Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malaysia
Malaysia: Distribution of population between different poverty lines was 32.53 million people in 2021. ▲ Rising
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malaysia, 1984–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malaysia is 32.53 million people, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.
The figure is up 6.1% on the previous year and up 41.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malaysia peaked at 32.53 million people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 7.21 million people, in 1984.
That places Malaysia 22nd out of 120 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 7.21 million people | — |
| 1987 | 7.79 million people | +8.2% |
| 1989 | 8.25 million people | +5.9% |
| 1992 | 9.72 million people | +17.7% |
| 1995 | 10.75 million people | +10.6% |
| 1997 | 13.31 million people | +23.9% |
| 2003 | 15.17 million people | +14.0% |
| 2006 | 17.72 million people | +16.8% |
| 2008 | 18.84 million people | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 22.94 million people | +21.8% |
| 2013 | 26.36 million people | +14.9% |
| 2015 | 28.62 million people | +8.6% |
| 2018 | 30.66 million people | +7.2% |
| 2021 | 32.53 million people | +6.1% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 32.53 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8.77 million people, 3.7× the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 32.53 million people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 51.36 million people, 63% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.75 million people | 7.21 million people | 8.25 million people | 3 |
| 1990s | 11.26 million people | 9.72 million people | 13.31 million people | 3 |
| 2000s | 17.24 million people | 15.17 million people | 18.84 million people | 3 |
| 2010s | 27.15 million people | 22.94 million people | 30.66 million people | 4 |
| 2020s | 32.53 million people | 32.53 million people | 32.53 million people | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More poverty & inequality data for Malaysia
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.55 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,524 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 12.57 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 12.6% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malaysia?
- Distribution of population between different poverty lines in Malaysia was 32.53 million people in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 32.53 million people in 2021.
- What is the lowest distribution of population between different poverty lines recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.21 million people in 1984.
- How does Malaysia rank for distribution of population between different poverty lines?
- Malaysia ranks 22nd out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is distribution of population between different poverty lines rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Distribution of population between different poverty lines. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption above $10 per day.