East Asia & Pacific · Upper middle income
Malaysia: the economy in numbers
Per person: $13,125, or $41,498 at purchasing power parity. Population: 36 million (2025).
$472B+5.2%real GDP growth, 2025
GDP in 2025, current US dollars: #34 of 204 economies. IMF forecast for 2026: +5.2%.
GDP per capita
$13,125
2025 · #89 of 204
GDP per capita, PPP
$41,498
2025 · #63 of 197
Inflation
1.4%
2025 · IMF forecast 2026: 2.2%
Government debt
70.5%
2025 · % of GDP, general government
Population
36M
2025 · #45 of 217
Unemployment
3.8%
2025 · ILO estimate
Stock market capitalization
103.2%
2025 · % of GDP · $487B
Life expectancy
76.8 years
2024
GDP
Adjusted for US inflation, in 2025 dollars: $20.9 billion in 1960, $472 billion in 2025.
GDP per capita
In 2025 dollars: $2,624 per person in 1960, $13,125 in 2025.
GDP per capitaGDP per capita, PPP (international $)
Real GDP growth
Average over 2016–2025: 4.0% a year. Years of falling GDP since 1961: 4 of 65.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Inflation
Consumer prices rose by 67.2% from 2000 to 2025. Highest annual inflation: 17.3% in 1974.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Government debt, % of GDP
Highest since 1990: 74.1% of GDP in 1990. IMF forecast for 2031: 65.1%.
General government (IMF)Central government only (World Bank)
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Stock market capitalization, % of GDP
In 2025 listed domestic companies were worth $487 billion, or 103.2% of GDP.
Population
1960: 7.96 million · 2025: 36 million.
Unemployment rate
1991: 3.7% · 2025: 3.8%.
Life expectancy at birth
1960: 57.2 years · 2024: 76.8 years.
Exports of goods and services
1960: 53.1% · 2025: 71.0%.
Data by year
Show the year-by-year table
| Year | GDP | GDP per capita | Per capita, PPP | Real growth | Inflation | Gov. debt, % GDP | Population | Unemployment | Stock market, % GDP | Life expectancy | Exports, % GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2031 | 4.3%f | 2.0%f | 65.1%f | ||||||||
| 2030 | 4.3%f | 2.0%f | 65.9%f | ||||||||
| 2029 | 4.3%f | 2.0%f | 66.7%f | ||||||||
| 2028 | 4.3%f | 2.0%f | 67.7%f | ||||||||
| 2027 | 4.6%f | 1.9%f | 68.8%f | ||||||||
| 2026 | 5.2%f | 2.2%f | 69.2%f | ||||||||
| 2025 | $472B | $13,125 | $41,498 | 5.2% | 1.4% | 70.5% | 36M | 3.8% | 103.2% | 71.0% | |
| 2024 | $422B | $11,874 | $38,836 | 5.1% | 1.8% | 69.8% | 35.6M | 3.8% | 106.5% | 76.8 | 71.3% |
| 2023 | $400B | $11,386 | $36,497 | 3.5% | 2.5% | 69.7% | 35.1M | 3.9% | 94.5% | 76.7 | 68.7% |
| 2022 | $408B | $11,755 | $34,414 | 9.0% | 3.4% | 65.5% | 34.7M | 3.9% | 93.5% | 75.4 | 76.8% |
| 2021 | $374B | $10,903 | $29,823 | 3.3% | 2.5% | 69.2% | 34.3M | 4.6% | 110.8% | 73.9 | 70.6% |
| 2020 | $337B | $9,958 | $27,475 | −5.5% | −1.1% | 67.7% | 33.9M | 4.5% | 129.4% | 76.1 | 61.6% |
| 2019 | $365B | $10,920 | $28,934 | 4.4% | 0.7% | 57.1% | 33.4M | 3.3% | 110.6% | 75.9 | 65.3% |
| 2018 | $359B | $10,902 | $27,794 | 4.8% | 0.9% | 55.6% | 32.9M | 3.3% | 110.9% | 75.7 | 68.6% |
| 2017 | $319B | $9,863 | $26,416 | 5.8% | 3.9% | 54.4% | 32.4M | 3.4% | 142.8% | 75.5 | 70.0% |
| 2016 | $301B | $9,477 | $25,286 | 4.4% | 2.1% | 55.8% | 31.8M | 3.4% | 119.4% | 75.4 | 66.8% |
| 2015 | $301B | $9,649 | $24,526 | 5.1% | 2.1% | 57.0% | 31.2M | 3.1% | 127.1% | 75.3 | 69.4% |
| 2014 | $338B | $11,013 | $24,307 | 6.0% | 3.1% | 55.4% | 30.7M | 2.9% | 135.8% | 75.3 | 73.8% |
| 2013 | $323B | $10,714 | $23,161 | 4.7% | 2.1% | 55.7% | 30.2M | 3.1% | 154.8% | 75.5 | 75.6% |
| 2012 | $314B | $10,601 | $22,639 | 5.5% | 1.7% | 53.8% | 29.7M | 3.0% | 148.4% | 75.6 | 79.3% |
| 2011 | $298B | $10,217 | $21,324 | 5.3% | 3.2% | 51.9% | 29.2M | 3.0% | 132.8% | 75.5 | 85.3% |
| 2010 | $255B | $8,899 | $20,193 | 7.4% | 1.6% | 51.2% | 28.7M | 3.3% | 160.3% | 75.4 | 86.9% |
| 2009 | $202B | $7,191 | $18,923 | −1.5% | 0.6% | 50.4% | 28.1M | 3.6% | 143.0% | 75.3 | 91.4% |
| 2008 | $231B | $8,372 | $19,480 | 4.8% | 5.4% | 39.4% | 27.6M | 3.3% | 82.0% | 75.2 | 99.5% |
| 2007 | $194B | $7,169 | $18,617 | 6.3% | 2.0% | 39.3% | 27M | 3.3% | 168.1% | 75.0 | 106.2% |
| 2006 | $163B | $6,158 | $17,426 | 5.6% | 3.6% | 39.7% | 26.4M | 3.3% | 144.8% | 74.7 | 112.2% |
| 2005 | $144B | $5,556 | $16,371 | 5.3% | 3.0% | 40.8% | 25.8M | 3.5% | 125.8% | 74.4 | 112.9% |
| 2004 | $125B | $4,939 | $15,416 | 6.8% | 1.4% | 42.0% | 25.3M | 3.5% | 145.6% | 74.0 | 115.4% |
| 2003 | $110B | $4,465 | $14,387 | 5.8% | 1.1% | 41.4% | 24.7M | 3.6% | 145.9% | 73.7 | 106.9% |
| 2002 | $101B | $4,184 | $13,656 | 5.4% | 1.8% | 39.5% | 24.1M | 3.5% | 124.7% | 73.5 | 108.3% |
| 2001 | $92.8B | $3,944 | $13,072 | 0.5% | 1.4% | 38.1% | 23.5M | 3.5% | 128.2% | 73.1 | 110.4% |
| 2000 | $93.8B | $4,084 | $13,027 | 8.9% | 1.5% | 32.5% | 23M | 3.0% | 120.6% | 72.7 | 119.8% |
| 1999 | $79.1B | $3,528 | $11,980 | 6.1% | 2.7% | 34.4% | 22.4M | 3.4% | 176.8% | 72.4 | 121.3% |
| 1998 | $72.2B | $3,294 | $11,398 | −7.4% | 5.3% | 33.6% | 21.9M | 3.2% | 132.4% | 72.4 | 115.7% |
| 1997 | $100B | $4,679 | $12,469 | 7.3% | 2.7% | 29.6% | 21.4M | 2.5% | 93.2% | 72.3 | 93.3% |
| 1996 | $101B | $4,837 | $11,709 | 10.0% | 3.5% | 32.8% | 20.9M | 2.5% | 303.6% | 72.1 | 91.6% |
| 1995 | $88.7B | $4,363 | $10,720 | 9.8% | 3.5% | 38.2% | 20.3M | 3.1% | 241.0% | 72.0 | 94.1% |
| 1994 | $74.5B | $3,758 | $9,806 | 9.2% | 3.7% | 43.7% | 19.8M | 3.6% | 247.1% | 71.9 | 89.2% |
| 1993 | $66.9B | $3,462 | $9,018 | 9.9% | 3.5% | 51.1% | 19.3M | 4.1% | 321.0% | 71.7 | 78.9% |
| 1992 | $59.2B | $3,141 | $8,224 | 8.9% | 4.8% | 59.1% | 18.8M | 3.7% | 150.4% | 71.5 | 76.0% |
| 1991 | $49.1B | $2,679 | $7,583 | 9.5% | 4.4% | 67.3% | 18.3M | 3.7% | 115.4% | 71.2 | 77.8% |
| 1990 | $44B | $2,469 | $6,887 | 9.0% | 2.6% | 74.1% | 17.8M | 108.7% | 71.0 | 74.5% | |
| 1989 | $38.8B | $2,244 | 9.1% | 2.8% | 17.3M | 102.2% | 70.8 | 71.4% | |||
| 1988 | $35.3B | $2,100 | 9.9% | 2.6% | 16.8M | 65.4% | 70.6 | 66.4% | |||
| 1987 | $32.2B | $1,977 | 5.2% | 0.3% | 16.3M | 56.7% | 70.4 | 62.9% | |||
| 1986 | $27.7B | $1,760 | 1.2% | 0.7% | 15.8M | 53.6% | 70.1 | 56.3% | |||
| 1985 | $31.2B | $2,046 | −1.0% | 0.3% | 15.3M | 77.4% | 69.9 | 54.9% | |||
| 1984 | $33.9B | $2,300 | 7.8% | 3.9% | 14.8M | 57.0% | 69.6 | 54.3% | |||
| 1983 | $30.3B | $2,124 | 6.3% | 3.7% | 14.3M | 74.8% | 69.2 | 51.5% | |||
| 1982 | $26.8B | $1,938 | 5.9% | 5.8% | 13.8M | 51.8% | 68.9 | 50.9% | |||
| 1981 | $25B | $1,866 | 6.9% | 9.7% | 13.4M | 61.2% | 68.5 | 52.3% | |||
| 1980 | $24.5B | $1,886 | 7.4% | 6.7% | 13M | 68.1 | 57.5% | ||||
| 1979 | $21.2B | $1,680 | 9.3% | 3.7% | 12.6M | 67.6 | 56.0% | ||||
| 1978 | $16.4B | $1,327 | 6.7% | 4.9% | 12.3M | 67.2 | 49.1% | ||||
| 1977 | $13.1B | $1,092 | 7.8% | 4.8% | 12M | 66.7 | 50.1% | ||||
| 1976 | $11.1B | $940 | 11.6% | 2.6% | 11.8M | 66.2 | 51.8% | ||||
| 1975 | $9.3B | $811 | 0.8% | 4.5% | 11.5M | 65.7 | 45.5% | ||||
| 1974 | $9.5B | $848 | 8.3% | 17.3% | 11.2M | 65.2 | 48.3% | ||||
| 1973 | $7.66B | $701 | 11.7% | 10.6% | 10.9M | 64.7 | 41.5% | ||||
| 1972 | $5.04B | $472 | 9.4% | 3.2% | 10.7M | 64.2 | 36.0% | ||||
| 1971 | $4.24B | $407 | 10.0% | 1.6% | 10.4M | 63.8 | 40.5% | ||||
| 1970 | $3.86B | $380 | 6.0% | 1.8% | 10.2M | 63.3 | 45.6% | ||||
| 1969 | $3.66B | $368 | 4.9% | −0.4% | 9.95M | 62.9 | 47.2% | ||||
| 1968 | $3.33B | $342 | 8.0% | −0.2% | 9.73M | 62.4 | 43.2% | ||||
| 1967 | $3.19B | $335 | 3.9% | 4.6% | 9.51M | 62.0 | 41.0% | ||||
| 1966 | $3.14B | $339 | 7.8% | 1.0% | 9.28M | 61.7 | 42.5% | ||||
| 1965 | $2.96B | $326 | 7.7% | −0.1% | 9.06M | 61.1 | 44.9% | ||||
| 1964 | $2.67B | $303 | 5.4% | −0.4% | 8.83M | 60.4 | 44.1% | ||||
| 1963 | $2.51B | $292 | 7.3% | 3.1% | 8.6M | 59.7 | 45.7% | ||||
| 1962 | $2.0B | $239 | 6.4% | 0.1% | 8.38M | 58.9 | 46.0% | ||||
| 1961 | $1.9B | $233 | 7.6% | −0.2% | 8.16M | 58.0 | 48.5% | ||||
| 1960 | $1.92B | $241 | 0.1% | 7.96M | 57.2 | 53.1% |
e: IMF estimate; f: IMF forecast.
Nearby economies in East Asia & Pacific
Nearest by distance between capitals, with GDP per capita.
American Samoa · Australia · Brunei · Cambodia · China · Fiji · French Polynesia · Guam · Hong Kong · Indonesia · Japan · Kiribati · Laos · Macao · Malaysia · Marshall Islands · Micronesia · Mongolia · Myanmar · Nauru · New Caledonia · New Zealand · North Korea · Northern Mariana Islands · Palau · Papua New Guinea · Philippines · Samoa · Singapore · Solomon Islands · South Korea · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Tonga · Tuvalu · Vanuatu · Vietnam
Rankings
GDP by country · GDP per capita · Real GDP growth · Inflation by country · Government debt to GDP · Stock market to GDP · Population by country · Unemployment by country
Data and methods
- GDP: gross domestic product in current US dollars, converted from the local currency at market exchange rates (World Bank); not adjusted for inflation.
- Purchasing power parity (PPP): GDP per person in international dollars, which buy the same basket of goods and services in every country. It compares living standards across countries in the same year; it is not adjusted for inflation over time.
- In 2025 dollars: the charts can remove US inflation (US consumer price index, annual average) so that dollar amounts from different years compare in today's money. Exchange rate swings still show.
- Growth and inflation: World Bank data (calendar years). Years the World Bank does not cover yet, and the estimates and forecasts, come from the IMF World Economic Outlook (October 2026): its forecasts start in 2026, and the years after a country's last actual year are IMF estimates.
- Government debt: gross debt of the general government (central, state and local government and social security funds) as a percentage of GDP, IMF. The World Bank's central government debt is narrower and covers fewer countries.
- Stock market capitalization: the end-of-year value of domestic companies listed on the country's exchanges (World Federation of Exchanges via the World Bank; before 2016, Standard & Poor's), as a percentage of GDP: the “Buffett indicator”. Investment funds are excluded, and so are companies listed only abroad; companies from elsewhere that list on an exchange count for its country (Hong Kong lists many mainland Chinese companies).
- Unemployment: ILO modeled estimates (share of the labor force); comparable across countries, but they may differ from national figures.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)