Writing and Printing

Demographics of Malaysia

Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country with a diverse population. As of 2026, the official population estimate is about 36.3 million. According to the 2020 census, there were 32,447,385 people including non-citizens, placing Malaysia as the 43rd most populous country globally. In 2025, around 6.2 million lived in East Malaysia and 27.8 million in Peninsular Malaysia. Population distribution is uneven, with about 79 percent of citizens residing in Peninsular Malaysia, which covers less than 40 percent of the country's total land area. As of 2017, Malaysia's population was growing at an annual rate of 1.94 percent. Based on projections from the 2010 census, fertility rates among the three largest ethnic groups were estimated at 2.4 children per woman for Malays and Bumiputeras, 1.8 for Indians and 1.4 for Chinese. Malay fertility rates were about 40 percent higher than those of Indians and 56 percent higher than those of Chinese. By 2023, Malays and other Bumiputeras made up 69.9 percent of the population, while Chinese and Indians comprised 22.8 and 6.6 percent respectively. Although the absolute number of Chinese increased from 2.4 million in 1957 to 6.6 million in 2017, their proportion of the population has declined since independence, when they formed around 45 percent of Malaya. In contrast, the Malay population grew from approximately 3.1 million in 1957 to 15.5 million in 2017. Due to various socioeconomic factors, including differences in fertility rates, migration trends and policy dynamics, the share of non-Malay and non-Bumiputera communities, such as the Chinese and Indians, has gradually declined since 1957.

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See also

• ▸Ambigram
• ▸Cunnilingus
• ▸Abdurauf Fitrat

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