Rural population in Malaysia
Malaysia: Rural population was 22.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Malaysia, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 22.6% for rural population in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Malaysia peaked at 73.9% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 22.6%, in 2025.
Malaysia ranks 150th of 217 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 73.9% | — |
| 1961 | 73.5% | -0.5% |
| 1962 | 73.2% | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 72.8% | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 72.5% | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 72.2% | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 71.9% | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 71.5% | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 71.2% | -0.4% |
| 1969 | 70.9% | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 70.6% | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 70.2% | -0.5% |
| 1972 | 69.9% | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 69.5% | -0.6% |
| 1974 | 69.1% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 68.6% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 68.1% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 67.6% | -0.8% |
| 1978 | 67.0% | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 66.4% | -0.9% |
| 1980 | 65.8% | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 64.9% | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 63.8% | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 62.5% | -2.1% |
| 1984 | 61.0% | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 59.4% | -2.6% |
| 1986 | 57.7% | -2.8% |
| 1987 | 56.0% | -3.0% |
| 1988 | 54.2% | -3.1% |
| 1989 | 52.6% | -3.1% |
| 1990 | 51.0% | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 49.5% | -2.9% |
| 1992 | 48.1% | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 46.8% | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 45.4% | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 44.1% | -2.9% |
| 1996 | 42.8% | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 41.5% | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 40.3% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 39.1% | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 38.0% | -2.8% |
| 2001 | 37.0% | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 35.9% | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 34.9% | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 33.9% | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 33.0% | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 32.1% | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 31.2% | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 30.5% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 29.8% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 29.1% | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 28.6% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 28.0% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 27.5% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 27.0% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 26.6% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 26.1% | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 25.8% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 25.4% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 25.2% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 24.9% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 24.5% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 24.0% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 23.6% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 23.1% | -2.0% |
| 2025 | 22.6% | -2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 72.4% | 70.9% | 73.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 68.7% | 66.4% | 70.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 59.8% | 52.6% | 65.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 44.9% | 39.1% | 51.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.6% | 29.8% | 38.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.9% | 25.2% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.8% | 22.6% | 24.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More agriculture & rural data for Malaysia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0822 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,078 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.913 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2261 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 8.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 8.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Malaysia?
- Rural population in Malaysia was 22.6% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 73.9% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.6% in 2025.
- How does Malaysia rank for rural population?
- Malaysia ranks 150th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.