Malaysia
- Capital:
- Kuala Lumpur
- Continent:
- Asia
- Region(s):
- Southeast Asia
- Largest Cities:
- Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru
- Abbreviation:
- MYS
36,385,115
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
36,385,115
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
Malaysia's population is projected to be 44,370,041 by 2097.
Historical
Switch the toggle to see projected data.
| Year ↓ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 36,385,115 | 1.2% | 45 |
| 2025 | 35,977,838 | 1.2% | 44 |
| 2020 | 33,889,558 | 1.34% | 42 |
| 2019 | 33,440,596 | 1.61% | 42 |
| 2018 | 32,910,967 | 1.72% | 42 |
| 2017 | 32,355,644 | 1.78% | 42 |
| 2015 | 31,232,798 | 1.74% | 41 |
| 2010 | 28,655,776 | 2.09% | 42 |
| 2005 | 25,836,071 | 2.38% | 44 |
| 2000 | 22,967,816 | 2.47% | 45 |
| Year ↑ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 36,385,115 | 1.2% | 45 |
| 2032 | 38,728,384 | 1.03% | 44 |
| 2037 | 40,512,281 | 0.91% | 47 |
| 2042 | 42,144,466 | 0.79% | 49 |
| 2047 | 43,580,459 | 0.67% | 48 |
| 2052 | 44,701,572 | 0.51% | 47 |
| 2057 | 45,497,567 | 0.35% | 47 |
| 2062 | 46,033,411 | 0.23% | 49 |
| 2067 | 46,305,043 | 0.12% | 50 |
| 2072 | 46,390,502 | 0.04% | 49 |
633K
750K
1M
2.4M
Petaling has a metropolitan area population of 2,389,126, comprising 6.57%% of Malaysia's total population.
| Rank | City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | % of National Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petaling | 2,389,126 | 6.57% |
| 2 | Kuala Lumpur | 2,111,536 | 5.8% |
| 3 | Johor Bahru | 1,846,586 | 5.08% |
| 4 | Ulu Langat | 1,568,081 | 4.31% |
| 5 | Klang | 1,223,344 | 3.36% |
| 6 | Gombak | 999,678 | 2.75% |
| 7 | Kinta | 940,702 | 2.59% |
| 8 | Seremban | 722,964 | 1.99% |
| 9 | Central Malacca | 648,015 | 1.78% |
| 10 | Kuching | 633,664 | 1.74% |
As of 2026, Malaysia has a total population of 36,385,115, ranking as the 45th most populous nation in the world.
Malaysia has a net population change of approximately 1,098 people per day, driven by 1,206 births, 543 deaths, and net immigration of 435 people.
Malaysia represents 0.45% of the total global population and 0.73% of Asia's population.
Malaysia has a population density of 110.7 people per km² (approximately 286.8 per mi²), making it the 104th most densely populated country in the world.
Currently, 95.95% of the population resides in urban areas.
*Rates last updated: June 16, 2026
As of 2026, the largest ethnicity in Malaysia is Bumiputera (62.5%) Note: Malays and indigenous peoples, including Orang Asli, Dayak, Anak Negeri. , followed by Chinese (20.6%) .
As of 2026, Muslim (official) is the largest religion in Malaysia, comprising 63.5% of the population.