Malaysia birth & fertility rate decline on charts

Malaysia has a birth rate of 12.4 (annual births per 1,000 people) and a fertility rate of 1.55 (the average number of children a woman is expected to have over her lifetime based on current age-specific birth rates).

In 1960, the fertility rate in Malaysia was 6.41 children per woman — 4.14 times higher than in 2023.

Malaysia birth rate statistics:

Malaysia is ranked 112/196 by birth rate now and was ranked 106/194 in 1960.
The mean age at childbearing (for all the births, not just the first) is 31, a change from 30.1 in 1990.
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 (adolescent birth rate or teenage mother rate) changed from 73.7 in 1960 to 5.96 in 2023.
26.5% of the population in 2024 is composed of women of reproductive age (15-49), a change from 21.8% in 1960.

Fertility rate in Malaysia by year

1x

Year	Fertility rate	Rank
2023	1.55	133
2022	1.55	140
2021	1.56	150
2020	1.68	129
2019	1.78	122
2018	1.84	118
2017	1.89	117
2016	1.94	118
2015	2.01	116
2014	2.06	115
2013	2.07	113
2012	2.12	111
2011	2.15	110
2010	2.14	112
2009	2.22	110
2008	2.26	110
2007	2.25	110
2006	2.31	107
2005	2.39	106
2004	2.49	103
2003	2.6	99
2002	2.66	98
2001	2.81	93
2000	2.94	89
1999	3.07	86
1998	3.12	87
1997	3.23	86
1996	3.3	87
1995	3.32	90
1994	3.35	93
1993	3.36	96
1992	3.37	98
1991	3.34	105
1990	3.3	106
1989	3.31	110
1988	3.5	103
1987	3.57	105
1986	3.7	104
1985	3.8	103
1984	3.89	105
1983	3.93	106
1982	3.97	106
1981	4	105
1980	4.04	109
1979	4.09	109
1978	4.18	108
1977	4.28	107
1976	4.4	109
1975	4.5	112
1974	4.62	115
1973	4.73	117
1972	4.82	120
1971	4.92	120
1970	5.04	120
1969	5.16	119
1968	5.29	118
1967	5.43	118
1966	5.64	119
1965	5.84	111
1964	6.03	105
1963	6.19	97
1962	6.3	89
1961	6.37	79
1960	6.41	77

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2023, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/malaysia | CC BY

According to the latest birth rate data available, the fertility rate in Malaysia was 1.55 in 2023 and has been below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman since 2013. In 1993, the fertility rate was 3.36 — a 53.9% decline in 30 years.

Check population clock for a dynamic visualization of the changing population.

The chart above shows the historical changes in fertility rate and ranking compared to other countries, where a lower rank number indicates a higher relative fertility rate.

Births, deaths, and natural population change by year

1x

Year	People
Year	Natural change	Births	Deaths
2023	254,806	435,987	181,181
2022	237,560	430,015	192,455
2021	212,002	424,587	212,585
2020	283,282	453,882	170,600
2019	309,426	475,960	166,534
2018	324,568	487,345	162,777
2017	336,434	495,979	159,545
2016	345,681	501,927	156,246
2015	358,302	510,218	151,916
2014	367,587	513,362	145,775
2013	366,738	505,750	139,012
2012	371,497	504,327	132,830
2011	372,836	501,178	128,342
2010	360,260	484,454	124,194
2009	366,157	486,277	120,120
2008	362,380	478,505	116,125
2007	348,711	461,429	112,718
2006	349,509	459,539	110,030
2005	355,324	463,499	108,175
2004	365,138	471,847	106,709
2003	377,425	482,486	105,061
2002	381,084	484,194	103,110
2001	400,939	503,491	102,552
2000	417,371	519,141	101,770
1999	432,355	533,180	100,825
1998	436,316	534,041	97,725
1997	447,768	542,951	95,183
1996	450,174	543,561	93,387
1995	443,349	534,694	91,345
1994	437,873	527,025	89,152
1993	429,910	517,016	87,106
1992	418,900	504,634	85,734
1991	401,938	486,313	84,375
1990	384,518	467,567	83,049
1989	373,277	454,518	81,241
1988	386,507	466,391	79,884
1987	381,999	460,224	78,225
1986	385,799	462,599	76,800
1985	383,243	458,833	75,590
1984	376,797	451,374	74,577
1983	365,290	438,948	73,658
1982	353,138	425,787	72,649
1981	339,991	412,132	72,141
1980	326,947	398,511	71,564
1979	317,439	388,963	71,524
1978	311,027	382,456	71,429
1977	305,515	376,958	71,443
1976	300,615	372,290	71,675
1975	294,541	366,676	72,135
1974	289,880	362,338	72,458
1973	284,611	357,332	72,721
1972	276,263	349,281	73,018
1971	272,323	345,662	73,339
1970	269,341	343,198	73,857
1969	264,327	338,526	74,199
1968	260,705	335,327	74,622
1967	258,764	333,851	75,087
1966	262,162	337,739	75,577
1965	264,836	341,770	76,934
1964	266,406	345,482	79,076
1963	265,815	347,432	81,617
1962	262,140	346,436	84,296
1961	257,270	344,433	87,163
1960	251,090	341,201	90,111

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2023, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/malaysia | CC BY

Over the past 10 years, the natural population change in Malaysia (from births and deaths only, excluding migration) has been +0.92% annually. On average, 302,964 more people were born each year than died.

Excluding migration, the natural population change due to births and deaths from 2022 to 2023 was 0.73% — 254,806 more people were born than died.

In 2023, Malaysia ranks 54/196 for absolute natural population change and 113/196 for natural change rate, where a lower rank number indicates faster natural growth and a higher number indicates greater decline.

Birth rates in Malaysia compared to other countries

	Malaysia	Rank
Fertility rate	1.55	133/196
Birth rate	12.4	112/196
Population change due to births and deaths	+254,806	54/196
Natural population change rate	+0.73%	113/196
Population growth	+1.23%	89/197
Average age at childbearing	31 years	38/197
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 15-19	5.24	161/197
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 20-29	66	146/197
Annual births per 1,000 women ages 30+	25.6	90/197
Female of reproductive age (15-49), share of population	26.5%	31/196
Any modern method of contraceptive prevalence among married women ages 15-49	34.5%	113/179
Share of births attended by skilled health staff	99.6%	55/191
Maternal mortality per live birth	0.03%	117/193
Neonatal mortality rate (before reaching 28 days of age)	0.41%	138/193
Infant mortality rate (before reaching 1 year of age)	0.68%	136/196
Mortality rate before reaching 5 years of age	0.81%	135/192
Life expectancy	77.2 years	73/197

Birth rates by women's age

Annual births per 1,000 women

1x

Year	Annual births per 1,000 women
Year	Total	15-19	20-29	30+
2026	25.3	5.24	66	25.6
2025	25.6	5.44	66.4	26.3
2024	25.9	5.67	67.1	27
2023	26.1	5.9	67.5	27.5
2022	26.1	5.93	67.4	27.8
2021	26.1	6.31	66	28.7
2020	28.2	7.6	71.3	31.3
2019	30	8.45	75.6	33.4
2018	31.2	8.88	78.1	34.9
2017	32.2	9.51	80.9	35.9
2016	33.2	10.5	83.2	36.7
2015	34.3	11.8	86	37.7
2014	35	12.8	88.4	38.3
2013	35.1	13.3	89.5	38
2012	35.5	13.3	90	39.1
2011	35.8	13.7	92.7	39.1
2010	35.2	13.6	92.9	38.5
2009	35.9	13.4	97.9	39.5
2008	36	12.6	100.1	40.2
2007	35.4	11.5	100.6	40
2006	36	11.6	103.9	41.2
2005	37.1	12.2	108.4	43.1
2004	38.6	12.8	114.3	45.3
2003	40.3	13.3	121.2	47.6
2002	41.4	13.6	125.3	49.1
2001	44	14.3	133.7	52.5
2000	46.5	12.6	139.9	56.5
1999	48.8	13	148.1	58.9
1998	50	14.2	155.6	58.4
1997	52.1	15.4	163.4	60
1996	53.4	16.5	167.1	61.7
1995	53.9	17.1	167.7	62.6
1994	54.4	18.3	169.1	63.4
1993	54.7	18.7	169.4	64.2
1992	54.7	19.3	169.2	64.5
1991	54.1	19.4	167.2	64
1990	53.5	19.2	164.7	63.6
1989	53.5	19.2	163.6	64.1
1988	56.5	19.4	172.9	68
1987	57.4	20.8	177.3	67.9
1986	59.5	22.9	184.8	69.4
1985	60.9	24.3	189.3	70.8
1984	61.8	25.6	193.3	71.4
1983	62	26.7	195.6	71.2
1982	62	27.7	197.7	70.8
1981	61.9	28.6	199.6	70.3
1980	61.7	29.6	202	69.4
1979	61.8	30.7	204.9	69.7
1978	62.3	32.2	209.4	70.7
1977	62.9	33.8	214.2	72.3
1976	63.6	35.7	219.3	74.3
1975	64.2	37.5	224.1	76.3
1974	64.9	39.6	229.4	78.7
1973	65.6	41.7	234.2	81
1972	65.7	40.2	236	84.3
1971	66.6	45	242.3	85.5
1970	67.7	50.5	249.2	87
1969	68.4	48.1	251	91.1
1968	69.4	45.3	253.7	95.1
1967	70.7	43.1	258.5	98.6
1966	73.3	46.2	267.5	101.9
1965	76.1	49.7	276.4	105.3
1964	79	52.9	284.3	108.8
1963	81.6	56.3	291.1	111.8
1962	83.6	59.4	296.1	113.7
1961	85.5	66.8	299.7	113.9
1960	87	74.4	302	113.5

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/malaysia | CC BY

Above is a chart displaying birth rates in Malaysia by maternal age. In 2026, of all live births, 1.59% will be to women under age 20, 44.4% to women ages 20-29, and 54% to women ages 30 and above. The respective shares in 1990 were 3.58%, 55.6%, and 40.8%.

Children 0-14 years as share of population by year

1x

Year	Children 0-14 as share of population
Year	Malaysia	World
2100	13.3%	16.5%
2099	13.3%	16.6%
2098	13.4%	16.6%
2097	13.4%	16.7%
2096	13.4%	16.8%
2095	13.4%	16.8%
2094	13.5%	16.9%
2093	13.5%	17%
2092	13.5%	17%
2091	13.6%	17.1%
2090	13.6%	17.2%
2089	13.7%	17.2%
2088	13.7%	17.3%
2087	13.7%	17.4%
2086	13.8%	17.4%
2085	13.8%	17.5%
2084	13.8%	17.5%
2083	13.9%	17.6%
2082	13.9%	17.7%
2081	13.9%	17.7%
2080	13.9%	17.8%
2079	13.9%	17.8%
2078	13.9%	17.9%
2077	13.9%	17.9%
2076	13.9%	18%
2075	13.9%	18%
2074	13.9%	18.1%
2073	13.9%	18.2%
2072	13.9%	18.2%
2071	13.9%	18.3%
2070	13.9%	18.3%
2069	14%	18.4%
2068	14%	18.5%
2067	14.1%	18.6%
2066	14.1%	18.6%
2065	14.2%	18.7%
2064	14.3%	18.8%
2063	14.4%	18.9%
2062	14.5%	19.1%
2061	14.6%	19.2%
2060	14.8%	19.3%
2059	14.9%	19.4%
2058	15.1%	19.5%
2057	15.2%	19.6%
2056	15.4%	19.8%
2055	15.5%	19.9%
2054	15.7%	20%
2053	15.8%	20.1%
2052	16%	20.2%
2051	16.1%	20.3%
2050	16.2%	20.4%
2049	16.3%	20.5%
2048	16.4%	20.6%
2047	16.5%	20.7%
2046	16.6%	20.8%
2045	16.7%	20.9%
2044	16.8%	20.9%
2043	16.9%	21%
2042	16.9%	21.1%
2041	17%	21.2%
2040	17.1%	21.2%
2039	17.1%	21.3%
2038	17.2%	21.4%
2037	17.3%	21.5%
2036	17.3%	21.6%
2035	17.5%	21.8%
2034	17.7%	22%
2033	18%	22.2%
2032	18.3%	22.4%
2031	18.7%	22.7%
2030	19.2%	23%
2029	19.7%	23.3%
2028	20.1%	23.6%
2027	20.6%	23.9%
2026	21.1%	24.2%
2025	21.6%	24.6%
2024	21.8%	24.7%
2023	22.3%	25%
2022	22.8%	25.3%
2021	23.4%	25.6%
2020	24%	25.8%
2019	24.5%	26%
2018	24.9%	26.2%
2017	25.2%	26.4%
2016	25.5%	26.5%
2015	25.8%	26.6%
2014	26.2%	26.8%
2013	26.6%	26.9%
2012	27%	27%
2011	27.4%	27.1%
2010	27.9%	27.3%
2009	28.6%	27.5%
2008	29.4%	27.6%
2007	30%	27.9%
2006	30.7%	28.1%
2005	31.4%	28.5%
2004	32%	28.8%
2003	32.6%	29.2%
2002	33.2%	29.6%
2001	33.7%	30%
2000	34.2%	30.4%
1999	34.6%	30.8%
1998	35%	31.1%
1997	35.3%	31.5%
1996	35.5%	31.8%
1995	35.7%	32.1%
1994	36%	32.3%
1993	36.3%	32.5%
1992	36.6%	32.7%
1991	36.9%	32.9%
1990	37.2%	33%
1989	37.5%	33.2%
1988	37.7%	33.4%
1987	37.9%	33.6%
1986	38%	33.8%
1985	38.1%	34%
1984	38.2%	34.3%
1983	38.4%	34.6%
1982	38.6%	34.9%
1981	38.8%	35.2%
1980	39.2%	35.5%
1979	39.6%	35.9%
1978	40.1%	36.3%
1977	40.6%	36.7%
1976	41.1%	36.9%
1975	41.7%	37.1%
1974	42.2%	37.2%
1973	42.8%	37.3%
1972	43.4%	37.5%
1971	44%	37.6%
1970	44.5%	37.7%
1969	45%	37.8%
1968	45.5%	37.9%
1967	45.9%	38%
1966	46.2%	38%
1965	46.5%	38%
1964	46.6%	38%
1963	46.5%	37.8%
1962	46.3%	37.6%
1961	45.9%	37.5%
1960	45.4%	37.4%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/malaysia | CC BY

The share of children aged 0-14 in Malaysia was 45.4% in 1960, 36.6% in 1992, and 21.8% as of the latest data in 2024.

More about the demographics of Malaysia.

Fertility rates around the globe

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2023, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/malaysia | CC BY

Maternal mortality by year

1x

Year	Maternal mortality per 100K births
Year	Malaysia	World
2023	26	197
2022	38	203
2021	52	242
2020	29	211
2019	28	207
2018	29	211
2017	29	215
2016	30	220
2015	30	228
2014	30	231
2013	29	235
2012	29	239
2011	29	247
2010	29	253
2009	29	258
2008	29	264
2007	30	269
2006	30	276
2005	31	283
2004	33	291
2003	34	301
2002	34	311
2001	36	321
2000	37	328
1999	38	340
1998	39	360
1997	40	358
1996	42	366
1995	43	371
1994	44	382
1993	46	389
1992	48	395
1991	49	395
1990	51	391
1989	52	401
1988	55	414
1987	56	429
1986	59	438
1985	63	460

Data sources: World Bank | Gender (1985–2023, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/malaysia | CC BY

The maternal mortality rate in Malaysia was 26 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023 — a 0.03% chance of dying during childbirth or within 42 days of pregnancy termination. This is a 29.7% decrease compared to the year 2000.

Under-five mortality by year

Probability that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five

1x

Year	Under 5 mortality rate
Year	Malaysia	World
2023	0.81%	2.49%
2022	0.81%	2.59%
2021	0.81%	2.66%
2020	0.81%	2.75%
2019	0.82%	2.86%
2018	0.82%	2.97%
2017	0.82%	3.11%
2016	0.82%	3.22%
2015	0.81%	3.35%
2014	0.81%	3.48%
2013	0.81%	3.61%
2012	0.8%	3.77%
2011	0.81%	3.97%
2010	0.81%	4.11%
2009	0.82%	4.31%
2008	0.82%	4.5%
2007	0.82%	4.7%
2006	0.83%	4.92%
2005	0.83%	5.16%
2004	0.84%	5.43%
2003	0.85%	5.65%
2002	0.88%	5.94%
2001	0.93%	6.21%
2000	1%	6.48%
1999	1.07%	6.75%
1998	1.15%	7.05%
1997	1.23%	7.28%
1996	1.29%	7.52%
1995	1.34%	7.76%
1994	1.39%	7.98%
1993	1.45%	8.19%
1992	1.51%	8.46%
1991	1.58%	8.66%
1990	1.66%	8.81%
1989	1.74%	9.02%
1988	1.83%	9.31%
1987	1.93%	9.47%
1986	2.05%	9.81%
1985	2.18%	10.1%
1984	2.32%	10.4%
1983	2.47%	10.6%
1982	2.65%	10.8%
1981	2.84%	11%
1980	3.04%	11.4%
1979	3.25%	11.7%
1978	3.48%	12.2%
1977	3.71%	12.6%
1976	3.97%	13%
1975	4.23%	13.4%
1974	4.5%	13.8%
1973	4.79%	14.1%
1972	5.06%	14.5%
1971	5.32%	15.1%
1970	5.56%	15.2%
1969	5.79%	15.4%
1968	6.02%	15.6%
1967	6.27%	15.9%
1966	6.56%	16.1%
1965	6.89%	16.4%
1964	7.28%	16.6%
1963	7.74%	16.5%
1962	8.25%	16.7%
1961	8.83%	17%
1960	9.46%	17.2%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2023, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/birth-rate/malaysia | CC BY

The under-5 mortality rate in Malaysia was 8.1 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023 — a 0.81% chance that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five. This is down from 10 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000.