Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Malaysia
Malaysia: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million was 25.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Malaysia, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Malaysia is 25.0%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Malaysia peaked at 25.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 1960.
Malaysia ranks 49th of 121 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.3% | — |
| 1961 | 4.3% | +0.1% |
| 1962 | 4.3% | +0.1% |
| 1963 | 4.3% | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 4.3% | +0.1% |
| 1965 | 4.3% | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 4.4% | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 4.4% | +0.4% |
| 1968 | 4.4% | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 4.4% | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 4.4% | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 4.7% | +5.1% |
| 1972 | 4.9% | +5.5% |
| 1973 | 5.2% | +5.4% |
| 1974 | 5.5% | +5.4% |
| 1975 | 5.8% | +5.5% |
| 1976 | 6.1% | +5.5% |
| 1977 | 6.4% | +5.4% |
| 1978 | 6.8% | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 7.1% | +5.4% |
| 1980 | 7.5% | +5.1% |
| 1981 | 7.8% | +4.6% |
| 1982 | 8.2% | +4.6% |
| 1983 | 8.6% | +4.6% |
| 1984 | 9.0% | +4.6% |
| 1985 | 9.4% | +4.5% |
| 1986 | 9.8% | +4.5% |
| 1987 | 10.2% | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 10.7% | +4.7% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | +4.8% |
| 1990 | 11.8% | +4.9% |
| 1991 | 12.4% | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 12.9% | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 13.4% | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 14.0% | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 14.6% | +4.3% |
| 1996 | 15.3% | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 15.9% | +4.4% |
| 1998 | 16.6% | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 17.4% | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 18.2% | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 18.4% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 18.5% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 18.7% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 18.9% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 19.1% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 19.3% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 19.5% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 19.7% | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 20.0% | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 20.3% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 20.6% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 20.9% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 21.3% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 21.6% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 21.9% | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 22.3% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 22.6% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 23.0% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 23.3% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 23.6% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 24.0% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 24.3% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 24.5% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 24.8% | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 25.0% | +0.9% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 25.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 24.8%, 1.0× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 25.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28.6%, 88% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.4% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.7% | 4.4% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.2% | 7.5% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.4% | 11.8% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.0% | 18.2% | 20.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.8% | 20.3% | 23.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.4% | 23.6% | 25.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More climate change data for Malaysia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 621.79 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,551 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,936 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,616 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 7.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 93.41 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,214 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 3,641 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3,573 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 13.74 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Malaysia?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million in Malaysia was 25.0% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 25.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 1960.
- How does Malaysia rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million?
- Malaysia ranks 49th out of 121 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in urban agglomerations of more than one million is the percentage of a country's population living in metropolitan areas that in 2018 had a population of more than one million people.