Malaysia has a population density of 280.3 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Malaysia has 100,140 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malaysia ranked 85th out of 197.
Malaysia has 0.44% of the world's population and 0.22% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Malaysia compared to the World's average
Malaysia
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 280.3 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 85/197 | N/A |
| Population |
36304998
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 126,854 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 99,458 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.8% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 79.2% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 5.57% | 28.6% |
Malaysia population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Malaysia has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 40.8%. The population density rank was 93rd 21 years ago and is 85th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 280.3 | 85 |
| 2023 | 276.9 | 85 |
| 2022 | 273.5 | 86 |
| 2021 | 270.3 | 89 |
| 2020 | 267.2 | 90 |
| 2019 | 263.6 | 90 |
| 2018 | 259.4 | 89 |
| 2017 | 255.1 | 89 |
| 2016 | 250.6 | 89 |
| 2015 | 246.2 | 89 |
| 2014 | 242 | 90 |
| 2013 | 237.9 | 91 |
| 2012 | 233.8 | 91 |
| 2011 | 229.9 | 90 |
| 2010 | 225.9 | 89 |
| 2009 | 221.7 | 91 |
| 2008 | 217.3 | 92 |
| 2007 | 212.8 | 91 |
| 2006 | 208.3 | 92 |
| 2005 | 203.7 | 92 |
| 2004 | 199.1 | 93 |
| 2003 | 194.6 | 93 |
| 2002 | 190 | 93 |
| 2001 | 185.5 | 95 |
| 2000 | 181.1 | 95 |
| 1999 | 176.9 | 93 |
| 1998 | 172.7 | 93 |
| 1997 | 168.5 | 94 |
| 1996 | 164.4 | 94 |
| 1995 | 160.3 | 94 |
| 1994 | 156.2 | 95 |
| 1993 | 152.3 | 95 |
| 1992 | 148.5 | 95 |
| 1991 | 144.6 | 85 |
| 1990 | 140.6 | 85 |
| 1989 | 136.5 | 84 |
| 1988 | 132.4 | 86 |
| 1987 | 128.3 | 86 |
| 1986 | 124.2 | 86 |
| 1985 | 120.2 | 87 |
| 1984 | 116.3 | 87 |
| 1983 | 112.6 | 87 |
| 1982 | 109 | 87 |
| 1981 | 105.6 | 87 |
| 1980 | 102.3 | 87 |
| 1979 | 99.5 | 87 |
| 1978 | 97.2 | 87 |
| 1977 | 94.9 | 87 |
| 1976 | 92.6 | 87 |
| 1975 | 90.4 | 88 |
| 1974 | 88.3 | 88 |
| 1973 | 86.2 | 88 |
| 1972 | 84.2 | 88 |
| 1971 | 82.2 | 88 |
| 1970 | 80.2 | 88 |
| 1969 | 78.4 | 88 |
| 1968 | 76.7 | 88 |
| 1967 | 74.9 | 88 |
| 1966 | 73.2 | 88 |
| 1965 | 71.4 | 88 |
| 1964 | 69.6 | 87 |
| 1963 | 67.8 | 86 |
| 1962 | 66.1 | 86 |
| 1961 | 64.4 | 86 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Malaysia from 1960 to 2024: 26.6% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 62% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 79.2%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 79.2% | 52 |
| 2023 | 78.7% | 53 |
| 2022 | 78.2% | 54 |
| 2021 | 77.7% | 54 |
| 2020 | 77.2% | 56 |
| 2019 | 76.6% | 56 |
| 2018 | 76% | 57 |
| 2017 | 75.4% | 57 |
| 2016 | 74.8% | 57 |
| 2015 | 74.2% | 57 |
| 2014 | 73.6% | 60 |
| 2013 | 72.9% | 61 |
| 2012 | 72.3% | 61 |
| 2011 | 71.6% | 61 |
| 2010 | 70.9% | 61 |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 62 |
| 2008 | 69.2% | 63 |
| 2007 | 68.4% | 64 |
| 2006 | 67.5% | 68 |
| 2005 | 66.6% | 71 |
| 2004 | 65.7% | 72 |
| 2003 | 64.8% | 71 |
| 2002 | 63.9% | 73 |
| 2001 | 62.9% | 73 |
| 2000 | 62% | 74 |
| 1999 | 60.7% | 77 |
| 1998 | 59.5% | 78 |
| 1997 | 58.2% | 82 |
| 1996 | 57% | 82 |
| 1995 | 55.7% | 87 |
| 1994 | 54.4% | 88 |
| 1993 | 53.1% | 92 |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 95 |
| 1991 | 50.6% | 97 |
| 1990 | 49.8% | 98 |
| 1989 | 49% | 99 |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 100 |
| 1987 | 47.5% | 101 |
| 1986 | 46.7% | 100 |
| 1985 | 45.9% | 101 |
| 1984 | 45.1% | 101 |
| 1983 | 44.3% | 101 |
| 1982 | 43.6% | 104 |
| 1981 | 42.8% | 104 |
| 1980 | 42% | 105 |
| 1979 | 41.2% | 105 |
| 1978 | 40.3% | 107 |
| 1977 | 39.4% | 107 |
| 1976 | 38.5% | 108 |
| 1975 | 37.7% | 110 |
| 1974 | 36.8% | 110 |
| 1973 | 35.9% | 111 |
| 1972 | 35.1% | 112 |
| 1971 | 34.3% | 112 |
| 1970 | 33.5% | 113 |
| 1969 | 32.7% | 113 |
| 1968 | 32% | 114 |
| 1967 | 31.3% | 116 |
| 1966 | 30.6% | 116 |
| 1965 | 29.9% | 116 |
| 1964 | 29.2% | 116 |
| 1963 | 28.6% | 117 |
| 1962 | 27.9% | 117 |
| 1961 | 27.2% | 117 |
| 1960 | 26.6% | 117 |
Densely populated cities
|
Malaysia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Kuala Lumpur | 1.98M |
| Klang | 878K |
| Ipoh | 867K |
| Johor Bahru | 798K |
| George Town | 794K |
| Shah Alam | 741K |
| Subang Jaya | 708K |
| Petaling Jaya | 639K |
| Kuantan | 608K |
| Sungai Petani | 545K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Malaysia topic pages:
Population density comparisons
