2020 Edition

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 in Southeast Asia. However, it was the British who ultimately secured hegemony across the territory and during the late 18th and 19th centuries established colonies and protectorates in the area that is now Malaysia. Japan occupied these holdings 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. A communist insurgency, confrontations with Indonesia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's expulsion in 1965 marred the first several years of the country's independence. 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. Former 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 2018, ending over 60 years of uninterrupted UMNO rule. From 2018-2022, Malaysia underwent considerable political upheaval, with a succession of coalition governments holding power. Following legislative elections in 2022, ANWAR Ibrahim was appointed prime minister after more than 20 years in opposition. His political coalition, Pakatan Harapan (PH), joined its longtime UNMO rival to form a government, but the two groups have remained deeply divided on many issues. 

Area

land

328,657 sq km

total

329,847 sq km

water

1,190 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than New Mexico

Climate

tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

Coastline

4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km; East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Elevation

highest point

Gunung Kinabalu 4,095 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

419 m

Geographic coordinates

2 30 N, 112 30 E

Geography - note

strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea

Irrigated land

4,420 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

border countries

Brunei 266 km; Indonesia 1,881 km; Thailand 595 km

total

2,742 km

Land use

agricultural land

26.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.4% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 22.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.9% (2023 est.)

forest

57.8% (2023 est.)

other

16% (2023 est.)

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

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

flooding; landslides; forest fires

Natural resources

tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Population distribution

a highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula

Terrain

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Age structure

0-14 years

22.2% (male 3,947,914/female 3,730,319)

15-64 years

69.4% (male 12,308,938/female 11,666,947)

65 years and over

8.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,409,360/female 1,501,332)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

14.05 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

15.3% (2022 est.)

Death rate

5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

12.6 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

7.9 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

44.3 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

31.7 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 90.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 97.2% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 9.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 2.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

3.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

14.1% national budget (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups

Bumiputera 63.8% (Malay 52.8% and indigenous peoples, including Orang Asli, Dayak, Anak Negeri, 11%), Chinese 20.6%, Indian 6%, other 0.6%, non-citizens 9% (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.83 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

4.4% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

6.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai

major-language sample(s)

Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Bahasa Malaysia) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.4 years

male

75 years

total population

76.6 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

94.7% (2022 est.)

male

96.8% (2022 est.)

total population

95.8% (2022 est.)

Major urban areas - population

8.622 million KUALA LUMPUR (capital), 1.086 million Johor Bahru, 857,000 Ipoh (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

26 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

31.9 years

male

31.7 years

total

32.2 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Malaysian

noun

Malaysian(s)

Net migration rate

1.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

15.6% (2016)

Physician density

2.34 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

17,072,201

male

17,833,074

total

34,905,275 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.97% (2025 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 63.5%, Buddhist 18.7%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.1%, other (Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions) 0.9%, none/unspecified 1.8% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2023 est.)

male

11 years (2023 est.)

total

12 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

0.6% (2025 est.)

male

41.8% (2025 est.)

total

21.5% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

78.7% of total population (2023)

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

Capital

etymology

the name means "muddy river junction," referring to the city's location on the confluence of the Kelang and Gombak rivers; it comes from the Malay words kuala (river junction or estuary) and lumpur (mud)

geographic coordinates

3 10 N, 101 42 E

name

Kuala Lumpur

time difference

UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

amendment process

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

history

previous 1948; latest drafted 21 February 1957, effective 27 August 1957

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Malaysia

etymology

devised in the early 19th century by British geographers; the suffix -sia was added to the name of the Malay people to form a classical-style name; the name Malay may come from the Tamil word malai, meaning "mountain"

former

British Malaya, Malayan Union, Federation of Malaya

local long form

none

local short form

Malaysia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Edgard D. KAGAN (since 20 March 2024)

email address and website

KLACS@state.gov https://my.usembassy.gov/

embassy

376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur

FAX

[60] (3) 2142-2207

mailing address

4210 Kuala Lumpur, Washington DC 20521-4210

telephone

[60] (3) 2168-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Tan Sri Muhammad SHAHRUL Ikram bin Yaakob (since 24 July 2025)

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

mwwashington@kln.gov.my https://www.kln.gov.my/web/usa_washington/home

FAX

[1] (202) 572-9882

telephone

[1] (202) 572-9700

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament with the consent of the king

chief of state

King Sultan IBRAHIM ibni al-Marhum Sultan Iskandar (since 31 January 2024)

election/appointment process

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; prime minister designated from among members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who has support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister

expected date of next election

October 2028, with inauguration in January 2029

head of government

Prime Minister ANWAR Ibrahim (since 24 November 2022)

most recent election date

24 October 2023

Flag

description: 14 equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white; a dark blue rectangle in the upper-left corner has a yellow crescent and a 14-pointed yellow star  meaning: the flag is often called Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of Glory); the 14 stripes stand for the equal status of the 13 member states and the federal government; the points on the star represent the unity among these entities; the crescent is a traditional symbol of Islam; blue symbolizes the unity of the Malay people, and yellow is the royal color

Government type

federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Independence

31 August 1957 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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)

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

Legal system

mixed system of English common law, Islamic law (sharia), and customary law; the Federal Court can review legislative acts at the request of the supreme head of the federation

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

Parliament (Parlimen)

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat)

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

November 2027

most recent election date

11/19/2022

number of seats

223 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Pakatan Harapan (PH) (76); National Alliance (PN) (52); National Front (BN) (30); Sarawak Parties Alliance (GPS) (23); Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) (22); Other (19)

percentage of women in chamber

13.5%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate (Dewan Negara)

number of seats

70 (26 indirectly elected; 44 appointed)

percentage of women in chamber

16.1%

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1957; full version only performed in the king's presence, the shorter version performed for the queen and lesser officials

lyrics/music

collective, led by Tunku ABDUL RAHMAN/Pierre Jean DE BERANGER

title

"Negaraku" (My Country)

National color(s)

gold, black

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Gunung Mulu National Park (n); Kinabalu Park (n); Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Melaka (c); Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley (c); The Archaeological Heritage of Niah National Park’s Caves Complex (c); Forest Research Institute Malaysia Forest Park Selangor (c)

total World Heritage Sites

6 (4 cultural, 2 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day (or Merdeka Day), 31 August (1957) (independence of Malaya); Malaysia Day, 16 September (1963) (formation of Malaysia)

National symbol(s)

tiger, hibiscus

Political parties

National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN: Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan Cina Malaysia) or MCA  Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC United Malays National Organization (Pertubuhan Kebansaan Melayu Bersatu) or UMNO  United Sabah People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) or PBRS  Alliance of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH: Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP  National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH  People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR  United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (Pertubuhan Kinabalu Progresif Bersatu) or UPKO  National Alliance (Perikatan Nasional) or PN: Malaysian People's Movement Party (Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia) or GERAKAN or PGRM  Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM or BERSATU  Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia) or PAS  Sabah People's Alliance (Gabungan Rakya Sabah) or GRS: Homeland Solidarity Party (Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku) or STAR  Love Sabah Party (Parti Cinta Sabah) or PCS Sabah People's Ideas Party (Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah) or GAGASAN or PGRS  Sarawak Parties Alliance (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) or GPS: Progressive Democratic Party (Parti Demokratik Progresif) or PDP  Sarawak People's Party (Parti Rakyat Sarawak) or PRS  Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak) or SUPP  United Bumiputera Heritage Party (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersata) or PBB  Homeland Movement/Party (Gerakan Tanah Air) or GTA Homeland Fighter's Party (Parti Pejuang Tanah Air) or PEJUANG  Perkasa Bumiputera Party of Malaysia (Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia) All-Malaysian Jemaah Islamiah Front (Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia) National All India Muslim Alliance Party (Parti Perikatan India Muslim Nasional) others:  Malaysian Nation Party (Parti Bangsa Malaysia) or PBM Heritage Party (Parti Warisan) or WARISAN  Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Ikatan Demokratik Malaysia) or MUDA  United Sarawak Party (PSB)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

oil palm fruit, rice, chicken, eggs, tropical fruits, coconuts, vegetables, pineapples, rubber, bananas (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1.6% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

26.4% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$89.046 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$69.055 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

$12.738 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$6.257 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$7.15 billion (2024 est.)

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

Exchange rates

Currency

ringgits (MYR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

4.203 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

4.143 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

4.401 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

4.561 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

4.576 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$312.88 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$274.1 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$301.789 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, natural gas, palm oil (2023)

Exports - partners

China 21%, Singapore 12%, USA 12%, Japan 5%, Hong Kong 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

71.4% (2024 est.)

government consumption

12% (2024 est.)

household consumption

60.8% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-66% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.6% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

1.3% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

8.2% (2024 est.)

industry

37.1% (2024 est.)

services

53.6% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$421.972 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

40.7 (2021 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

30.9% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

2.3% (2021 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$283.758 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$253.665 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$279.09 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, coal, broadcasting equipment (2023)

Imports - partners

China 24%, Singapore 11%, USA 7%, Japan 5%, Taiwan 5% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

4.9% (2024 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

3.4% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.5% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

1.8% (2024 est.)

Labor force

18.264 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

6.2% (2021 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2023

64.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.113 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.153 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.212 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

8.9% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.6% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

5.1% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$32,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$32,800 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$34,100 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$114.659 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$113.463 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$116.229 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

12.6% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

4% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.9% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

3.9% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

13.8% (2024 est.)

male

11.3% (2024 est.)

total

12.3% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

35.741 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

462,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

31.706 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

4.476 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

226 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

178.653 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

1.2 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

61.678 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

37.22 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

13.188 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

81.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

16.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

113.163 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

47.112 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

37.451 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

3.359 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

74.32 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

1.189 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

3.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

672,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

582,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

13 (2023 est.)

total

4.58 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned TV broadcaster operates 2 TV networks with relays; the leading private commercial media group operates 4 TV stations with numerous relays; 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 country code

.my

Internet users

percent of population

98% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

24 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

8.402 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

140 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

49.7 million (2024 est.)

Airports

100 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9M

Heliports

24 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 14, container ship 35, general cargo 169, oil tanker 148, other 1,384

total

1,750 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Johor, Kota Kinabalu, Port Dickson, Port Klang, Pulau Pinang, Tanjung Pelepas, Tapis Marine Terminal A

large

3

medium

4

ports with oil terminals

24

small

10

total ports

35 (2024)

very small

18

Railways

narrow gauge

1,792 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge (339 km electrified)

standard gauge

59 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge (59 km electrified)

total

1,851 km (2014)

Military - note

the Malaysian military is responsible for defense of the country's national interests, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; it also has some domestic responsibilities, such as responding to natural disasters; key areas of focus for the military include cyber defense, crime and piracy in the Strait of Malacca, and tensions in the South China Sea; the Army has traditionally been the dominant service, but air and maritime security have received increased emphasis in recent years; Malaysia has undertaken efforts to procure more modern aircraft and ships, improve air and maritime surveillance, expand the Navy’s support infrastructure (particularly bases/ports) and domestic ship-building capacities, and increase cooperation with regional and international partners such as Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and the US 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 (2025)

Military and security forces

Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Air Force Ministry of Home Affairs: Royal Malaysia Police (RMP or Polis Diraja Malaysia, PDRM), Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA; aka Malaysian Coast Guard) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 110,000 active Malaysian Armed Forces (2025)

Military deployments

825 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military fields a diverse array of mostly older but growing quantities of more modern weapons and equipment; its inventory originates from a variety of suppliers across Europe, Asia, and the US; Malaysia has a domestic defense industry that has some co-production agreements with countries such as France, Germany, and Türkiye in areas such as armored vehicles and naval vessels (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1% of GDP (2024 est.)

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 (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

191,343 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

120,857 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

1996 - first of a series of domestically produced commercial communications satellites (MEASAT) launched on European rocket 2000 - first multipurpose (remote sensing/RS, communications, scientific) microsatellite (TiungSat-1) produced with technology and training from the UK and launched by Russia 2007 - first Malaysian astronaut (trained in Russia) to space on International Space Station 2009 - first RS satellite (RazakSat) built with assistance from South Korea and launched by US 2011 - completed construction of a satellite assembly, integration, and testing facility 2025 - first commercial high-resolution RS satellite (UzmaSat-1) launched by US; signed US-led Artemis Accords

Space agency/agencies

Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA; established 2019) (2025)

Space launch site(s)

has launched feasibility studies for potential space launch sites in Pahang, Sabah, and Sarawak (2025)

Space program overview

has a national space policy and program focused on the areas of remote sensing (RS), navigational services, and telecommunications to support domestic economic sectors; seeks to promote a domestic space industry; acquires, manufactures, and operates satellites; conducts research in RS capabilities and space sciences such as astronomy, atmospherics, space environment, and weather; has an astronaut training exchange program with Russia and works with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of the ESA, individual ESA member states, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea, the UK, and the US (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Abu Sayyaf Group, al-Qa'ida, Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) 

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

76.78 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

92.951 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

90.273 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

260.005 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental 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

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Kinabalu; Langkawi (2023)

total global geoparks and regional networks

2

International environmental 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

Methane emissions

agriculture

182.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

818.9 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

15.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

847.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

23.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

580 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

2.505 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

1.641 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

1.342 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

12.983 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

22.1% (2022 est.)