Malaysia

Mobile cellular subscriptions

139.7

per 100 people, 2024

GDP per capita, PPP

35,461

constant 2021 international $, 2025

Urban population

77.4

% of population, 2025

What the data shows

Computed with the same code as the observations under the main chart and in the API (get_insights). Moving together in time does not prove a cause.

How the indicators changed

Fertility (TFR): 6.43 in 1950 → 1.60 in 2024 (−75%). Threshold: below 2.1 since 2013. The trend broke around 1960 and 1976: +0.01 → −0.14 → −0.06 a year.
Births: 273k in 1950 → 415k in 2024 (+52%). Peak: 544k in 1996; the latest value is 24% lower. The trend broke around 1976 and 1995: +2.93k → +8.3k → −2.76k a year.
Population: 6.1M in 1950 → 35.1M in 2023 (×5.8).
Internet: 0% in 1990 → 98% in 2024 (+98 pp). Thresholds: above 10% since 1999, above 50% since 2006, above 90% since 2021. Fastest growth in 1997–2002: 2.3% → 32.3%.
Urban share: 26.1% in 1960 → 77.4% in 2025 (+51 pp). Thresholds: above 50% since 1991, above 75% since 2020. The trend broke around 1979 and 2003: +0.36 → +1.4 → +0.52 a year.
GDP per person (PPP): 12,014 PPP dollars in 1990 → 35,461 PPP dollars in 2025 (×3). The trend broke around 1996 and 2002: +950 → +152 → +693 a year.
GDP growth: on average 5.9% in the 1980s, 7.2% in the 1990s, 4.7% in the 2000s, 5.4% in the 2010s, 3.5% in the 2020s. Lowest: −7.4% in 1998; highest: 10% in 1996.
Inflation: on average 3.6% in the 1980s, 3.7% in the 1990s, 2.2% in the 2000s, 2.1% in the 2010s, 1.7% in the 2020s. Lowest: −1.1% in 2020; highest: 9.7% in 1981.

What changed at the same time

The fastest decline of "Fertility (TFR)" was in 1962–1972: 6.30 → 4.82. Over the same years: births 346k → 349k; population 8.38M → 10.7M; urban share 26.8% → 30.1%; no data for the others in those years.
Over the last 10 years (2014–2024): fertility (TFR) 2.06 → 1.60; births 513k → 415k; population 30.7M → 35.1M; internet 63.7% → 98%; urban share 73% → 76.9%; GDP per person (PPP) 26,818 PPP dollars → 34,116 PPP dollars; GDP growth 6% → 5.1%; inflation 3.1% → 1.8%.

How the indicators relate

Fertility (TFR) and internet (1990–2024, 34 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −1.00); year-to-year changes are related too (r = −0.51). Changes line up from year to year too, which is more than a shared trend. Changes line up best with a 8 years shift: "Internet" moves first, then "Fertility (TFR)" (r = 0.66).
Fertility (TFR) and urban share (1960–2024, 65 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.95); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.22). This looks like a shared trend: both change over time, but not in step from year to year.
Fertility (TFR) and GDP per person (PPP) (1990–2024, 35 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.96); year-to-year changes are weakly related (r = 0.38).

Forecasts vs actual

Fertility (TFR): past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 11 of 11 revisions (1998–2022) and above in none; median gap −11%.
The UN 2002 projection did not expect today's level (1.60, 2024) before its horizon ended (2047).
The UN 2019 projection did not expect today's level (1.60, 2024) before its horizon ended (2097).
Fertility (TFR): UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 1.53 (−5% vs 2024), 2100 — 1.56 (−2% vs 2024); low variant for 2100: 1.06.
Births: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 11 of 11 revisions (1998–2022) and above in none; median gap −9.2%.
The UN 2002 projection did not expect today's level (415k, 2024) before its horizon ended (2047).
The UN 2022 projection expected today's level (415k, 2024) only around 2062: reality is 38 years ahead of it.
National statistics for 2024: 415k, 6% below the UN 2024 medium variant (440k).
Births: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 443k (+7% vs 2024), 2100 — 378k (−9% vs 2024); low variant for 2100: 153k.
Population: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 0 of 12 revisions (1998–2022) and above in 12; median gap +5.4%.
The UN 1998 projection did not expect today's level (35.1M, 2023) before its horizon ended (2030).
The UN 2022 projection expected today's level (35.1M, 2023) only around 2026: reality is 3 years ahead of it.
Population: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 44.3M (+26% vs 2023), 2100 — 44M (+25% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 30.8M.
GDP growth: IMF next-year forecasts (36 editions, 2007–2024). On average the outcome was 0.7 pp below the forecast; below it in 50% of cases; typical error ±2.1 pp. The biggest miss was for 2020: IMF, April 2019 expected 4.8%, the outcome was −5.5%.
GDP growth: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2026 — 4.7%, 2028 — 4.3%, 2031 — 4.3%.
Inflation: IMF next-year forecasts (36 editions, 2007–2024). On average the outcome was 0.6 pp below the forecast; below it in 64% of cases; typical error ±1.4 pp. The biggest miss was for 2009: IMF, October 2008 expected 4.7%, the outcome was 0.6%.
Inflation: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2026 — 1.9%, 2028 — 2%, 2031 — 2%.

UN projections vs actual

Solid line: actual data, UN WPP 2024 estimates to 2023, then national statistics where comparable with the UN. Dashed: medium variants of past UN revisions. The table shows what each revision expected for the latest year (or five-year period) with actual data.

Population

persons, 1 July

Actual
UN 1998
UN 2000
UN 2002
UN 2004
UN 2006
UN 2008
UN 2010
UN 2012
UN 2015
UN 2017
UN 2019
UN 2022
UN 2024, medium

Release	Target period	Horizon	Expected	Actual	Actual vs expected
UN 1998	2023	25 years	30.3M	35.1M	+16%
UN 2000	2023	23 years	30.6M	35.1M	+14.6%
UN 2002	2023	21 years	32.7M	35.1M	+7.3%
UN 2004	2023	19 years	32.6M	35.1M	+7.9%
UN 2006	2023	17 years	33.1M	35.1M	+6.1%
UN 2008	2023	15 years	33.1M	35.1M	+6.1%
UN 2010	2023	13 years	34.3M	35.1M	+2.4%
UN 2012	2023	11 years	34.1M	35.1M	+2.9%
UN 2015	2023	8 years	33.6M	35.1M	+4.7%
UN 2017	2023	6 years	34.1M	35.1M	+2.9%
UN 2019	2023	4 years	33.6M	35.1M	+4.6%
UN 2022	2023	1 year	34.3M	35.1M	+2.4%

Births

births per year

Actual
UN 1998
UN 2000
UN 2002
UN 2004
UN 2006
UN 2008
UN 2010
UN 2012
UN 2015
UN 2017
UN 2019
UN 2022
UN 2024, medium

Release	Target period	Horizon	Expected	Actual	Actual vs expected
UN 1998	2015–2020	20 years	492k	489k	−0.6%
UN 2000	2015–2020	18 years	491k	489k	−0.4%
UN 2002	2015–2020	16 years	550k	489k	−11.2%
UN 2004	2015–2020	14 years	530k	489k	−7.8%
UN 2006	2015–2020	12 years	538k	489k	−9.2%
UN 2008	2015–2020	10 years	537k	489k	−9%
UN 2010	2015–2020	8 years	595k	489k	−17.9%
UN 2012	2015–2020	6 years	548k	489k	−10.8%
UN 2015	2015–2020	2 years	521k	489k	−6.1%
UN 2017	2015–2020	0 years	540k	489k	−9.5%
UN 2022	2024	2 years	505k	415k	−17.8%

Total fertility rate

children per woman

Actual
UN 1998
UN 2000
UN 2002
UN 2004
UN 2006
UN 2008
UN 2010
UN 2012
UN 2015
UN 2017
UN 2019
UN 2022
UN 2024, medium

Release	Target period	Horizon	Expected	Actual	Actual vs expected
UN 1998	2015–2020	20 years	2.10	1.86	−11.5%
UN 2000	2015–2020	18 years	2.10	1.86	−11.5%
UN 2002	2015–2020	16 years	2.28	1.86	−18.4%
UN 2004	2015–2020	14 years	2.19	1.86	−15.2%
UN 2006	2015–2020	12 years	2.17	1.86	−14.5%
UN 2008	2015–2020	10 years	2.16	1.86	−14%
UN 2010	2015–2020	8 years	2.45	1.86	−24%
UN 2012	2015–2020	6 years	1.91	1.86	−2.5%
UN 2015	2015–2020	2 years	1.90	1.86	−1.9%
UN 2017	2015–2020	0 years	2.01	1.86	−7.5%
UN 2022	2024	2 years	1.76	1.60	−9.3%

IMF forecasts vs actual

Solid line: actual values from the latest IMF edition (data get revised, so we use the newest). Dashed: April editions, current year and five years ahead. The table covers next-year forecasts from all editions: mean error shows bias, mean absolute error shows accuracy.

Real GDP growth

% per year

Actual (IMF)
WEO, April editions

Indicator	Forecasts	Mean error	Mean absolute error	Actual below forecast
Real GDP growth	36	−0.7 pp	2.1 pp	50%
Inflation	36	−0.6 pp	1.4 pp	64%
Unemployment rate	27	+0.2 pp	0.4 pp	37%
Government gross debt	28	+1.5 pp	2.9 pp	36%

All indicators

Demography

Population

35.1M persons, 1 July latest value, 2023

Population on 1 July. UN estimate to 2023, medium variant from 2024; past UN revisions for forecast checks.

Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), OpenDOSM data catalogue 'births_annual' and 'fertility' (via api.data.gov.my); 2024 confirmed in '

Births

415k births per year latest value, 2024

Live births per calendar year. UN WPP 2024 and national statistics (64 countries, 2015-2025).

Total fertility rate

1.60 children per woman latest value, 2024

Average number of children a woman would have at the age-specific fertility rates of the year.

Source: Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), OpenDOSM data catalogue 'births_annual' and 'fertility' (via api.data.gov.my); 2024 confirmed in '

Life expectancy at birth, women

79.4 years latest value, 2023

Years a newborn girl would live at the mortality rates of the year (UN).

Life expectancy at birth, men

74.3 years latest value, 2023

Years a newborn boy would live at the mortality rates of the year (UN).

Median age

30.1 years latest value, 2023

Age that divides the population in two halves (UN).

Mean age of mothers at childbirth

31 years latest value, 2023

Mean age of mothers at the birth of their children of any order (UN).

Sex ratio at birth

106.5 boys per 100 girls latest value, 2023

Boys born per 100 girls born (UN).

Net migration

181k persons per year latest value, 2023

Immigrants minus emigrants per year (UN estimate and projection).

Old-age dependency

11.1 persons 65+ per 100 aged 20-64 latest value, 2020

Persons aged 65+ per 100 aged 20-64, every five years (UN).

Digitalisation

Internet users

98 % of population latest value, 2024

Share of individuals who used the Internet in the last three months from any device. ITU data.

Mobile cellular subscriptions

139.7 per 100 people latest value, 2024

Active mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 people; can exceed 100 when people have several SIM cards. ITU data.

Fixed broadband subscriptions

13.5 subscriptions per 100 people latest value, 2024

Fixed subscriptions to high-speed Internet (256 kbit/s or more) per 100 people. ITU data.

Economy

GDP per capita, PPP

35,461 constant 2021 international $ latest value, 2025

Gross domestic product per person at purchasing power parity, constant 2021 international dollars (World Bank, ICP).

Real GDP growth

5.2 % per year latest value, 2025

Annual change of GDP at constant prices. Actual values and forecasts from IMF WEO editions.

Inflation

1.4 % per year, average latest value, 2025

Change of the annual average consumer price index (IMF WEO).

Government gross debt

70.7 % of GDP latest value, 2025

General government gross debt, percent of GDP (IMF WEO).

Unemployment rate

3.2 % of labour force latest value, 2024

Unemployed as a share of the labour force (IMF WEO; national definitions).

GDP per capita, US dollars

13,949 current US dollars latest value, 2025

GDP per person in current US dollars at market exchange rates (IMF WEO).

Society

Urban population

77.4 % of population latest value, 2025

Share of people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices (World Bank, from UN World Urbanization Prospects).

Tertiary enrolment, women

45.8 % gross latest value, 2024

Women enrolled in tertiary education as a share of women in the five-year age group after secondary school; can exceed 100 (UNESCO).

Women with upper secondary education

69.3 % of women 25+ latest value, 2022

Share of women aged 25+ who completed at least upper secondary education (UNESCO).

Life expectancy at birth

76.8 years latest value, 2024

Life expectancy at birth, both sexes (World Bank, from UN and national statistics).