highly uneven distribution with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula
Natural hazards
flooding; landslides; forest fires
Geography - note
strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Malaysian(s)
adjective: Malaysian
Ethnic groups
Bumiputera 62.5% (Malays and indigenous peoples, including Orang Asli, Dayak, Anak Negeri), Chinese 20.6%, Indian 6.2%, other 0.9%, non-citizens 9.8% (2019 est.)
Languages
Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - Malaysia has 134 living languages - 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages; in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages; the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
major-language sample(s):
Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Bahasa Malaysia)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Muslim (official) 61.3%, Buddhist 19.8%, Christian 9.2%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions 1.3%, other 0.4%, none 0.8%, unspecified 1% (2010 est.)
Demographic profile
Malaysia’s multi-ethnic population consists of the bumiputera – Malays and other indigenous peoples – (62%), ethnic Chinese (21%), ethnic Indians (6%), and foreigners (10%). The majority of Malaysia’s ethnic Chinese and Indians trace their roots to the British colonialists’ recruitment of hundreds of thousands of Chinese and Indians as mine and plantation workers between the early-19th century and the 1930s. Most Malays have maintained their rural lifestyle, while the entrepreneurial Chinese have achieved greater wealth and economic dominance. In order to eradicate Malay poverty, the Malaysian Government in 1971 adopted policies that gave preference to the bumiputera in public university admissions, government jobs and contracts, and property ownership. Affirmative action continues to benefit well-off urban bumiputera but has done little to alleviate poverty for their more numerous rural counterparts. The policies have pushed ethnic Chinese and Indians to study at private or foreign universities (many do not return) and have created and sustained one of the world’s largest civil services, which is 85-90% Malay.
The country’s age structure has changed significantly since the 1960s, as fertility and mortality rates have declined. Malaysia’s total fertility rate (TFR) has dropped from 5 children per woman in 1970, to 3 in 1998, to 2.1 in 2015 as a result of increased educational attainment and labor participation among women, later marriages, increased use of contraception, and changes in family size preference related to urbanization. The TFR is higher among Malays, rural residents (who are mainly Malay), the poor, and the less-educated. Despite the reduced fertility rate, Malaysia’s population will continue to grow, albeit at a decreasing rate, for the next few decades because of its large number of reproductive-age women. The youth population has been shrinking, and the working-age population (15-64 year olds) has been growing steadily. Malaysia’s labor market has successfully absorbed the increasing number of job seekers, leading to sustained economic growth. However, the favorable age structure is changing, and around 2020, Malaysia will start to become a rapidly aging society. As the population ages, Malaysia will need to better educate and train its labor force, raise productivity, and continue to increase the number of women workers in order to further develop its economy.
More than 1.8 million Malaysians lived abroad as of 2015, including anywhere from 350,000 to 785,000 workers, more than half of whom have an advanced level of education. The vast majority of emigrants are ethnic Chinese, seeking better educational and job opportunities abroad because of institutionalized ethnic discrimination favoring the Malays. The primary destination country is nearby Singapore, followed by Bangladesh and Australia. Hundreds of thousands of Malaysians also commute across the causeway to Singapore daily for work.
Brain drain is an impediment to Malaysia’s goal of becoming a high-income country. The situation is compounded by a migrant inflow that is composed almost entirely of low-skilled laborers who work mainly in manufacturing, agriculture, and construction. Officially, Malaysia had about 1.8 million legal foreign workers as of mid-year 2017 – largely from Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, and Bangladesh – but as many as 3 to 4 million are estimated to be in the country illegally. Immigrants outnumber ethnic Indians and could supplant the ethnic Chinese as Malaysia’s second largest population group around 2035.
Age structure
0-14 years: 22.46% (male 3,952,311/female 3,734,607)
15-64 years: 69.42% (male 12,198,930/female 11,556,399)
65 years and over: 8.12% (2023 est.) (male 1,345,767/female 1,431,961)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 43.3
youth dependency ratio: 32.9
elderly dependency ratio: 10.4
potential support ratio: 9.6 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 29.2 years
male: 28.9 years
female: 29.6 years (2020 est.)
Population distribution
a highly uneven distribution with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula
Urbanization
urban population: 78.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
8.622 million KUALA LUMPUR (capital), 1.086 million Johor Bahru, 857,000 Ipoh (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
21 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123Infant mortality rate
total: 6.49 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.87 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 76.38 years
male: 74.77 years
female: 78.12 years (2023 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.84 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
52.2% (2014)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 99.4% of population
rural: 90.7% of population
total: 97.5% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.6% of population
rural: 9.3% of population
total: 2.5% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
4.1% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
1.54 physicians/1,000 population (2020)
Hospital bed density
1.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 99% of population
rural: NA
total: NA
unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population
rural: NA
total: (2020 est.) NA
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
water contact diseases: leptospirosis
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 0.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 22.5% (2020 est.)
male: 43.8% (2020 est.)
female: 1.1% (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
59.3% (2023 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95%
male: 96.2%
female: 93.6% (2019)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2020)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 15.6%
male: 14.2%
female: 17.8% (2021 est.)
Environment
Environment - current 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
Environment - international agreements
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 16.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 248.29 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 51.51 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Land use
agricultural land: 23.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 19.4% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0.9% (2018 est.)
forest: 62% (2018 est.)
other: 14.8% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 78.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
water contact diseases: leptospirosis
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 12,982,685 tons (2014 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 2,271,970 tons (2016 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 17.5% (2016 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 1.342 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 1.641 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 2.505 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources
580 billion cubic meters (2019 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Malaysia
local long form: none
local short form: Malaysia
former: British Malaya, Malayan Union, Federation of Malaya
etymology: the name means "Land of the Malays"
Government type
federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
note: all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans) except Melaka (Malacca) and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration controls)
Capital
name: Kuala Lumpur; note - nearby Putrajaya is referred to as a federal government administrative center but not the capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur
geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the Malay word for "river junction or estuary" is kuala and lumpur means "mud"; together the words render the meaning of "muddy confluence"
Administrative divisions
13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu; and 1 federal territory (Wilayah Persekutuan) with 3 components, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya
Independence
31 August 1957 (from the UK)
National holiday
Independence Day (or Merdeka Day), 31 August (1957) (independence of Malaya); Malaysia Day, 16 September (1963) (formation of Malaysia)
Constitution
history: previous 1948; latest drafted 21 February 1957, effective 27 August 1957
amendments: proposed as a bill by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in the bill’s second and third readings; a number of constitutional sections are excluded from amendment or repeal; amended many times, last in 2019
Legal system
mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic (sharia) law, and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Court at request of supreme head of the federation
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Malaysia
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 out 12 years preceding application
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal (2019)
Executive branch
chief of state: King Sultan ABDULLAH Sultan Ahmad Shah (since 24 January 2019); note - King MUHAMMAD V (formerly known as TUANKU Muhammad FARIS Petra) (selected on 14 October 2016; installed on 13 December 2016) resigned on 6 January 2019; the position of the king is primarily ceremonial, but he is the final arbiter on the appointment of the prime minister
head of government: Prime Minister ANWAR Ibrahim (since 25 November 2022)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament with the consent of the king
elections/appointments: king elected by and from the hereditary rulers of 9 states for a 5-year term; election is on a rotational basis among rulers of the 9 states; election last held on 24 January 2019 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister designated from among members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister
Legislative branch
description: bicameral Parliament of Malaysia or Parlimen Malaysia consists of:
Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 members appointed by the king and 26 indirectly elected by 13 state legislatures; members serve 3-year terms)
House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms) (2019)
elections: Senate - appointed
House of Representatives - last held on 19 Nov 2022 (next national elections scheduled for 2027)
election results:
Senate - appointed; composition - men 54, women 14, percent of women 20.6%
2022: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - PH 37.5%, PN 30.4%, BN 22.4%, GPS 4%, WARISAN 1.8%, GRS 1.3%, other 2.6%; seats by party/coalition - PH 81, PN 73, BN 30, GPS 23, GRS 6, WARISAN 3, PBM 1, KDM 1, MUDA 1, independents/unaffiliated 3
2018: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - PH 45.6%, BN 33.8%, PAS 16.9%, WARISAN 2.3%, other 1.4%; seats by party/coalition - PH 113, BN 79, PAS 18, WARISAN 8, USA 1, independent 3; composition - men 199, women 23, percent of women 10.4%; note - total Parliament percent of women 12.8%
note: as of May 2022, seats by party/coalition - PH 90, PN 50, BN 42, GPS 18, WARISAN 7, PEJUANG 4, PBM 3, PSB 1, MUDA 1, independent 4, vacant 2
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Federal Court (consists of the chief justice, president of the Court of Appeal, chief justice of the High Court of Malaya, chief judge of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak, 8 judges, and 1 "additional" judge); note - Malaysia has a dual judicial hierarchy of civil and religious (sharia) courts
judge selection and term of office: Federal Court justices appointed by the monarch on advice of the prime minister; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 66 with the possibility of a single 6-month extension
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Sessions Court; Magistrates' Court
Political parties and leaders
National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN:
All Malaysian Indian Progressive Front or IPF [Loganathan THORAISAMY]
Love Malaysia Party or PCM [Huan Cheng GUAN]
Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan Cina Malaysia) or MCA [Wee Ka SIONG]
Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [Vigneswaran SANASEE]
Malaysian Indian Muslim Congress or KIMMA [Datuk Seri Haji SYED]
Malaysia Makkal Sakti Party or MMSP [R.S. THANENTHIRAN]
United Malays National Organization (Pertubuhan Kebansaan Melayu Bersatu) or UNMO [Ahmad Zahid HAMIDI]
United Sabah People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]
Coalition of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH:
Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [LIM Guan Eng]
National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [Mohamad SABU]
People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [ANWAR Ibrahim]
United Progressive Kinabalu Organization or UPKO [Wilfred Madius TANGAU]
Coalition Perikatan Nasional (National Alliance) or PN
Homeland Solidarity Party (Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku) or STAR [Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan]
Malaysian People's Movement Party (Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia) or GERAKAN or PGRM [Dominic Lau Hoe CHAI]
Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM or BERSATU [Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin]
Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]
Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia or GERAKAN [Dominic Lau Hoe CHAI]
Sarawak Parties Alliance (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) or GPS [ABANG JOHARI Openg]
Progressive Democratic Party or PDP [TIONG King Sing]
Sarawak People's Party (Parti Rakyat Sarawak) or PRS [James MASING]
Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [Dr. SIM Kui Hian]
United Traditional Bumiputera Party (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersata) or PBB [Abang Abdul Rahman Johari Abang Openg or "Abang Jo"]
Gabungan Rakya Sabah or GRS:
Homeland Solidarity Party or STAR [Jeffrey KITINGAN]
Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM [Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin]
Sabah Progressive Party or SAPP [Yong Teck LEE]
United Sabah Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah) or PBS [Maximus ONGKILI]
Others receiving votes in 2022 general election:
Gerakan Tanah Air or GTA Party [Hajiji NOOR] (a coalition of parties in Sabah)
Malaysian Nation Party (Parti Bangsa Malaysia) or PBM [Larry Sng Wei SHIEN] (formerly Sarawak Workers Party)
Malaysian United Democratic Alliance or MUDA [Syed SADDIQ bin Syed Abdul Rahman]
Perikatan Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak or PERKASA (coalition of Sarawak parties)
Sabah Heritage Party (Parti Warisan Sabah) or WARISAN [SHAFIE Apdal]
Social Democratic Harmony Party or KDM [Peter ANTHONY]
Socialist Party of Malaysia or PSM [Michael Jeyakumar DEVARA]
International organization participation
ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Fairuz Adli Mohd ROZALI (since 28 August 2021)
chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
email address and website:
mwwashington@kln.gov.my
https://www.kln.gov.my/web/usa_washington/home
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Brian D. McFEETERS (since 26 February 2021)
embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
mailing address: 4210 Kuala Lumpur, Washington DC 20521-4210
telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207
email address and website:
KLACS@state.gov
https://my.usembassy.gov/
Flag description
14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the flag is often referred to as Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of Glory); the 14 stripes stand for the equal status in the federation of the 13 member states and the federal government; the 14 points on the star represent the unity between these entities; the crescent is a traditional symbol of Islam; blue symbolizes the unity of the Malay people and yellow is the royal color of Malay rulers
note: the design is based on the flag of the US
National symbol(s)
tiger, hibiscus; national colors: gold, black
National anthem
name: "Negaraku" (My Country)
lyrics/music: collective, led by Tunku ABDUL RAHMAN/Pierre Jean DE BERANGER
note: adopted 1957; full version only performed in the presence of the king; the tune, which was adopted from a popular French melody titled "La Rosalie," was originally the anthem of Perak, one of Malaysia's 13 states
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 4 (2 cultural, 2 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Gunung Mulu National Park (n); Kinabalu Park (n); Malacca and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca (c); Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley (c)
Economy
Economic overview
upper middle-income Southeast Asian economy; implementing key anticorruption policies; major electronics, oil, and chemicals exporter; trade sector employs over 40% of jobs; key economic equity initiative; high labor productivity
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$884.106 billion (2021 est.)
$857.588 billion (2020 est.)
$907.832 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
3.09% (2021 est.)
-5.53% (2020 est.)
4.41% (2019 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$26,300 (2021 est.)
$25,800 (2020 est.)
$27,700 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$364.631 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.48% (2021 est.)
-1.14% (2020 est.)
0.66% (2019 est.)
note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: BBB+ (2020)
Moody's rating: A3 (2004)
Standard & Poors rating: A- (2003)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 8.8% (2017 est.)
industry: 37.6% (2017 est.)
services: 53.6% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 55.3% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 12.2% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 25.3% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.3% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 71.4% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -64.4% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
oil palm fruit, rice, poultry, eggs, vegetables, rubber, coconuts, bananas, pineapples, pork
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
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 11%
industry: 36%
services: 53% (2012 est.)
Unemployment rate
4.61% (2021 est.)
4.5% (2020 est.)
3.26% (2019 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 15.6%
male: 14.2%
female: 17.8% (2021 est.)
Population below poverty line
5.6% (2018 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
41.1 (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 1.8%
highest 10%: 34.7% (2009 est.)
Budget
revenues: $51.25 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: $60.63 billion (2017 est.)
Public debt
62.03% of GDP (2020 est.)
52.42% of GDP (2019 est.)
51.19% of GDP (2018 est.)
note: this figure is based on the amount of federal government debt, RM501.6 billion ($167.2 billion) in 2012; this includes Malaysian Treasury bills and other government securities, as well as loans raised externally and bonds and notes issued overseas; this figure excludes debt issued by non-financial public enterprises and guaranteed by the federal government, which was an additional $47.7 billion in 2012
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
$14.143 billion (2021 est.)
$14.138 billion (2020 est.)
$12.795 billion (2019 est.)
Exports
$256.659 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$208.217 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$238.361 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners
Singapore 13%, China 13%, United States 11%, Hong Kong 6%, Japan 6%, Thailand 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
integrated circuits, refined petroleum, natural gas, semiconductors, palm oil (2019)
Imports
$230.188 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$186.613 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$210.86 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners
China 24%, Singapore 14%, Japan 6%, United States 6%, Taiwan 5%, Thailand 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, coal (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$116.916 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$107.644 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$103.63 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
Debt - external
$224.596 billion (2019 est.)
$226.901 billion (2018 est.)
Exchange rates
ringgits (MYR) per US dollar -
4.143 (2021 est.)
4.203 (2020 est.)
4.142 (2019 est.)
4.035 (2018 est.)
4.3 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 34.959 million kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 150.062 billion kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 669 million kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 19 million kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 12.124 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 87.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 10.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 2.977 million metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 35.268 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 17,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 37.295 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 226 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 593,800 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 718,600 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 303,600 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 182,300 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 3.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
528,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32Natural gas
production: 74,985,350,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
consumption: 39,586,915,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 34,197,548,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)
imports: 4,008,073,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 1,189,306,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
254.764 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 81.726 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 94.934 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 78.104 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
123.755 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 7,467,900 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 43,723,600 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: as part of a diverse range of initiatives designed to move the country from developing to developed status by 2025, Malaysia has enabled and encouraged open competition in its telecommunications market; the result is very high penetration levels in both the mobile (147%) and mobile broadband (127%) segments, and near-universal coverage of 4G LTE networks; steady growth is occurring as more fiber optic cable networks are being deployed around the country; consumers are the main beneficiaries of the highly competitive market; they enjoy widespread access to high-speed mobile services as well as attractive offers on bundles to keep data use up but prices low; the downside is that most of Malaysia’s MNOs and MVNOs have struggled to increase revenue in line with growth in subscriber numbers as well as demand for broadband data; while the operators have been very successful in moving a significant proportion (now over 30%) of customers from prepaid over to higher-value postpaid accounts, ARPU continues to fall year after year as a result of competitive pricing pressures; the mobile market, in particular, has become overcrowded and the government is keen to see further rationalization and consolidation with the operators; while customers will no doubt continue to enjoy high quality services at competitive rates, the new entity will be hopeful of squeezing better margins through improved economies of scale; the government’s next move is to encourage the private mobile operators to sign up to the country’s wholesale 5G network; this will develop and deploy the 5G infrastructure across the country; the government’s stated intent was to avoid duplication of networks and infrastructure, and thus reduce investment costs for the operators; to date, no MNO has agreed to the deal and are instead demanding the development of a dual wholesale network model (one that no doubt offers more flexible terms, at least in the eyes of the MNOs); Malaysia’s 5G rollout has, in effect, come to a standstill while the government tries to find a way to restart negotiations (2022)
domestic: fixed-line roughly 23 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 135 per 100 persons; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations (2020)
international: country code - 60; landing points for BBG, FEA, SAFE, SeaMeWe-3 & 4 & 5, AAE-1, JASUKA, BDM, Dumai-Melaka Cable System, BRCS, ACE, AAG, East-West Submarine Cable System, SEAX-1, SKR1M, APCN-2, APG, BtoBe, BaSICS, and Labuan-Brunei Submarine and MCT submarine cables providing connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean); launch of Kacific-1 satellite in 2019 (2019)
Broadcast media
state-owned TV broadcaster operates 2 TV networks with relays throughout the country, and the leading private commercial media group operates 4 TV stations with numerous relays throughout the country; satellite TV subscription service is available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates multiple national networks, as well as regional and local stations; many private commercial radio broadcasters and some subscription satellite radio services are available; about 55 radio stations overall (2019)
Internet users
total: 29,129,398 (2020 est.)
percent of population: 90% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 3,358,800 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2020 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 13 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 270
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 60,481,772 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,404,410,000 (2018) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
total: 39
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 8 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 75
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 69 (2021)
Heliports
4 (2021)
Pipelines
354 km condensate, 6,439 km gas, 155 km liquid petroleum gas, 1,937 km oil, 43 km oil/gas/water, 114 km refined products, 26 km water (2013)
Railways
total: 1,851 km (2014)
standard gauge: 59 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (59 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,792 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (339 km electrified)
Roadways
total: 144,403 km (2010) (excludes local roads)
paved: 116,169 km (2010) (includes 1,821 km of expressways)
unpaved: 28,234 km (2010)
Waterways
7,200 km (2011) (Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km)
country comparison to the world: 21Merchant marine
total: 1,769
by type: bulk carrier 16, container ship 28, general cargo 174, oil tanker 153, other 1,398 (2021)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Bintulu, Johor Bahru, George Town (Penang), Pelabuhan Klang (Port Klang), Tanjung Pelepas
container port(s) (TEUs): Port Kelang (Port Klang) (13,724,460), Tanjung Pelepas (11,200,000) (2021)
LNG terminal(s) (export): Bintulu (Sarawak)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Sungei Udang
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM); Ministry of Home Affairs: Royal Malaysian Police (PRMD), Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA; aka Malaysian Coast Guard) (2022)
note 1: the PRMD includes the General Operations Force, a paramilitary force with a variety of roles, including patrolling borders, counter-terrorism, maritime security, and counterinsurgency
note 2: Malaysia created a National Special Operations Force in 2016 for combating terrorism threats; the force is comprised of personnel from the Armed Forces, the Royal Malaysian Police, and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
Military expenditures
1% of GDP (2022 est.)
1% of GDP (2021)
1.1% of GDP (2020)
1% of GDP (2019) (approximately $7.84 billion)
1% of GDP (2018) (approximately $7.63 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 115,000 active duty troops (80,000 Army; 18,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force) (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military fields a diverse mix of older and more modern imported weapons systems from a wide variety of suppliers across Europe, Asia, and the US; in recent years it has received military equipment from approximately 20 countries (2022)
Military service age and obligation
17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service for men and women (younger with parental consent and proof of age); mandatory retirement age 60; no conscription (2021)
note - in 2020, the military announced a goal of having 10% of the active force comprised of women
Military deployments
830 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (May 2022)
Military - note
maritime security has long been a top priority for the Malaysian Armed Forces, but it has received even greater emphasis in the 2000s, particularly anti-piracy operations in the Strait of Malacca and countering Chinese naval incursions in Malaysia’s Economic Exclusion Zone, as well as addressing identified shortfalls in maritime capabilities; as such, it has undertaken modest efforts to procure more modern ships, improve air and maritime surveillance, expand the Navy’s support infrastructure (particularly bases/ports) and domestic ship-building capacities, restructure naval command and control, and increase naval cooperation with regional and international partners; as of 2022, for example, the Navy had 5 frigates on order, which would increase the number of operational frigates from 2 to 7; in addition, it began tri-lateral air and naval patrols with Indonesia and the Philippines in 2017; Malaysia also cooperates closely with the US military, including on maritime surveillance and participating regularly in bilateral and multilateral training exercises
Malaysia is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily (2022)
Maritime threats
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift; the Singapore Straits saw 35 attacks against commercial vessels in 2021, a 50% increase over 2020 and the highest number of incidents reported since 1992; vessels were boarded in 33 of the 35 incidents, one crew was injured, another assaulted and two threatened during these incidents
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jemaah Islamiyah (JI); Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait
Malaysia-Brunei: per Letters of Exchange signed in 2009, Malaysia in 2010 ceded two hydrocarbon concession blocks to Brunei; in 2009, the media reported that Brunei had dropped its claims to the Limbang corridor, but Brunei responded that the subject had never been discussed during recent talks between the two countries
Malaysia-China-Philippines-Vietnam: while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties, which is currently being negotiated between China and ASEAN; Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands
Malaysia-Indonesia: land and maritime negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and disputed areas include the controversial Tanjung Datu and Camar Wulan border area in Borneo and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea
Malaysia-Philippines: Philippines retains a dormant claim to the eastern part of Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo
Malaysia-Singapore: disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in 2008, the International Court of Justice awarded sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh/Horsburgh Island) to Singapore, and Middle Rocks to Malaysia but did not rule on maritime regimes, boundaries, or disposition of South Ledge
Malaysia-Thailand: in 2008, separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts Malaysia to take measures to close and to monitor the border with Thailand to stem terrorist activities
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 157,866 (Burma) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)
stateless persons: 113,930 (2022); note - Malaysia's stateless population consists of Rohingya refugees from Burma, ethnic Indians, and the children of Filipino and Indonesian illegal migrants; Burma stripped the Rohingya of their nationality in 1982; Filipino and Indonesian children who have not been registered for birth certificates by their parents or who received birth certificates stamped "foreigner" are not eligible to attend government schools; these children are vulnerable to statelessness should they not be able to apply to their parents' country of origin for passports
Trafficking in persons
tier rating: Tier 3 — Malaysia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore Malaysia remained on Tier 3; officials took some steps to address trafficking, including expanding the legal definition of forced labor, increasing assistance for victims in government-funded shelters and judicial processes, and adopting a five-year national action plan against forced labor; however, the government continued to conflate trafficking and migrant smuggling crimes, impeding law enforcement and victim identification; anti-trafficking investigations declined, and no officials allegedly complicit in trafficking were prosecuted or convicted; officials continued to inadequately address allegations of labor trafficking in the rubber manufacturing and palm oil sectors, allowing abusive employers to sometimes operate with impunity; the government identified fewer victims, did not consistently implement procedures to identify victims, and penalized trafficking victims for immigration and prostitution violations (2022)
trafficking profile: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Malaysia and, to a lesser extent, Malaysians abroad; most victims in Malaysia are documented and undocumented migrant workers from Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam; employers and agents exploit some migrants through debt-based coercion, and large organized crime syndicates are involved in some trafficking; Chinese nationals working for Chinese state-affiliated construction projects in Malaysia are vulnerable to forced labor; some young foreign women and girls—mainly from Southeast Asia, although also from Nigeria—are forced into commercial sex work in Malaysia after false recruitment for work in restaurants, hotels, beauty salons, or brokered marriages; refugees, Rohingya and other asylum-seekers, and stateless individuals are vulnerable to sex and labor trafficking; traffickers force Malaysian orphans and children to beg, and increasingly exploit Malaysian women and children in forced labor; corrupt immigration officials facilitate trafficking by accepting bribes from brokers and smugglers at the borders and airports, and other government officials profit from bribes or extortion from and exploitation of migrants (2022)
Illicit drugs
methamphetamine is the most used and trafficked drug controlled by criminal organizations that produce it; crystal methamphetamine, MDMA (ecstasy), cannabis products, heroin, ketamine, and Erimin 5 (nimetazepam) are smuggled into the country; a transit point for trafficking cocaine and other drugs to the Australian market