Malaysia Demographics: Median age, Gender, Race, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Malaysia vs World

Table

Year	Median age
	Malaysia	World
1960	17.5	22.5
1961	17.3	22.5
1962	17.1	22.4
1963	17	22.2
1964	16.9	22
1965	16.8	21.8
1966	16.9	21.7
1967	17	21.6
1968	17.1	21.5
1969	17.3	21.5
1970	17.4	21.4
1971	17.6	21.4
1972	17.9	21.5
1973	18.1	21.5
1974	18.3	21.6
1975	18.6	21.7
1976	18.8	21.9
1977	19	22
1978	19.3	22.2
1979	19.5	22.3
1980	19.7	22.5
1981	19.9	22.6
1982	20.1	22.7
1983	20.4	22.9
1984	20.5	23
1985	20.7	23.2
1986	20.9	23.3
1987	21	23.4
1988	21.1	23.6
1989	21.3	23.8
1990	21.5	23.9
1991	21.7	24.1
1992	21.9	24.3
1993	22.1	24.5
1994	22.3	24.7
1995	22.5	25
1996	22.7	25.2
1997	22.9	25.4
1998	23.1	25.7
1999	23.4	25.9
2000	23.5	26.1
2001	23.6	26.3
2002	23.7	26.5
2003	23.9	26.7
2004	24	27
2005	24.2	27.2
2006	24.5	27.4
2007	24.8	27.6
2008	25.1	27.8
2009	25.6	28
2010	26	28.2
2011	26.4	28.4
2012	26.8	28.6
2013	27.1	28.9
2014	27.5	29.1
2015	27.8	29.3
2016	28.1	29.5
2017	28.5	29.8
2018	28.8	30
2019	29.2	30.3
2020	29.6	30.6
2021	30.1	30.8
2022	30.6	31
2023	31.1	31.3
2024	31.5	31.6
2025	32	31.9
2026	32.4	32.1
2027	32.8	32.3
2028	33.2	32.6
2029	33.6	32.8
2030	34	33
2031	34.4	33.2
2032	34.8	33.4
2033	35.2	33.6
2034	35.6	33.8
2035	36	34
2036	36.4	34.2
2037	36.7	34.4
2038	37.1	34.6
2039	37.5	34.8
2040	37.8	35
2041	38.2	35.2
2042	38.6	35.4
2043	38.9	35.6
2044	39.3	35.8
2045	39.6	36
2046	39.9	36.2
2047	40.2	36.4
2048	40.5	36.6
2049	40.8	36.8
2050	41.1	37.1

In 1960, the median age in Malaysia was 17.5 years compared to the world's average of 22.5 years. As of 2024, the median age had increased to 31.5 years compared to the world's average of 31.6 years. Ranked 158th for median age 64 years ago (old to young), Malaysia ranks 92nd currently.

According to the United Nations projections, the median age in Malaysia is expected to increase to around 41.1 years by 2050. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Malaysia demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Malaysia
	Male	Female
0-4	3.22%	3.03%
5-9	3.93%	3.74%
10-14	4.09%	3.77%
15-19	4.11%	3.79%
20-24	4.62%	4.13%
25-29	4.8%	4.06%
30-34	4.88%	4.03%
35-39	4.68%	3.99%
40-44	4.18%	3.57%
45-49	3.29%	2.91%
50-54	2.67%	2.5%
55-59	2.23%	2.18%
60-64	1.95%	1.92%
65-69	1.49%	1.52%
70-74	1.07%	1.14%
75-79	0.62%	0.69%
80+	0.53%	0.67%

The chart above is a variation of the population pyramid and represents the age and gender structure. Malaysia has low demographic potential with 56.2% of people in the 0-34 age group (ranked 102/196).

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Malaysia			World
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	93.3%	87.8%	5.45%	73.5%	64.9%	8.62%
1961	94.8%	89.4%	5.38%	73.8%	65.1%	8.67%
1962	96%	90.7%	5.37%	74.1%	65.4%	8.73%
1963	96.9%	91.5%	5.38%	74.9%	66.1%	8.79%
1964	97.3%	91.9%	5.39%	75.5%	66.6%	8.85%
1965	97%	91.6%	5.38%	75.8%	66.8%	8.93%
1966	95.9%	90.6%	5.34%	75.9%	66.9%	9%
1967	94.5%	89.3%	5.28%	75.9%	66.8%	9.07%
1968	93%	87.8%	5.23%	75.8%	66.6%	9.14%
1969	91.4%	86.1%	5.22%	75.7%	66.5%	9.2%
1970	89.7%	84.4%	5.25%	75.5%	66.2%	9.26%
1971	88%	82.7%	5.32%	75.2%	65.9%	9.33%
1972	86.3%	80.8%	5.44%	74.9%	65.6%	9.39%
1973	84.6%	79.1%	5.58%	74.6%	65.1%	9.46%
1974	83%	77.3%	5.7%	74.4%	64.9%	9.54%
1975	81.4%	75.6%	5.78%	74.2%	64.6%	9.64%
1976	79.8%	73.9%	5.84%	74%	64.3%	9.72%
1977	78.2%	72.3%	5.86%	73.5%	63.7%	9.79%
1978	76.6%	70.8%	5.87%	72.4%	62.5%	9.84%
1979	75.2%	69.4%	5.89%	71.3%	61.4%	9.88%
1980	74.1%	68.2%	5.92%	70.4%	60.5%	9.89%
1981	73.2%	67.2%	5.93%	69.5%	59.6%	9.85%
1982	72.5%	66.5%	5.96%	68.7%	58.9%	9.79%
1983	72%	66%	6%	67.9%	58.1%	9.72%
1984	71.5%	65.5%	6.02%	67%	57.3%	9.68%
1985	71.2%	65.2%	6.04%	66.3%	56.6%	9.68%
1986	71%	64.9%	6.06%	65.7%	55.9%	9.71%
1987	70.7%	64.6%	6.06%	65.2%	55.4%	9.75%
1988	70.2%	64.2%	6.06%	64.8%	54.9%	9.81%
1989	69.6%	63.6%	6.05%	64.4%	54.5%	9.89%
1990	68.9%	62.9%	6.02%	64.2%	54.3%	9.97%
1991	68%	62%	6%	64%	53.9%	10.1%
1992	67.1%	61.1%	6%	63.7%	53.6%	10.2%
1993	66.3%	60.3%	6.02%	63.5%	53.2%	10.3%
1994	65.7%	59.6%	6.06%	63.1%	52.7%	10.4%
1995	65.1%	59%	6.1%	62.7%	52.2%	10.5%
1996	64.5%	58.4%	6.13%	62.1%	51.5%	10.6%
1997	64%	57.8%	6.17%	61.5%	50.8%	10.7%
1998	63.3%	57.1%	6.2%	60.7%	50%	10.7%
1999	62.5%	56.2%	6.23%	60%	49.2%	10.8%
2000	61.4%	55.1%	6.26%	59.3%	48.4%	10.9%
2001	60.3%	54%	6.32%	58.5%	47.6%	11%
2002	59.2%	52.8%	6.42%	57.8%	46.7%	11.1%
2003	58.1%	51.5%	6.53%	57%	45.9%	11.1%
2004	56.8%	50.2%	6.63%	56.3%	45.1%	11.2%
2005	55.5%	48.8%	6.73%	55.6%	44.3%	11.3%
2006	54.2%	47.3%	6.84%	55%	43.6%	11.4%
2007	52.9%	45.9%	6.95%	54.5%	43.1%	11.4%
2008	51.6%	44.5%	7.08%	54.1%	42.6%	11.5%
2009	50.2%	43%	7.21%	53.8%	42.2%	11.6%
2010	49%	41.6%	7.37%	53.5%	41.9%	11.6%
2011	48.1%	40.6%	7.55%	53.4%	41.6%	11.8%
2012	47.5%	39.8%	7.73%	53.3%	41.4%	11.9%
2013	47%	39%	7.92%	53.4%	41.2%	12.1%
2014	46.5%	38.3%	8.12%	53.5%	41.1%	12.4%
2015	46%	37.7%	8.34%	53.6%	40.9%	12.7%
2016	45.7%	37.2%	8.57%	53.7%	40.7%	13%
2017	45.5%	36.7%	8.82%	53.9%	40.6%	13.3%
2018	45.2%	36.1%	9.1%	54.1%	40.4%	13.7%
2019	44.8%	35.4%	9.39%	54.2%	40.1%	14%
2020	44.3%	34.6%	9.7%	54.2%	39.8%	14.4%
2021	43.6%	33.6%	9.99%	54.2%	39.5%	14.7%
2022	42.9%	32.6%	10.3%	54%	39%	15%
2023	42.3%	31.7%	10.6%	53.9%	38.5%	15.4%
2024	41.9%	30.9%	11%	53.7%	38%	15.7%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64. Age dependency in Malaysia decreased from 56.8% to 41.9% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of children and an increased proportion of people aged 65+

Malaysia working age demographic chart

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Malaysia	World
1960	51.7%	57.6%
1961	51.3%	57.5%
1962	51%	57.4%
1963	50.8%	57.2%
1964	50.7%	57%
1965	50.8%	56.9%
1966	51%	56.8%
1967	51.4%	56.9%
1968	51.8%	56.9%
1969	52.3%	56.9%
1970	52.7%	57%
1971	53.2%	57.1%
1972	53.7%	57.2%
1973	54.2%	57.3%
1974	54.6%	57.3%
1975	55.1%	57.4%
1976	55.6%	57.5%
1977	56.1%	57.7%
1978	56.6%	58%
1979	57.1%	58.4%
1980	57.4%	58.7%
1981	57.7%	59%
1982	58%	59.3%
1983	58.2%	59.6%
1984	58.3%	59.9%
1985	58.4%	60.1%
1986	58.5%	60.4%
1987	58.6%	60.5%
1988	58.7%	60.7%
1989	58.9%	60.8%
1990	59.2%	60.9%
1991	59.5%	61%
1992	59.8%	61.1%
1993	60.1%	61.2%
1994	60.3%	61.3%
1995	60.6%	61.5%
1996	60.8%	61.7%
1997	61%	61.9%
1998	61.2%	62.2%
1999	61.6%	62.5%
2000	62%	62.8%
2001	62.4%	63.1%
2002	62.8%	63.4%
2003	63.3%	63.7%
2004	63.8%	64%
2005	64.3%	64.3%
2006	64.9%	64.5%
2007	65.4%	64.7%
2008	66%	64.9%
2009	66.6%	65%
2010	67.1%	65.1%
2011	67.5%	65.2%
2012	67.8%	65.2%
2013	68%	65.2%
2014	68.3%	65.2%
2015	68.5%	65.1%
2016	68.6%	65.1%
2017	68.7%	65%
2018	68.9%	64.9%
2019	69%	64.9%
2020	69.3%	64.8%
2021	69.6%	64.9%
2022	70%	64.9%
2023	70.3%	65%
2024	70.5%	65.1%
2025	70.7%	65.2%
2026	70.8%	65.3%
2027	71%	65.4%
2028	71.1%	65.4%
2029	71.3%	65.4%
2030	71.5%	65.4%
2031	71.7%	65.4%
2032	71.8%	65.4%
2033	71.8%	65.4%
2034	71.8%	65.3%
2035	71.7%	65.2%
2036	71.5%	65%
2037	71.3%	64.9%
2038	71%	64.7%
2039	70.8%	64.6%
2040	70.6%	64.5%
2041	70.3%	64.4%
2042	70%	64.3%
2043	69.7%	64.2%
2044	69.4%	64.1%
2045	69.1%	63.9%
2046	68.7%	63.8%
2047	68.3%	63.7%
2048	67.9%	63.6%
2049	67.4%	63.4%
2050	67%	63.3%

The share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 in Malaysia changed from 63.8% to 70.5% between 2004 and 2024.

Share of young population (0-14 years)

Table

Year	Share of population 0-14 years old
	Malaysia	World
1960	45.4%	37.4%
1961	45.9%	37.5%
1962	46.3%	37.6%
1963	46.5%	37.8%
1964	46.6%	38%
1965	46.5%	38%
1966	46.2%	38%
1967	45.9%	38%
1968	45.5%	37.9%
1969	45%	37.8%
1970	44.5%	37.7%
1971	44%	37.6%
1972	43.4%	37.5%
1973	42.8%	37.3%
1974	42.2%	37.2%
1975	41.7%	37.1%
1976	41.1%	36.9%
1977	40.6%	36.7%
1978	40.1%	36.3%
1979	39.6%	35.9%
1980	39.2%	35.5%
1981	38.8%	35.2%
1982	38.6%	34.9%
1983	38.4%	34.6%
1984	38.2%	34.3%
1985	38.1%	34%
1986	38%	33.8%
1987	37.9%	33.6%
1988	37.7%	33.4%
1989	37.5%	33.2%
1990	37.2%	33%
1991	36.9%	32.9%
1992	36.6%	32.7%
1993	36.3%	32.5%
1994	36%	32.3%
1995	35.7%	32.1%
1996	35.5%	31.8%
1997	35.3%	31.5%
1998	35%	31.1%
1999	34.6%	30.8%
2000	34.2%	30.4%
2001	33.7%	30%
2002	33.2%	29.6%
2003	32.6%	29.2%
2004	32%	28.8%
2005	31.4%	28.5%
2006	30.7%	28.1%
2007	30%	27.9%
2008	29.4%	27.6%
2009	28.6%	27.5%
2010	27.9%	27.3%
2011	27.4%	27.1%
2012	27%	27%
2013	26.6%	26.9%
2014	26.2%	26.8%
2015	25.8%	26.6%
2016	25.5%	26.5%
2017	25.2%	26.4%
2018	24.9%	26.2%
2019	24.5%	26%
2020	24%	25.8%
2021	23.4%	25.6%
2022	22.8%	25.3%
2023	22.3%	25%
2024	21.8%	24.7%
2025	21.3%	24.4%
2026	20.8%	24.1%
2027	20.4%	23.8%
2028	19.9%	23.4%
2029	19.4%	23.1%
2030	19%	22.8%
2031	18.5%	22.6%
2032	18.1%	22.3%
2033	17.8%	22.1%
2034	17.6%	21.9%
2035	17.4%	21.7%
2036	17.3%	21.6%
2037	17.3%	21.5%
2038	17.2%	21.4%
2039	17.1%	21.3%
2040	17%	21.2%
2041	17%	21.1%
2042	16.9%	21%
2043	16.8%	21%
2044	16.7%	20.9%
2045	16.7%	20.8%
2046	16.6%	20.7%
2047	16.5%	20.7%
2048	16.4%	20.6%
2049	16.3%	20.5%
2050	16.2%	20.4%

The share of children aged 0-14 in Malaysia decreased from 32% to 21.8% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in birth rates.

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Malaysia	World
1960	2.82%	4.97%
1961	2.76%	4.99%
1962	2.74%	5.01%
1963	2.73%	5.02%
1964	2.73%	5.04%
1965	2.73%	5.08%
1966	2.72%	5.12%
1967	2.72%	5.16%
1968	2.71%	5.2%
1969	2.73%	5.24%
1970	2.77%	5.28%
1971	2.83%	5.32%
1972	2.92%	5.37%
1973	3.02%	5.42%
1974	3.11%	5.47%
1975	3.19%	5.53%
1976	3.25%	5.59%
1977	3.29%	5.65%
1978	3.33%	5.71%
1979	3.36%	5.77%
1980	3.4%	5.81%
1981	3.43%	5.81%
1982	3.46%	5.8%
1983	3.49%	5.79%
1984	3.51%	5.8%
1985	3.53%	5.82%
1986	3.54%	5.86%
1987	3.55%	5.91%
1988	3.56%	5.95%
1989	3.57%	6.01%
1990	3.57%	6.07%
1991	3.57%	6.14%
1992	3.59%	6.21%
1993	3.62%	6.29%
1994	3.66%	6.37%
1995	3.69%	6.45%
1996	3.73%	6.53%
1997	3.76%	6.61%
1998	3.8%	6.68%
1999	3.83%	6.76%
2000	3.88%	6.84%
2001	3.94%	6.92%
2002	4.03%	7.01%
2003	4.13%	7.1%
2004	4.23%	7.18%
2005	4.33%	7.26%
2006	4.44%	7.34%
2007	4.55%	7.41%
2008	4.67%	7.47%
2009	4.8%	7.52%
2010	4.95%	7.58%
2011	5.09%	7.66%
2012	5.24%	7.78%
2013	5.39%	7.92%
2014	5.55%	8.08%
2015	5.71%	8.26%
2016	5.88%	8.45%
2017	6.07%	8.65%
2018	6.27%	8.88%
2019	6.48%	9.1%
2020	6.72%	9.33%
2021	6.96%	9.53%
2022	7.19%	9.74%
2023	7.45%	9.98%
2024	7.74%	10.2%
2025	8.03%	10.4%
2026	8.34%	10.6%
2027	8.64%	10.8%
2028	8.95%	11.1%
2029	9.25%	11.5%
2030	9.53%	11.7%
2031	9.81%	12%
2032	10.1%	12.3%
2033	10.4%	12.6%
2034	10.6%	12.8%
2035	10.9%	13.1%
2036	11.2%	13.4%
2037	11.5%	13.7%
2038	11.8%	13.9%
2039	12.1%	14.1%
2040	12.4%	14.3%
2041	12.7%	14.5%
2042	13.1%	14.7%
2043	13.4%	14.9%
2044	13.8%	15%
2045	14.3%	15.2%
2046	14.7%	15.4%
2047	15.2%	15.7%
2048	15.8%	15.9%
2049	16.3%	16.1%
2050	16.8%	16.3%

The share of older people aged 65 and over in Malaysia increased from 4.23% to 7.74% between 2004 and 2024 due to changes in life expectancy.