Refugees
213,175refugees and others in need of protection hosted, 2025
7,988from it, abroad, 2025
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder2025
Country page · Updated 13 Nov 2026
Malaysia
Malaysia has 36 m people (World Bank, 2025) and an economy of $472 bn a year (World Bank, 2025). It imports all of its potash supply (FAOSTAT, 2024, estimated).
Written automatically from the figures on this page.
- Population
- 36 m (2025)
Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m, which shows who controls an area in practice. Borders shown do not imply endorsement.
- GDPUS$472billion33rd of 186World Bank · 2025
- Population36million45th of 216World Bank · 2025
- GDP per personUS$13,12573rd of 186World Bank · 2025
- Military, % GDP1.0% of GDP109th of 150World Bank · 2025
- CO2 per person8.2t34th of 213Global Carbon Budget · 2024
Dependencies at a glance
Malaysia imports all of its potash supply; it exports gas.
Imports mostImports someLow net tradeExporter
| Resource | Dependence | Position | Main partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | Imports some | Imports 23% of the oil it usesEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025, China → Malaysia as reported by the exporter | Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, China |
| Natural gas | Exporter | Exports 41% of what it produces PreliminaryEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, exports 2025 | Japan, South Korea, China (buyers) |
| Wheat | Not reported by this source | – | |
| Maize | Imports most | Imports all of the maize it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Argentina, Brazil |
| Rice | Imports most | Imports 53% of the rice it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan |
| Soybeans | Not reported by this source | – | |
| Potash | Imports most | Imports all of its potash supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Russia, Canada, United States |
| Phosphate | Imports most | Imports all of its phosphate supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Egypt, China, Australia |
| Arms | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: China, 37% of importsSIPRI, 2021–2025 | China, Norway, United States |
| Chips | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: Taiwan, 29% of importsUN Comtrade, 2025 | Taiwan, China, Singapore |
Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).
- OilImports some
Imports 23% of the oil it uses
Main partners: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, China
EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025, China → Malaysia as reported by the exporter
- Natural gasExporter
Exports 41% of what it produces Preliminary
Main partners: Japan, South Korea, China (buyers)
EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, exports 2025
- Wheat
Not reported by this source
- MaizeImports most
Imports all of the maize it uses
Main partners: Argentina, Brazil
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- RiceImports most
Imports 53% of the rice it uses
Main partners: Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- Soybeans
Not reported by this source
- PotashImports most
Imports all of its potash supply Estimate
Main partners: Russia, Canada, United States
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- PhosphateImports most
Imports all of its phosphate supply Estimate
Main partners: Egypt, China, Australia
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- ArmsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: China, 37% of imports
Main partners: China, Norway, United States
SIPRI, 2021–2025
- ChipsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: Taiwan, 29% of imports
Main partners: Taiwan, China, Singapore
UN Comtrade, 2025
Source: EIA; FAOSTAT; SIPRI; UN Comtradeyear in each rowUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Dependencies toolMoney and reserves
Malaysia’s economy produced $472 bn in 2025.
GDP, 2000–2025
Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025Updated 13 Nov 2026
Economic growth5.2%2025 · 42nd of 186 · World Bank
Inflation1.4%2025 · 128th of 169 · World Bank
Unemployment3.8%2025 · 118th of 181 · World Bank
ReservesUS$116billion2024 · 24th of 164 · World Bank
Trade137% of GDP2024 · 28th of 172 · World Bank
Foreign investment inUS$21.6billion2025 · 23rd of 200 · World Bank
People
Malaysia had 36 m people in 2025.
Population, 1950–2100
Projection: UN projection, medium variant, after 2023Range between the UN low- and high-fertility scenarios
Source: UN World Population ProspectsUpdated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Malaysia’s population by age
1950200020502100
Source: UN World Population Prospects1950–2100Updated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Births per woman1.552023 · 158th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Median age30.12023 · 128th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Aged 65 and over8%2025, Projection, medium variant · UN WPP 2024
Technology and space
Satellites owned in Malaysia numbered 11 at the end of 2026.
AI compute share0%2025 · 34th of 36 · Epoch AI
Notable AI models12018 · Epoch AI
Climate and hazards
Malaysia emitted 290 Mt of CO2 from fossil fuels and cement in 2024.
Malaysia’s CO2 emissions, million tonnes, 1990–2024
Source: Our World in Data CO21990–2024Updated 13 Nov 2026
CO2 emissions290Mt2024 · 20th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person8.2t2024 · 34th of 213 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 since 17507,042Mt2024 · 33rd of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
Water stress1.02023 · 104th of 164 · WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
More figures
Shown only where a source covers Malaysia.
Sanctions
59entries on the US, EU and UK lists give it as an address or nationality: US 45, EU 5 and UK 9
Counts entries (people, companies, ships and aircraft), not how strict the measures are.
Source: US CSL; EU sanctions list; UK Sanctions ListUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Chinese loans and grants
US$17.0billioncommitted by Chinese state lenders, 2000–2021
Source: AidData Chinese development finance2000–2021
Cyber incidents
24publicly known incidents affecting Malaysia, 2000–2024
Counts compare documented incidents, not how often a country is targeted. Who they were attributed to
Source: EuRepoC Global Dataset of Cyber Incidents 1.3.2 (4 Mar 2025), CC BY-NC 4.02000–2024
All figures
53 measures on this site have a recent figure for Malaysia.
| GDP | $472 bn | 2025 | 33rd of 186 | World Bank |
| GDP per person | $13,125 | 2025 | 73rd of 186 | World Bank |
| Economic growth | 5.2% | 2025 | 42nd of 186 | World Bank |
| Inflation | 1.4% | 2025 | 128th of 169 | World Bank |
| Government debt | 71% | 2025 | 54th of 191 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Government budget balance | −3.5% | 2025 | 123rd of 195 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Current account balance | 1.6% | 2025 | 62nd of 194 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | 2025 | 118th of 181 | World Bank |
| Reserves, including gold | $116 bn | 2024 | 24th of 164 | World Bank |
| Trade | 137% | 2024 | 28th of 172 | World Bank |
| Foreign investment in | $22 bn | 2025 | 23rd of 200 | World Bank |
| Remittances received | 1.8% | 2024 | 90th of 162 | World Bank |
| Population | 36 m | 2025 | 45th of 216 | World Bank |
| Population with UN projections | 35 m | 2023 | 44th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Births per woman | 1.55 | 2023 | 158th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Median age | 30.1 | 2023 | 128th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Life expectancy | 76.7 | 2023 | 101st of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Refugees from the country | 7,988 | 2025 | 86th of 206 | UNHCR |
| Refugees and others needing protection, by host | 213,175 | 2025 | 43rd of 176 | UNHCR |
| Refugees hosted per 1,000 people | 5.9 | 2025 | 79th of 176 | UNHCR |
| Crude oil production | 513 kb/d | 2025 | 28th of 214 | EIA |
| Oil consumption | 747 kb/d | 2024 | 27th of 212 | EIA |
| Natural gas production | Preliminary | 2024 | 11th of 213 | EIA |
| Natural gas consumption | 47.4 bcm | 2024 | 21st of 213 | EIA |
| Electricity generated | 211 TWh | 2024 | 25th of 193 | Ember |
| Low-carbon electricity | 20% | 2024 | 129th of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from coal | 42% | 2024 | 18th of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from wind and solar | 3% | 2024 | 122nd of 193 | Ember |
| Wheat imports | 1.7 Mt | 2024 | 32nd of 180 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize production | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 146th of 169 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize imports | 4.0 Mt | 2024 | 17th of 196 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice production | 1.4 Mt | 2024 | 29th of 135 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice imports | 1.7 Mt | 2024 | 6th of 197 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean imports | 0.7 Mt | 2024 | 25th of 179 | FAOSTAT |
| Potash fertiliser use | 0.99 Mt | 2024 | 6th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| Phosphate fertiliser use | 0.16 Mt | 2024 | 30th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| CO2 emissions | 290 Mt | 2024 | 20th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 per person | 8.2 t | 2024 | 34th of 213 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 emitted since 1750 | 7,042 Mt | 2024 | 33rd of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Net CO2 imports through trade | 3.7% | 2023 | 87th of 120 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Water stress | 1.0 | 2023 | 104th of 164 | WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0) |
| Water from abroad | 0% | 2023 | 125th of 193 | FAO AQUASTAT |
| Military spending, share of GDP | 1.0% | 2025 | 109th of 150 | World Bank |
| Military spending | $4.9 bn | 2025 | 49th of 150 | World Bank |
| Arms imports | 7 TIV m | 2024 | 98th of 117 | SIPRI |
| Arms exports | 20 TIV m | 2024 | 38th of 50 | SIPRI |
| Satellites in orbit | 11 | 2026 | 34th of 81 | Orbital data from CelesTrak |
| Share of documented AI supercomputer power | 0% | 2025 | 34th of 36 | Epoch AI |
| People using the internet | 98% | 2024 | 12th of 182 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports | $4.9 bn | 2024 | 34th of 162 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports, share of service exports | 9.2% | 2024 | 66th of 162 | World Bank |
| Sanctions list entries (US, EU, UK) | 59 | 2026 | 46th of 181 | US CSL |
| Chinese loans and grants committed | $1.1 bn | 2021 | 12th of 122 | AidData, Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset 3.0 |
Sources for this page
- World Bank IndicatorsGDP, GDP per person, Economic growth, Inflation, Unemployment, Reserves, …
- IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026Debt, Budget balance, Current account
- UN World Population ProspectsPopulation (UN), Births per woman, Median age, Life expectancy
- UNHCR Refugee Data FinderRefugees from, Refugees hosted, Refugees per 1,000
- U.S. Energy Information AdministrationOil output, Oil use, Gas output, Gas use, Dependencies at a glance
- Ember electricity dataElectricity, Low-carbon electricity, Electricity from coal, Electricity from wind and solar
- FAOSTATWheat imports, Maize production, Maize imports, Rice production, Rice imports, Soybean imports, …
- Our World in Data CO2CO2 emissions, CO2 per person, CO2 since 1750, Net CO2 imports through trade
- WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)Water stress
- FAO AQUASTATWater from abroad
- SIPRI Arms Transfers DatabaseArms imports, Arms exports, Dependencies at a glance
- CelesTrak SATCATSatellites in orbit
- Epoch AIAI compute share
- US Consolidated Screening ListSanctions list entries, Sanctions
- AidData Chinese development financeChinese loans and grants
- UN ComtradeDependencies at a glance
- EU financial sanctions listSanctions
- UK Sanctions ListSanctions
- EuRepoC cyber incidentsCyber incidents
Page last updated 13 Nov 2026How we measure