Malaysia population pyramid 2026
36,385,115 people in 2026 (projected). Malaysia’s pyramid has a male-heavy working-age middle, with about 121 men per 100 women at ages 30–34, sitting on a base that has shrunk rapidly since 2010.
- 2026 population
- 36.4Mrank 45 of 237
- Median age
- 31.4 yearsoldest rank 128
- Fertility rate
- 1.52births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Transitional8.3% age 65+
Malaysia population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
Hover over or tap a bar to see exact values.
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Malaysia age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 20.8% of the population, while 8.3% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 70.8% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Malaysia’s age structure as transitional; the guide to population pyramid types explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 41.2: about 41 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (29.4 children and 11.8 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Malaysia’s population pyramid
Two eras of migrant labour
The male surplus is the oldest and most persistent feature of Malaysia’s pyramid. The Malaysia 1950 pyramid already shows far more men than women at ages 35–49, a pattern often linked to the colonial-era recruitment of male workers from China and India for tin mining and rubber plantations. As those cohorts aged and families formed, the imbalance faded, and by 1975 the sexes were roughly even at most ages.
It returned with a second wave of labour immigration. Net migration added about 1.2 million people between 1950 and 1999 and about 4.4 million between 2000 and 2023, much of it workers from neighbouring countries and South Asia employed in plantations, construction, manufacturing and services. In 2026 the sex ratio climbs from 106 men per 100 women among young children to 115 at 25–29 and 121 at 30–34, and men aged 25–44 outnumber women of those ages by roughly one million. The overall ratio of about 110 places Malaysia well above most Asian countries in the sex ratio by country ranking, although the bulge is far milder than in Gulf states such as Qatar. From the mid-sixties upward the pattern reverses, as women’s longer lives take over.
A base that narrowed quickly
Fertility stayed above three children per woman until the 1990s, then fell to about 2.1 in 2010 and about 1.5 today. The effect is unusually visible at the bottom of the chart: in 2026 the 0–4 band, about 2.2 million children, is smaller than the 5–9 band (about 2.5 million) and the 10–14 band (about 2.8 million), and is the smallest of all bands under 50. The widest bands are adults aged 25–39, born about 1987–2001, who are now in their main childbearing years. Their size, together with continued immigration, keeps births at more than twice the number of deaths for now. Among countries with a similar age structure today is Brunei, its neighbour on Borneo.
Under the medium scenario Malaysia gains a further 3.6 million net migrants between 2026 and 2050, deaths first exceed births in 2060, and the population peaks at about 46 million in 2072. By 2075 the pyramid is close to the constrictive form, with the widest bands at ages 55–64.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Malaysia’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2060. People aged 65 and older are projected to outnumber children under 15 by 2050.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Malaysia is projected to record 440,401 births (about 1,206 births a day) and 198,321 deaths, a natural increase of 242,080. Net migration adds +159,001 people, ranking #29 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 11,535,409 births, 3,310,379 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +4,422,841. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +3,625,952 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 79.8 years49.2 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 74.8 years47.9 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 17.7 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 4.8per 1,000 births · 115 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 5.9per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 31.0 yearssex ratio at birth 106.4
Women in Malaysia are projected to live 5.0 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 115 to 4.8 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #174 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 31.0 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Malaysia
The median age of 31.4 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.52 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 77.2 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,385,115 | #45 | Largest first |
| Median age | 31.4 years | #128 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.52 | #160 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +1.1% | #90 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 77.2 years | #102 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 8.3% | #135 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Malaysia
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25–29 | 3,185,192 | 8.8% | 1.7M / 1.5M |
| 2 | 30–34 | 3,172,787 | 8.7% | 1.7M / 1.4M |
| 3 | 35–39 | 3,139,373 | 8.6% | 1.7M / 1.4M |
| 4 | 20–24 | 3,127,415 | 8.6% | 1.6M / 1.5M |
| 5 | 40–44 | 2,925,444 | 8.0% | 1.6M / 1.4M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Malaysia has 19,017,434 males and 17,367,680 females. That is 109.5 males per 100 females, ranking #16 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 52.3% of the population and females for 47.7%. There are 1,649,754 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 92.1 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 106.4 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Malaysia has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 6,098,283 in 1950 to 36,385,115 in 2026, a change of 497%. Over the same span, median age moved from 18.8 to 31.4 years.
The under-15 share changed from 40.8% to 20.8%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 4.9% to 8.3%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the Malaysia population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Malaysia’s population is projected to grow by about 22%, reaching 44,289,772 in 2050. The median age changes from 31.4 to 40.1 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 8.5 percentage points to 16.8%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 16.2%. The Malaysia population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 46,390,502 in 2072. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6,098,283 | 18.8 | 6.43 | 48.5 | 272,659 | 124,013 | +7,343 | +2.6% |
| 1960 | 7,956,197 | 16.5 | 6.41 | 57.2 | 341,203 | 90,108 | −46,948 | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 10,178,802 | 16.3 | 5.04 | 63.3 | 343,197 | 73,857 | −31,839 | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 12,983,363 | 18.7 | 4.03 | 68.1 | 398,506 | 71,569 | +80,617 | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 17,833,171 | 20.4 | 3.30 | 71.0 | 467,566 | 83,043 | +135,020 | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 22,967,816 | 22.5 | 2.94 | 72.7 | 519,149 | 101,767 | +125,499 | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 28,655,776 | 25.0 | 2.14 | 75.4 | 484,452 | 124,183 | +157,164 | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 33,889,558 | 28.6 | 1.68 | 76.1 | 453,893 | 170,585 | +101,907 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 35,126,298 | 30.1 | 1.55 | 76.7 | 435,989 | 181,166 | +181,071 | +1.2% |
| 2024* | 35,557,673 | 30.5 | 1.54 | 76.8 | 439,568 | 187,483 | +174,770 | +1.2% |
| 2026* | 36,385,115 | 31.4 | 1.52 | 77.2 | 440,401 | 198,321 | +159,001 | +1.1% |
| 2030* | 37,961,719 | 33.0 | 1.51 | 77.8 | 448,898 | 221,347 | +160,776 | +1.0% |
| 2040* | 41,509,644 | 36.8 | 1.51 | 79.5 | 466,531 | 283,912 | +139,587 | +0.8% |
| 2050* | 44,289,772 | 40.1 | 1.53 | 81.1 | 442,797 | 350,187 | +129,149 | +0.5% |
| 2060* | 45,850,113 | 43.3 | 1.53 | 82.7 | 416,440 | 419,270 | +104,421 | +0.2% |
| 2070* | 46,373,000 | 45.1 | 1.55 | 84.1 | 420,620 | 493,198 | +87,304 | +0.0% |
| 2080* | 46,119,096 | 45.9 | 1.56 | 85.5 | 408,167 | 548,166 | +64,671 | -0.2% |
| 2090* | 45,172,966 | 46.7 | 1.56 | 86.7 | 384,370 | 564,695 | +69,508 | -0.2% |
| 2100* | 44,026,122 | 47.4 | 1.56 | 87.9 | 378,194 | 556,194 | +55,466 | -0.3% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 1,141,270 | 1,073,261 | 2,214,531 | 6.1% |
| 5–9 | 1,291,303 | 1,231,530 | 2,522,833 | 6.9% |
| 10–14 | 1,476,643 | 1,371,851 | 2,848,494 | 7.8% |
| 15–19 | 1,447,819 | 1,339,707 | 2,787,526 | 7.7% |
| 20–24 | 1,639,193 | 1,488,222 | 3,127,415 | 8.6% |
| 25–29 | 1,702,667 | 1,482,525 | 3,185,192 | 8.8% |
| 30–34 | 1,735,449 | 1,437,338 | 3,172,787 | 8.7% |
| 35–39 | 1,703,941 | 1,435,432 | 3,139,373 | 8.6% |
| 40–44 | 1,572,955 | 1,352,489 | 2,925,444 | 8.0% |
| 45–49 | 1,289,874 | 1,116,774 | 2,406,648 | 6.6% |
| 50–54 | 1,011,986 | 936,356 | 1,948,342 | 5.4% |
| 55–59 | 832,600 | 809,896 | 1,642,496 | 4.5% |
| 60–64 | 717,313 | 713,819 | 1,431,132 | 3.9% |
| 65–69 | 574,268 | 584,183 | 1,158,451 | 3.2% |
| 70–74 | 416,113 | 442,792 | 858,905 | 2.4% |
| 75–79 | 256,033 | 285,960 | 541,993 | 1.5% |
| 80–84 | 123,699 | 147,524 | 271,223 | 0.7% |
| 85–89 | 59,309 | 77,684 | 136,993 | 0.4% |
| 90–94 | 19,809 | 30,164 | 49,973 | 0.1% |
| 95–99 | 4,506 | 8,537 | 13,043 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 683 | 1,635 | 2,318 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Malaysia’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Bhutan96% overlap · median age 31.0
- India96% overlap · median age 29.2
- Ecuador96% overlap · median age 29.7
- Jamaica96% overlap · median age 33.3
- Brunei96% overlap · median age 33.2
- Cabo Verde95% overlap · median age 29.5
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Malaysia.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Malaysia Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/malaysia/
MLA
“Malaysia Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/malaysia/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Malaysia Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/malaysia/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Malaysia in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Malaysia's population in 2026 is projected at 36,385,115.
What is the median age in Malaysia?
The projected median age in Malaysia in 2026 is 31.4 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Malaysia?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.52 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Malaysia's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 22%, from 36.4M to 44.3M.
What share of Malaysia is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 8.3% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 16.8%.
How many babies are born in Malaysia each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 440,401 births and 198,321 deaths in 2026, about 1,206 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 242,080.
What is life expectancy in Malaysia for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 79.8 years for women and 74.8 years for men, a gap of 5.0 years in favour of women.
Does Malaysia have more immigrants or emigrants?
Malaysia is projected to gain about 159,001 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +4,422,841.
What is the sex ratio in Malaysia?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 109.5 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.