Malaysia's population reaches 34.4 million, men outnumber women

 

Malaysia’s total population was estimated at 34.4 million in the first quarter of this year (1Q26) as compared with the 34.2 million recorded in the same period last year, with a slower growth of 0.5 percent, according to the demographic statistics for 1Q 2026 released by the Statistics Department today.

Chief statistician Uzir Mahidin said the male population increased to 18.0 million from 17.9 million in 1Q26, and the female population rose to 16.3 million from 16.2 million in the same period a year ago.

“The sex ratio was 110 males for every 100 females, while the sex ratio for citizens was 102. The composition of the old age population (65 years and over) increased from 7.9 percent to 8.0 percent in 1Q26.

“The young age population (0-14 years) recorded a decrease from 21.8 percent to 21.6 percent. The working age population (15-64 years) increased from 70.3 percent to 70.4 percent during the same period,” he said in a statement today.

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By ethnicity, Malays accounted for 58.3 percent of the population in 1Q26 as compared with the 58.2 percent recorded in 1Q25.

The proportion of other bumiputera (Sabah bumiputera, Sarawak bumiputera and other bumiputera in Peninsular Malaysia) and Indians remained unchanged at 12.3 percent and 6.5 percent respectively, while Chinese decreased to 22.1 percent in 1Q26 from 22.2 percent in the corresponding quarter of 2025.

Sabah bumiputera contributed 55.3 percent of other bumiputera, which comprised Kadazan/Dusun (31.7 percent), Bajau (26.5 percent), Murut (5.1 percent) and other Sabah bumiputera (36.7 percent).

Sarawak bumiputera, which made up 32.3 percent, consisted of Iban (59.1 percent), Bidayuh (17.1 percent), Melanau (10.6 percent) and other Sarawak bumiputera (13.2 percent).

Declining live births

Uzir noted that the number of live births continued to decline to 94,807 as compared to 97,843 in 1Q25, with male babies outnumbering female babies with 49,137 births as compared to 45,670 births.

“Selangor recorded the highest live births with 17,990 while Labuan recorded the lowest with 294,” he said.

He added that 49,139 deaths were recorded in 1Q26, a decrease of 1.5 percent from 49,863 deaths in 1Q25, with Selangor having the highest number at 8,042 deaths, while Putrajaya recorded the lowest with 81 deaths.

Population aged 60 years and over recorded the highest number of deaths with 35,130 (71.5 percent), followed by 41-59 years (19.9 percent), 15-40 years (6.8 percent) and 0-14 years (1.8 percent).

- Bernama