2021 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 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. MAHATHIR resigned in February 2020 amid a political dispute. King ABDULLAH then selected Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin as the new prime minister. MUHYIDDIN resigned in August 2021 after losing a majority of support in parliament. King ABDULLAH next selected ISMAIL SABRI Yakoob as the successor prime minister.

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

3,800 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Brunei 266 km, Indonesia 1881 km, Thailand 595 km

total

2,742 km

Land use

agricultural land

23.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 19.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.9% (2018 est.)

forest

62% (2018 est.)

other

14.8% (2018 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

26.8% (male 4,504,562/female 4,246,681)

15-24 years

16.63% (male 2,760,244/female 2,670,186)

25-54 years

40.86% (male 6,737,826/female 6,604,776)

55-64 years

8.81% (male 1,458,038/female 1,418,280)

65 years and over

6.9% (male 1,066,627/female 1,184,863) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

14.72 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

14.1% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

52.2% (2014)

Current Health Expenditure

3.8% (2018)

Death rate

5.66 deaths/1,000 population (2021 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.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

10.4

potential support ratio

9.7 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

44.2

youth dependency ratio

33.8

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 89.3% of population

improved: total

total: 96.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 11.7% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3.3% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

4.2% of GDP (2019)

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.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.4% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,000 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

92,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

1.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

7.08 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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.

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.62 years (2021 est.)

male

74.24 years

total population

75.87 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

93.6% (2019)

male

96.2%

total population

95%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever

water contact diseases

leptospirosis

Major urban areas - population

8.211 million KUALA LUMPUR (capital), 1.045 million Johor Bahru, 828,000 Ipoh (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

29 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

29.6 years (2020 est.)

male

28.9 years

total

29.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Malaysian

noun

Malaysian(s)

Net migration rate

1.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

15.6% (2016)

Physicians density

1.54 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

33,519,406 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

1.06% (2021 est.)

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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 98.7% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2019)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.03 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.02 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.9 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.76 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

13% (2020 est.)

male

11.4%

total

12%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

77.7% of total population (2021)

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 Malay word for "river junction or estuary" is "kuala" and "lumpur" means "mud"; together the words render the meaning of "muddy confluence"

geographic coordinates

3 10 N, 101 42 E

name

Kuala Lumpur; note - nearby Putrajaya is referred to as a federal government administrative center but not the capital; Parliament meets in 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

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

history

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

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Malaysia

etymology

the name means "Land of the Malays"

former

Federation of Malaya

local long form

none

local short form

Malaysia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Brian D. McFeeters (since 26 February 2021)

email address and website

KLACS@state.govhttps://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

(vacant)

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

mwwashington@kln.gov.myhttps://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; note - cabinet dissolved 24 February 2020 with Prime Minister MAHATHIR resignation

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

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

head of government

Prime Minister ISMAIL SABRI Yaakob (since 21 August 2021); note - Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin resigned on 16 August 2021

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

note: the design is based on the flag of the US

Government type

federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy

note

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)

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, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

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

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

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)

election results

Senate - appointed; composition - men 54, women 14, percent of women 20.6%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%

elections

Senate - appointedHouse of Representatives - last held on 9 May 2018 (next national elections are not scheduled until 2023 but are widely expected to be called in 2022)

note

note: as of 16 November 2019, seats by party - PH 129, BN 41, GS 18, GPS 18, WARISAN 9, GBS 3, UPKO 1, PSB 1, independent 1, vacant 1

National anthem

lyrics/music

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

name

"Negaraku" (My Country)

note

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 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; national colors: gold, black

Political parties and leaders

National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN: Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [LIOW Tiong Lai]Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC [S. SUBRAMANIAM]United Malays National Organization or UMNO [Zahid HAMID](Formerly - Coalition of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH (formerly the People's Alliance, before former PM MAHATHIR resigns 24 February 2020): Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [LIM Guan Eng]Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM [Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin; note - former PM MAHATHIR stepped down 24 Feb 2020]National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [Mohamad SABU]People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [ANWAR Ibrahim]Coalition Perikatan Nasional or PN, after Pakatan Harapan or PH coalition fell apart 24 February 2020Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM [Tan Sri MUHYIDDIN Yassin; note - former PM MAHATHIR steps down 24 Feb 2020]United Malays National Organization or UMNO [Zahid HAMID]People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [ANWAR Ibrahim]Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [TAN Kok Wai]National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH [Mohamad SABU]Sabah Star [Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan] New - Fighters of the Nation Party (Parti Pejuang Tanah Air) or Pejuang [former PM MAHATHIR bin Mohamad; interim president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir note - started August 2020]  Other: Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI Awang]Progressive Democratic Party or PDP [TIONG King Sing]Sabah Heritage Party (Parti Warisan Sabah) or WARISAN [SHAFIE Apdal]Sarawak Parties Alliance (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) or GPS [ABANG JOHARI Openg] (includes PBB, SUPP, PRS, PDP)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 Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Wilfred Madius TANGAU]United Sabah Alliance or USA (Gabungan Sabah)United Sabah Party (Parti Bersatu Sabah) or PBS [Maximus ONGKILI]United Sabah People's (Party Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]United Traditional Bumiputera Party (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersata) or PBB; note - PBB is listed under GPS above

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal (2019)

Agricultural products

oil palm fruit, rice, poultry, eggs, vegetables, rubber, coconuts, bananas, pineapples, pork

Budget

expenditures

60.63 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

51.25 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BBB+ (2020)

Moody's rating

A3 (2004)

Standard & Poors rating

A- (2003)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2018

$8.027 billion (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

$12.295 billion (2019 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$226.901 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$224.596 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

Malaysia, an upper middle-income country, has transformed itself since the 1970s from a producer of raw materials into a multi-sector economy. Under current Prime Minister NAJIB, Malaysia is attempting to achieve high-income status by 2020 and to move further up the value-added production chain by attracting investments in high technology, knowledge-based industries and services. NAJIB's Economic Transformation Program is a series of projects and policy measures intended to accelerate the country's economic growth. The government has also taken steps to liberalize some services sub-sectors. Malaysia is vulnerable to a fall in world commodity prices or a general slowdown in global economic activity.The NAJIB administration is continuing efforts to boost domestic demand and reduce the economy's dependence on exports. Domestic demand continues to anchor economic growth, supported mainly by private consumption, which accounts for 53% of GDP. Nevertheless, exports - particularly of electronics, oil and gas, and palm oil - remain a significant driver of the economy. In 2015, gross exports of goods and services were equivalent to 73% of GDP. The oil and gas sector supplied about 22% of government revenue in 2015, down significantly from prior years amid a decline in commodity prices and diversification of government revenues. Malaysia has embarked on a fiscal reform program aimed at achieving a balanced budget by 2020, including rationalization of subsidies and the 2015 introduction of a 6% value added tax. Sustained low commodity prices throughout the period not only strained government finances, but also shrunk Malaysia’s current account surplus and weighed heavily on the Malaysian ringgit, which was among the region’s worst performing currencies during 2013-17. The ringgit hit new lows following the US presidential election amid a broader selloff of emerging market assets.Bank Negara Malaysia (the central bank) maintains adequate foreign exchange reserves; a well-developed regulatory regime has limited Malaysia's exposure to riskier financial instruments, although it remains vulnerable to volatile global capital flows. In order to increase Malaysia’s competitiveness, Prime Minister NAJIB raised possible revisions to the special economic and social preferences accorded to ethnic Malays under the New Economic Policy of 1970, but retreated in 2013 after he encountered significant opposition from Malay nationalists and other vested interests. In September 2013 NAJIB launched the new Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Program, policies that favor and advance the economic condition of ethnic Malays.Malaysia signed the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement in February 2016, although the future of the TPP remains unclear following the US withdrawal from the agreement. Along with nine other ASEAN members, Malaysia established the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015, which aims to advance regional economic integration.

Exchange rates

currency

ringgits (MYR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

3.27 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

3.91 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

4.166 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

4.161 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

4.064 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$245.89 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$237.83 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$207.37 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

integrated circuits, refined petroleum, natural gas, semiconductors, palm oil (2019)

Exports - partners

Singapore 13%, China 13%, United States 11%, Hong Kong 6%, Japan 6%, Thailand 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

71.4% (2017 est.)

government consumption

12.2% (2017 est.)

household consumption

55.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-64.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

25.3% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0.3% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

8.8% (2017 est.)

industry

37.6% (2017 est.)

services

53.6% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$364.631 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 1997

49.2 (1997)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

41 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

34.7% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%

1.8%

Imports

Imports 2018

$221.83 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$210.68 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$185.59 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment, coal (2019)

Imports - partners

China 24%, Singapore 14%, Japan 6%, United States 6%, Taiwan 5%, Thailand 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

5% (2017 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) 2017

3.8% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

0.9% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.6% (2019 est.)

note

note: approximately 30% of goods are price-controlled

Labor force

15.139 million (2020 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

11%

industry

36%

services

53% (2012 est.)

Population below poverty line

5.6% (2018 est.)

Public debt

note

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

Public debt 2016

56.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

54.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$868.85 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$906.24 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$855.6 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2017

5.81% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

4.77% (2018 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2019

4.31% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$27,600 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$28,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$26,400 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$94.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$102.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

16.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2018

3.33% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate 2019

3.3% (2019 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

13% (2020 est.)

male

11.4%

total

12%

Crude oil - exports

326,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

166,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

647,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

3.6 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

136.9 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

3 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

78% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

18% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

4% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

33 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

33 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

148.3 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

30.44 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

38.23 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.803 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

69.49 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.183 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

704,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

208,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

304,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

528,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

10.38 (2020 est.)

total

3,358,800 (2020)

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 country code

.my

Internet users

percent of population

89.56% (2020 est.)

total

27.43 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line 20 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 140 per 100 persons; domestic satellite system with 2 earth stations (2019)

general assessment

one of the most advanced telecom networks in the developing world; strong commitment to developing a technological society; Malaysia is promoting itself as an information tech hub in the Asian region; closing the urban rural divide; 4G and 5G networks with strong competition, mobile dominance over fixed-broadband; government development of five-year fiber and connectivity plan; some of Malaysia’s key exports are integrated circuits and broadcasting equipment to North America and China; importer of integrated circuits from Singapore and China (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)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

23.07 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

7,467,900 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

135.1 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

43,723,600 (2020)

Airports

total

114 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

7

2,438 to 3,047 m

8

914 to 1,523 m

8

over 3,047 m

8

total

39

under 914 m

8 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

914 to 1,523 m

6

total

75

under 914 m

69 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9M

Heliports

4 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 16, container ship 28, general cargo 174, oil tanker 153, other 1,398 (2021)

total

1,769

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,404,410,000 mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

60,481,772 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

270

number of registered air carriers

13 (2020)

Pipelines

354 km condensate, 6439 km gas, 155 km liquid petroleum gas, 1937 km oil, 43 km oil/gas/water, 114 km refined products, 26 km water (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Port Kelang (Port Klang) (13,580,717), Tanjung Pelepas (9,100,000) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (export)

Bintulu (Sarawak)

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Sungei Udang

major seaport(s)

Bintulu, Johor Bahru, George Town (Penang), Pelabuhan Klang (Port Klang), Tanjung Pelepas

Railways

narrow gauge

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

standard gauge

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

total

1,851 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

116,169 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways) (2010)

total

144,403 km (excludes local roads) (2010)

unpaved

28,234 km (2010)

Waterways

7,200 km (Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km) (2011)

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 23 attacks against commercial vessels in 2020, vessels were boarded in 22 of the 23 incidents, one crew was injured, another taken hostage and two threatened during these incidents

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 2021, for example, the Navy had 6 frigates fitting out or under construction and scheduled for completion by 2023, which will increase the number of operational frigates from 2 to 8; 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

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: the Royal Malaysian Police (PRMD, includes the General Operations Force, a paramilitary force with a variety of roles, including patrolling borders, counter-terrorism, maritime security, and counterinsurgency) (2021)

note

note - 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 (Malaysian Coast Guard)

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Malaysian Armed Forces have approximately 115,000 active duty troops (80,000 Army; 18,000 Navy; 17,000 Air Force) (2021)

Military deployments

880 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (Oct 2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Malaysian Armed Forces field a diverse mix of imported weapons systems; the top  suppliers of military hardware since 2010 are France, Germany, Spain, and Turkey (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2017

1.1% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

1% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

1% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.1% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military service age and obligation

17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent and proof of age); mandatory retirement age 60; women serve in the Malaysian Armed Forces; no conscription (2021)

Disputes - international

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; 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, ICJ 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; 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; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; per Letters of Exchange signed in 2009, Malaysia in 2010 ceded two hydrocarbon concession blocks to Brunei in exchange for Brunei's sultan dropping claims to the Limbang corridor, which divides Brunei; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

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  

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

119,579 (Burma) (2020)

stateless persons

111,298 (2020); 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

current situation

Malaysia is a destination and, to a lesser extent, a source and transit country for women and children subjected to conditions of forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking; Malaysia is mainly a destination country for foreign workers who migrate willingly from countries including Indonesia, Nepal, India, Thailand, China, the Philippines, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Vietnam, but subsequently they encounter forced labor or debt bondage at the hands of their employers in the domestic, agricultural, construction, plantation, and industrial sectors; a small number of Malaysian citizens were reportedly trafficked internally and to Singapore, China, and Japan for commercial sexual exploitation; refugees are also vulnerable to trafficking; some officials are reportedly complicit in facilitating trafficking; traffickers lure Rohingya women and girls residing in refugee camps in Bangladesh to Malaysia, where they are coerced to engage in commercial sex

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Malaysia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government identified more victims, increased the number of trafficking-specialist prosecutors, drafted victim identification standard operating procedures, identified two volunteer victim assistance specialists that worked with more than 100 victims, and co-hosted the first national conference on anti-trafficking; however, authorities prosecuted and convicted fewer traffickers and investigated few trafficking cases; despite the issue of corruption, insufficient efforts were made to prosecute officials’ complicity in trafficking-related crimes or to report the results of investigations into such crimes; insufficient interagency coordination and victim services discouraged foreign victims from participating in criminal proceedings; no resources were devoted to a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet the minimum standards; Malaysia was granted a waiver per the Trafficking Victims Protection Act from an otherwise required downgrade to Tier 3 (2020)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jemaah Islamiyah (JI); Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)

note

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

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

248.29 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

51.51 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

16.04 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

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

Land use

agricultural land

23.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 19.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.9% (2018 est.)

forest

62% (2018 est.)

other

14.8% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever

water contact diseases

leptospirosis

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

1.57% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

580 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

2.505 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

1.641 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

1.342 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

77.7% of total population (2021)

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.)