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Population in China compared to Malaysia: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of China was 1,406,585,000 in 2025 vs 35,977,838 people in Malaysia in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current China's population is 1,403,335,670 people compared to 36,600,906 in Malaysia.

Population statistics:

  • China's population is 38.3 times bigger than Malaysia's.
  • China is ranked the 2nd most populous country in the world, while Malaysia is the 45th.
  • The countries together account for 17.3% of the world: 16.9% for China vs 0.44% for Malaysia.
  • For the last 10 years, China has had an average growth rate of +0.23% per year vs +1.45% in Malaysia.
  • Since 2006, the population of China has increased from 1.31B people to 1.4B (7.04% growth), while Malaysia has grown from 26.4M to 36.6M (38.5% growth).

China vs Malaysia: population by year and forecast

China
Factual

Projection
Malaysia
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
China Malaysia
2100 633,662,382 44,342,183
2099 644,307,192 44,456,013
2098 655,044,881 44,568,480
2097 665,876,462 44,684,459
2096 676,803,171 44,803,334
2095 687,828,883 44,920,823
2094 698,966,872 45,035,868
2093 710,235,681 45,153,485
2092 721,640,723 45,267,003
2091 733,187,178 45,378,303
2090 744,903,105 45,489,767
2089 756,812,472 45,598,290
2088 768,893,004 45,706,098
2087 781,128,909 45,811,274
2086 793,508,970 45,914,874
2085 806,043,039 46,008,880
2084 818,709,832 46,099,604
2083 831,420,518 46,190,377
2082 844,177,036 46,272,999
2081 856,996,835 46,347,751
2080 869,821,040 46,423,514
2079 882,622,985 46,484,118
2078 895,372,147 46,537,169
2077 908,082,676 46,582,178
2076 920,776,984 46,607,029
2075 933,459,600 46,631,092
2074 946,141,456 46,646,324
2073 958,870,128 46,658,819
2072 971,639,931 46,658,396
2071 984,469,009 46,648,409
2070 997,391,342 46,633,600
2069 1,010,450,818 46,611,221
2068 1,023,633,867 46,588,049
2067 1,036,979,285 46,557,261
2066 1,050,453,924 46,518,384
2065 1,064,051,499 46,469,909
2064 1,077,787,979 46,405,405
2063 1,091,571,021 46,338,727
2062 1,105,429,748 46,260,178
2061 1,119,286,514 46,166,190
2060 1,133,115,260 46,064,001
2059 1,146,818,251 45,946,872
2058 1,160,340,554 45,825,593
2057 1,173,596,480 45,695,432
2056 1,186,578,041 45,554,612
2055 1,199,197,172 45,407,246
2054 1,211,403,028 45,241,331
2053 1,223,160,257 45,057,472
2052 1,234,474,716 44,862,361
2051 1,245,255,938 44,657,253
2050 1,255,501,171 44,434,221
2049 1,265,281,319 44,206,196
2048 1,274,572,888 43,963,591
2047 1,283,393,445 43,701,058
2046 1,291,830,414 43,427,087
2045 1,299,855,379 43,146,785
2044 1,307,510,531 42,855,667
2043 1,314,885,869 42,546,972
2042 1,322,032,311 42,229,093
2041 1,328,936,491 41,911,573
2040 1,335,577,799 41,587,509
2039 1,341,989,157 41,260,315
2038 1,348,134,255 40,918,517
2037 1,354,107,817 40,574,312
2036 1,359,866,705 40,223,758
2035 1,365,387,904 39,866,097
2034 1,370,679,807 39,505,672
2033 1,375,744,986 39,141,994
2032 1,380,528,766 38,762,420
2031 1,385,048,521 38,376,399
2030 1,389,269,809 37,985,824
2029 1,393,241,425 37,597,060
2028 1,396,917,178 37,198,261
2027 1,400,271,033 36,797,098
2026 1,403,335,670 36,393,693
2025 1,406,585,000 35,977,838
2024 1,408,975,000 35,557,673
2023 1,410,710,000 35,126,298
2022 1,412,175,000 34,695,493
2021 1,412,360,000 34,282,399
2020 1,411,100,000 33,889,558
2019 1,407,745,000 33,440,596
2018 1,402,760,000 32,910,967
2017 1,396,215,000 32,355,644
2016 1,387,790,000 31,789,685
2015 1,379,860,000 31,232,798
2014 1,371,860,000 30,696,137
2013 1,363,240,000 30,174,265
2012 1,354,190,000 29,662,831
2011 1,345,035,000 29,162,039
2010 1,337,705,000 28,655,776
2009 1,331,260,000 28,124,778
2008 1,324,655,000 27,570,059
2007 1,317,885,000 26,998,389
2006 1,311,020,000 26,417,909
2005 1,303,720,000 25,836,071
2004 1,296,075,000 25,256,772
2003 1,288,400,000 24,679,602
2002 1,280,400,000 24,102,477
2001 1,271,850,000 23,526,538
2000 1,262,645,000 22,967,816
1999 1,252,735,000 22,435,531
1998 1,241,935,000 21,906,713
1997 1,230,075,000 21,375,218
1996 1,217,550,000 20,850,087
1995 1,204,855,000 20,330,599
1994 1,191,835,000 19,820,446
1993 1,178,440,000 19,322,664
1992 1,164,970,000 18,834,572
1991 1,150,780,000 18,342,464
1990 1,135,185,000 17,833,171
1989 1,118,650,000 17,314,997
1988 1,101,630,000 16,796,605
1987 1,084,035,000 16,276,737
1986 1,066,790,000 15,760,419
1985 1,051,040,000 15,252,258
1984 1,036,825,000 14,759,009
1983 1,023,310,000 14,285,907
1982 1,008,630,000 13,832,798
1981 993,885,000 13,399,203
1980 981,235,000 12,983,363
1979 969,005,000 12,627,862
1978 956,165,000 12,328,157
1977 943,455,000 12,035,713
1976 930,685,000 11,750,097
1975 916,395,000 11,471,914
1974 900,350,000 11,200,906
1973 881,940,000 10,935,621
1972 862,030,000 10,676,835
1971 841,105,000 10,423,453
1970 818,315,000 10,178,802
1969 796,025,000 9,947,597
1968 774,510,000 9,725,281
1967 754,550,000 9,507,099
1966 735,400,000 9,284,688
1965 715,185,000 9,056,408
1964 698,355,000 8,828,406
1963 682,335,000 8,602,160
1962 665,770,000 8,380,172
1961 660,330,000 8,164,443
1960 667,070,000 7,956,197

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/china/malaysia | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of China increased by 76,770,000 people (a 5.86% growth), while Malaysia gained 5,371,776 people (a 20.3% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, China gained 15,545,670 people (a 1.12% growth), while Malaysia's population increased by 4,811,221 people (a 15.1% growth).

China was ranked 1st most populous country in 2006 and is 2nd in 2026. Malaysia was ranked 44th in 2006 and ranked 45th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) China's population will shrink by 10.5% to 1,255,501,171 people and will still be ranked 2nd. The population of Malaysia will increase by 21.4% to 44,434,221 people and rank change from 45th to 49th.

Malaysia is projected to reach its peak in 2073 at 46.7M people, while China's population already peaked in 2021 at 1.41B people and is projected to decrease to 634M people by 2100.

Population growth rate by year

China
Factual

Projection
Malaysia
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
China Malaysia
2100 -1.65% -0.26%
2099 -1.64% -0.25%
2098 -1.63% -0.26%
2097 -1.61% -0.27%
2096 -1.6% -0.26%
2095 -1.59% -0.26%
2094 -1.59% -0.26%
2093 -1.58% -0.25%
2092 -1.57% -0.25%
2091 -1.57% -0.25%
2090 -1.57% -0.24%
2089 -1.57% -0.24%
2088 -1.57% -0.23%
2087 -1.56% -0.23%
2086 -1.56% -0.2%
2085 -1.55% -0.2%
2084 -1.53% -0.2%
2083 -1.51% -0.18%
2082 -1.5% -0.16%
2081 -1.47% -0.16%
2080 -1.45% -0.13%
2079 -1.42% -0.11%
2078 -1.4% -0.1%
2077 -1.38% -0.05%
2076 -1.36% -0.05%
2075 -1.34% -0.03%
2074 -1.33% -0.03%
2073 -1.31% 0.001%
2072 -1.3% 0.02%
2071 -1.3% 0.03%
2070 -1.29% 0.05%
2069 -1.29% 0.05%
2068 -1.29% 0.07%
2067 -1.28% 0.08%
2066 -1.28% 0.1%
2065 -1.27% 0.14%
2064 -1.26% 0.14%
2063 -1.25% 0.17%
2062 -1.24% 0.2%
2061 -1.22% 0.22%
2060 -1.19% 0.25%
2059 -1.17% 0.26%
2058 -1.13% 0.28%
2057 -1.09% 0.31%
2056 -1.05% 0.32%
2055 -1.01% 0.37%
2054 -0.96% 0.41%
2053 -0.92% 0.43%
2052 -0.87% 0.46%
2051 -0.82% 0.5%
2050 -0.77% 0.52%
2049 -0.73% 0.55%
2048 -0.69% 0.6%
2047 -0.65% 0.63%
2046 -0.62% 0.65%
2045 -0.59% 0.68%
2044 -0.56% 0.73%
2043 -0.54% 0.75%
2042 -0.52% 0.76%
2041 -0.5% 0.78%
2040 -0.48% 0.79%
2039 -0.46% 0.84%
2038 -0.44% 0.85%
2037 -0.42% 0.87%
2036 -0.4% 0.9%
2035 -0.39% 0.91%
2034 -0.37% 0.93%
2033 -0.35% 0.98%
2032 -0.33% 1.01%
2031 -0.3% 1.03%
2030 -0.29% 1.03%
2029 -0.26% 1.07%
2028 -0.24% 1.09%
2027 -0.22% 1.11%
2026 -0.23% 1.16%
2025 -0.17% 1.18%
2024 -0.12% 1.23%
2023 -0.1% 1.24%
2022 -0.01% 1.2%
2021 0.09% 1.16%
2020 0.24% 1.34%
2019 0.36% 1.61%
2018 0.47% 1.72%
2017 0.61% 1.78%
2016 0.57% 1.78%
2015 0.58% 1.75%
2014 0.63% 1.73%
2013 0.67% 1.72%
2012 0.68% 1.72%
2011 0.55% 1.77%
2010 0.48% 1.89%
2009 0.5% 2.01%
2008 0.51% 2.12%
2007 0.52% 2.2%
2006 0.56% 2.25%
2005 0.59% 2.29%
2004 0.6% 2.34%
2003 0.62% 2.39%
2002 0.67% 2.45%
2001 0.73% 2.43%
2000 0.79% 2.37%
1999 0.87% 2.41%
1998 0.96% 2.49%
1997 1.03% 2.52%
1996 1.05% 2.56%
1995 1.09% 2.57%
1994 1.14% 2.58%
1993 1.16% 2.59%
1992 1.23% 2.68%
1991 1.37% 2.86%
1990 1.48% 2.99%
1989 1.54% 3.09%
1988 1.62% 3.19%
1987 1.62% 3.28%
1986 1.5% 3.33%
1985 1.37% 3.34%
1984 1.32% 3.31%
1983 1.46% 3.28%
1982 1.48% 3.24%
1981 1.29% 3.2%
1980 1.26% 2.82%
1979 1.34% 2.43%
1978 1.35% 2.43%
1977 1.37% 2.43%
1976 1.56% 2.42%
1975 1.78% 2.42%
1974 2.09% 2.43%
1973 2.31% 2.42%
1972 2.49% 2.43%
1971 2.78% 2.4%
1970 2.8% 2.32%
1969 2.78% 2.29%
1968 2.65% 2.29%
1967 2.6% 2.4%
1966 2.83% 2.52%
1965 2.41% 2.58%
1964 2.35% 2.63%
1963 2.49% 2.65%
1962 0.82% 2.64%
1961 -1.01% 2.62%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/china/malaysia | CC BY

In 2025, the population of China declined by 0.17%, while Malaysia's population grew by 1.18%.

Live population counters

China Malaysia
Current population
1403335670
36600906
Population rank 2/197 45/197
Percent of world population 16.9% 0.44%
One net population change
13.2 seconds
1.25 minutes
One birth every
3.31 seconds
1.2 minutes
One death every
2.88 seconds
2.8 minutes
Daily growth/decline -6,548 +1,151
Annual growth/decline -2,390,000 +420,165
Annual growth/decline rate -0.17% +1.18%
Population growth rate rank 174/197 89/197
One migration net change every
1.97 minutes
3.16 minutes
Annual migration change -268,126 +166,615
Net migration rank 189/196 7/196
Foreign-born residents 1,638,718 3,806,514
Foreign-born residents rank 43/195 18/195
Foreign-born share of population 0.1% 10.7%
Foreign-born share rank 192/195 62/195

Natural population change vs migration

China
Natural

Migration
Malaysia
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
China Malaysia
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - -268,126 - 166,615
2024 -1,394,886 -318,992 252,068 174,770
2023 -2,087,851 -567,724 254,806 181,071
2022 -847,305 -293,846 237,560 188,154
2021 480,203 -379,749 212,002 188,506
2020 2,046,095 -91,577 283,282 101,907
2019 4,673,713 -656,091 309,426 203,284
2018 5,302,433 -198,206 324,568 221,965
2017 7,790,880 -94,625 336,434 227,677
2016 9,062,269 -153,056 345,681 222,141
2015 6,788,911 -646,941 358,302 187,663
2014 9,205,180 -371,108 367,587 159,791
2013 8,043,116 -188,951 366,738 149,637
2012 10,075,174 -58,864 371,497 134,975
2011 8,245,065 -416,189 372,836 122,269
2010 6,407,607 -184,144 360,260 157,164
2009 6,483,236 -177,135 366,157 178,410
2008 6,729,247 -764,370 362,380 202,481
2007 6,813,465 -1,042,019 348,711 229,784
2006 6,922,185 -759,559 349,509 232,971
2005 7,678,911 -103,701 355,324 225,864
2004 7,607,960 -770,977 365,138 212,278
2003 7,743,284 -613,223 377,425 199,510
2002 8,258,580 -761,291 381,084 196,227
2001 8,839,358 -176,419 400,939 173,613
2000 9,570,849 -62,622 417,371 125,499
1999 10,247,372 -96,102 432,355 89,335
1998 11,351,286 -40,472 436,316 99,639
1997 12,374,554 -279,251 447,768 79,266
1996 12,686,872 -250,750 450,174 73,040
1995 12,711,220 -365,986 443,349 72,393
1994 13,360,470 -723,641 437,873 66,685
1993 13,493,138 -373,316 429,910 61,079
1992 13,548,601 -142,985 418,900 66,286
1991 14,937,124 -544,650 401,938 97,111
1990 16,335,313 -11,187 384,518 135,020
1989 16,824,495 -313,476 373,277 143,544
1988 17,328,640 -282,194 386,507 133,478
1987 18,005,821 -169,170 381,999 137,759
1986 16,609,920 -79,190 385,799 127,081
1985 14,987,830 -60,929 383,243 120,215
1984 13,561,671 -51,961 376,797 106,248
1983 13,599,789 -43,756 365,290 97,862
1982 15,815,318 -36,181 353,138 89,942
1981 14,461,027 -28,016 339,991 84,142
1980 11,647,260 -20,129 326,947 80,617
1979 11,250,148 -13,704 317,439 -13,980
1978 11,473,980 -9,916 311,027 -15,059
1977 11,378,068 -15,323 305,515 -16,601
1976 11,782,472 -55,109 300,615 -18,316
1975 14,378,237 -115,173 294,541 -20,480
1974 15,738,118 -175,239 289,880 -21,919
1973 18,423,727 -214,997 284,611 -21,995
1972 19,102,585 -215,650 276,263 -21,305
1971 19,622,980 -180,153 272,323 -20,535
1970 21,137,076 -126,510 269,341 -31,839
1969 20,760,332 -72,836 264,327 -39,420
1968 21,206,083 -37,290 260,705 -40,996
1967 19,263,662 1,246,654 258,764 -42,108
1966 19,282,187 4,165 262,162 -33,993
1965 20,296,950 -130,900 264,836 -36,456
1964 19,302,532 -1,250,441 266,406 -38,785
1963 22,742,225 -31,383 265,815 -40,952
1962 17,969,132 -31,305 262,140 -43,033
1961 2,496,047 -25,578 257,270 -44,916
1960 -3,048,510 -16,927 251,090 -46,948

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/china/malaysia | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 90.3% of the population change in China is from natural causes (a gain of 31,814,462 people) and 9.66% is from migration (a loss of 3,400,807 people). In Malaysia 60.6% is from natural causes (a gain of 2,914,129 people) and 39.4% is from migration (a gain of 1,897,138 people).

As of 2024, 1,638,718 residents or 0.1% of the population were not native-born in China, compared to 3,806,514 people or 10.7% in Malaysia.

Biggest cities by population

China
City Population
Chongqing 32.1M
Shanghai 24.9M
Beijing 21.9M
Chengdu 20.9M
Guangzhou 18.7M
Shenzhen 17.5M
Tianjin 13.9M
Xi'an 13M
Suzhou 12.7M
Zhengzhou 12.6M
Malaysia
City Population
Kuala Lumpur 9M
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 map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/china/malaysia | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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