Malaysia Population Pyramid 1985
Malaysia in 1985
As of 1985, Malaysia counted 15,252,258 inhabitants. A decade earlier, in 1975, the population was 11,471,914; it has grown by 33.0% since.
With a median age of 20.7 years, Malaysia had a youth dependency ratio of 65.2 and an old-age dependency ratio of 6.0 per 100 people of working age. This is an expansive pyramid — each cohort of children is larger than the one above it, the signature of high birth rates and rapid growth.
Data source: United Nations World Population Prospects, 2024 revision (medium variant) — last updated July 2024.
The fertility rate of Malaysia was 1.55 births per woman in 2023, under the 2.1 needed to replace each generation.
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.
Life expectancy at birth was 76.7 years in 2023: 79.4 for women and 74.3 for men.
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.
3,566,509 immigrants live in Malaysia, 10.0% of the population.
| Indonesia | 1,761,502 |
| Nepal | 502,596 |
| Myanmar | 308,095 |
| Bangladesh | 282,437 |
| Philippines | 255,520 |
2,433,805 people born in Malaysia live in other countries.
| Singapore | 1,553,249 |
| Bangladesh | 274,253 |
| Australia | 181,202 |
| Indonesia | 161,013 |
| United Kingdom | 66,932 |
Source: United Nations International Migrant Stock 2024.
| Country | Population | Median age | Relative size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | 15,252,259 | 20.7 | |
| Cambodia | 6,043,784 | 17.9 | |
| Laos | 3,739,985 | 17.8 | |
| Singapore | 2,735,030 | 27.3 | |
| Timor-Leste | 696,665 | 19.8 |





