Map of Malaysia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: 2 30 N, 112 30 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 329,847 km²
Land: 328,657 km²
Water: 1,190 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico
Country comparison total: 2,742 km
Country comparison border countries: (3) Brunei 266 km; Indonesia 1,881 km; Thailand 595 km

Land boundaries
Total: 2,742 km
Border countries: (3) Brunei 266 km; Indonesia 1,881 km; Thailand 595 km

Coastline: 4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; specified boundary in the South China Sea

Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

Terrain: coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation
Highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,095 m
Lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 419 m

Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Land use
Agricultural land: 23.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 2.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 19.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 0.9% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 62% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 14.8% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 4,420 km² (2020)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 1.34 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 1.64 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 2.51 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 580 billion m³ (2020 est.)

Natural hazards: flooding; landslides; forest fires

Geography
Note: strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China Sea


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Population
Distribution: a highly uneven distribution with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula
Total: 34,564,810
Male: 17,666,212
Female: 16,898,598 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.99% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 6.2% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Malaysian(s)
Adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups: Bumiputera 63.8% (Malay 52.8% and indigenous peoples, including Orang Asli, Dayak, Anak Negeri, 11%), Chinese 20.6%, Indian 6%, other 0.6%, non-citizens 9% (2023 est.)

Languages: Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
Major-language samples: Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Bahasa Malaysia); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: Malaysia has 134 languages (112 indigenous and 22 non-indigenous); in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages, and the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan

Religions: Muslim (official) 63.5%, Buddhist 18.7%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.1%, other (Confucianism, Taoism, other traditional Chinese religions) 0.9%, none/unspecified 1.8% (2020 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.2% (male 3,947,914/female 3,730,319)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 12,308,938/female 11,666,947)
65 years and over: 8.4% (2024 est.) (male 1,409,360/female 1,501,332)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 43.3
Youth dependency ratio: 32.9
Elderly dependency ratio: 10.4
Potential support ratio: 9.6 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 31.8 years (2024 est.)
Male: 31.7 years
Female: 31.9 years

Population growth rate: 0.99% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 14.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: a highly uneven distribution with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula

Urbanization
Urban population: 78.7% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.87% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 8.622 million KUALA LUMPUR (capital), 1.086 million Johor Bahru, 857,000 Ipoh (2023)

Environment
Current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires; endangered species; coastal reclamation damaging mangroves and turtle nesting sites
International agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 21.52 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 248.29 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 51.51 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 21 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.6 years (2024 est.)
Male: 75 years
Female: 78.4 years

Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 52.2% (2014)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 99.4% of population
Unimproved rural: 9.3% of population
Unimproved total: 2.5% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0.6% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 1.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 99% of population
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: NA
Unimproved urban: 0.1% of population
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: (2020 est.) NA

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 15.6% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 0.64 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.48 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.11 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 22.5% (2020 est.)
Male: 43.8% (2020 est.)
Female: 1.1% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 14.1% (2019)

Education expenditures: 3.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 95%
Male: 96.2%
Female: 93.6% (2019)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 14 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 12.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 11.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 14.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Malaysia
Local long form: none
Local short form: Malaysia
Former: British Malaya, Malayan Union, Federation of Malaya
Etymology: the name means 'Land of the Malays'

Government type: federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Note: all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers (commonly referred to as sultans) except Melaka (Malacca) and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government; powers of state governments are limited by the federal constitution; under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own immigration controls)

Capital
Name: Kuala Lumpur
Note: nearby Putrajaya is referred to as a federal government administrative center but not the capital; Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur
Geographic coordinates: 3 10 N, 101 42 E
Time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the Malay word for 'river junction or estuary' is kuala and lumpur means 'mud'; together the words render the meaning of 'muddy confluence'

Administrative divisions: 13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri); Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Terengganu; and 1 federal territory (Wilayah Persekutuan) with 3 components, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Dependent areas

Independence: 31 August 1957 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day (or Merdeka Day), 31 August (1957) (independence of Malaya); Malaysia Day, 16 September (1963) (formation of Malaysia)

Constitution
History: previous 1948; latest drafted 21 February 1957, effective 27 August 1957
Amendments: proposed as a bill by Parliament; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Parliament membership in the bill’s second and third readings; a number of constitutional sections are excluded from amendment or repeal; amended many times, last in 2019

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law (sharia), and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Court at request of supreme head of the federation

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Malaysia
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 out 12 years preceding application

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King Sultan IBRAHIM ibni al-Marhum Sultan Iskandar (since 31 January 2024)
Head of government: Prime Minister ANWAR Ibrahim (since 25 November 2022)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament with the consent of the king
Elections/appointments: king elected by and from the hereditary rulers of 9 states for a 5-year term; election is on a rotational basis among rulers of the 9 states; election last held on 24 October 2023 (next to be held in October 2,028 with installation in January 2,029); prime minister designated from among members of the House of Representatives; following legislative elections, the leader who commands support of the majority of members in the House becomes prime minister
Note: the position of the king is primarily ceremonial, but he is the final arbiter on the appointment of the prime minister

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Parliament of Malaysia or Parlimen Malaysia consists of: Senate or Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 members appointed by the king and 26 indirectly elected by 13 state legislatures; members serve 3-year terms), House of Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (222 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)
Elections: Senate - appointed, House of Representatives - last held on 19 Nov 2022 (next to be held in 2,027)
Elections results: Senate - appointed; composition - men 51, women 10, percentage women 16.4%, House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - PH 37.5%, PN 30.4%, BN 22.4%, GPS 4%, WARISAN 1.8%, GRS 1.3%, other 2.6%; seats by party/coalition - PH 90, PN 50, BN 42, GPS 18, WARISAN 7, PEJUANG 4, PBM 3, PSB 1, MUDA 1, independent 4, vacant 2; composition - 192 men, 30 women; percentage women 13.5%; total Parliament percentage women 9.2%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Federal Court (consists of the chief justice, president of the Court of Appeal, chief justice of the High Court of Malaya, chief judge of the High Court of Sabah and Sarawak, 8 judges, and 1 'additional' judge)
Note: Malaysia has a dual judicial hierarchy of civil and religious (sharia) courts
Judge selection and term of office: Federal Court justices appointed by the monarch on advice of the prime minister; judges serve until mandatory retirement at age 66 with the possibility of a single 6-month extension
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Sessions Court; Magistrates' Court

Political parties and leaders: National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN:, Malaysian Chinese Association (Persatuan Cina Malaysia) or MCA , Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongres India Malaysia) or MIC, United Malays National Organization (Pertubuhan Kebansaan Melayu Bersatu) or UMNO , United Sabah People's Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah) or PBRS , Alliance of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) or PH:, Democratic Action Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP , National Trust Party (Parti Amanah Negara) or AMANAH , People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR , United Progressive Kinabalu Organization (Pertubuhan Kinabalu Progresif Bersatu) or UPKO , National Alliance (Perikatan Nasional) or PN:, Malaysian People's Movement Party (Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia) or GERAKAN or PGRM , Malaysian United Indigenous Party (Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia) or PPBM or BERSATU , Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (Parti Islam Se-Malaysia) or PAS , Sabah People's Alliance (Gabungan Rakya Sabah) or GRS:, Homeland Solidarity Party (Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku) or STAR , Love Sabah Party (Parti Cinta Sabah) or PCS, Sabah People's Ideas Party (Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah) or GAGASAN or PGRS , Sarawak Parties Alliance (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) or GPS:, Progressive Democratic Party (Parti Demokratik Progresif) or PDP , Sarawak People's Party (Parti Rakyat Sarawak) or PRS , Sarawak United People's Party (Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak) or SUPP , United Bumiputera Heritage Party (Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersata) or PBB , Others: , Malaysian Nation Party (Parti Bangsa Malaysia) or PBM, Heritage Party (Parti Warisan) or WARISAN , Homeland Fighter's Party (Parti Pejuang Tanah Air) or PEJUANG , Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Ikatan Demokratik Malaysia) or MUDA , United Sarawak Party (PSB)

International organization participation: ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CICA (observer), CP, D-8, EAS, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed NAZRI Bin Abdul Aziz (since 19 April 2023)
In the us chancery: 3,516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 572-9,700
In the us fax: [1] (202) 572-9,882
In the us email address and website: mwwashington@kln.gov.my; [link]
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Edgard D. KAGAN (since 20 March 2024)
From the us embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50,400 Kuala Lumpur
From the us mailing address: 4,210 Kuala Lumpur, Washington DC 20,521-4,210
From the us telephone: [60] (3) 2,168-5,000
From the us fax: [60] (3) 2,142-2,207
From the us email address and website: KLACS@state.gov; [link]

Flag description: 14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white (bottom); there is a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the flag is often referred to as Jalur Gemilang (Stripes of Glory); the 14 stripes stand for the equal status in the federation of the 13 member states and the federal government; the 14 points on the star represent the unity between these entities; the crescent is a traditional symbol of Islam; blue symbolizes the unity of the Malay people and yellow is the royal color of Malay rulers
Note: the design is based on the flag of the US

National symbols: tiger, hibiscus; national colors: gold, black

National anthem
Name: 'Negaraku' (My Country)
Lyrics/music: collective, led by Tunku ABDUL RAHMAN/Pierre Jean DE BERANGER
Note: adopted 1957; full version only performed in the presence of the king; the tune, which was adopted from a popular French melody titled 'La Rosalie,' was originally the anthem of Perak, one of Malaysia's 13 states

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 5 (3 cultural, 2 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: upper middle-income Southeast Asian economy; implementing key anticorruption policies; major electronics, oil, and chemicals exporter; trade sector employs over 40% of jobs; key economic equity initiative; high labor productivity

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $1.152 trillion (2023 est.); $1.111 trillion (2022 est.); $1.023 trillion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 3.68% (2023 est.); 8.65% (2022 est.); 3.3% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $33,600 (2023 est.); $32,700 (2022 est.); $30,500 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 60.4% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 12% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 19.2% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 3.3% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 68.4% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -63.4% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 7.7% (2023 est.)
Industry: 37.7% (2023 est.)
Services: 53.5% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: oil palm fruit, rice, chicken, eggs, coconuts, tropical fruits, vegetables, rubber, bananas, pineapples (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and manufacturing, petroleum and natural gas, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, electronics and semiconductors, timber processing; Sabah - logging, petroleum and natural gas production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum and natural gas production, logging

Industrial production growth rate: 1.43% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 17.308 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 3.86% (2023 est.); 3.93% (2022 est.); 4.64% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 12.5% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 11.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 14.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 6.2% (2021 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $66.883 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $72.986 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 11.65% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 60.27% of GDP (2022 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 1.57% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.49% (2023 est.); 3.38% (2022 est.); 2.48% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $12.271 billion (2022 est.); $14.493 billion (2021 est.); $14.138 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $312.857 billion (2022 est.); $263.836 billion (2021 est.); $208.217 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Singapore 14%, China 13%, US 12%, Japan 6%, Hong Kong 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: integrated circuits, refined petroleum, natural gas, palm oil, crude petroleum (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $283.601 billion (2022 est.); $236.855 billion (2021 est.); $186.613 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 28%, Singapore 12%, US 6%, Taiwan 6%, Japan 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, coal, vehicle parts/accessories (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $113.438 billion (2023 est.); $114.659 billion (2022 est.); $116.916 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 36.301 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 181.004 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 1.062 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 38.028 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 12.262 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 81.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 16.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 3.731 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 35.05 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 168,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 31.834 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 226 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 582,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 717,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 3.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 75.456 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 42.499 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Exports: 38.603 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 4.529 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.189 trillion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 262.458 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 82.481 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 96.127 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 83.85 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 116.494 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 8.453 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 47.952 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 141 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.9% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.); 1% of GDP (2021 est.); 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.); 1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Malaysian Armed Forces (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia, ATM): Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2024)
Note 1: the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP or Polis Diraja Malaysia, PDRM) are under the Ministry of Home Affairs; the PRMD includes the General Operations Force, a paramilitary force with a variety of roles, including patrolling borders, counter-terrorism, maritime security, and counterinsurgency; the Ministry of Home Affairs also includes the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA; aka Malaysian Coast Guard)
Note 2: Malaysia created a National Special Operations Force in 2016 for combating terrorism threats; the force is comprised of personnel from the ATM, the PRMD, and the MMEA

Military service age and obligation: 17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service for men and women (younger with parental consent and proof of age); maximum age of 27 to enlist; mandatory retirement age 60; no conscription (2023)
Note: in 2020, the military announced a goal of having 10% of the active force comprised of women

Space program

Terrorist groups: Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Jemaah Islamiyah (JI); Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 13 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 270
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 60,481,772 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,404,410,000 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 9M

Airports: 102 (2024)

Heliports: 24 (2024)

Pipelines: 354 km condensate, 6,439 km gas, 155 km liquid petroleum gas, 1,937 km oil, 43 km oil/gas/water, 114 km refined products, 26 km water (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 144,403 km (excludes local roads)
Paved: 116,169 km (includes 1,821 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 28,234 km (2010)

Waterways: 7,200 km (2011) (Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km; Sabah 1,500 km; Sarawak 2,500 km)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 157,731 (Burma) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2023)
Stateless persons: 113,930 (2022)
Note: Malaysia's stateless population consists of Rohingya refugees from Burma, ethnic Indians, and the children of Filipino and Indonesian illegal migrants; Burma stripped the Rohingya of their nationality in 1982; Filipino and Indonesian children who have not been registered for birth certificates by their parents or who received birth certificates stamped 'foreigner' are not eligible to attend government schools; these children are vulnerable to statelessness should they not be able to apply to their parents' country of origin for passports

Illicit drugs: not a source country for illicit drugs bound for the United States but is a significant transit country for drugs destined for Australia; drugs trafficked to Malaysia include crystal methamphetamine and lesser quantities of MDMA (ecstasy), cannabis, heroin, and ketamine; significant number of the population abuse drugs especially methamphetamine