Number of people living in extreme poverty: September 2024 data vs. latest data in Malaysia
Malaysia: Number of people living in extreme poverty: September 2024 data vs. latest data was 4,510 people in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Number of people living in extreme poverty: September 2024 data vs. latest data in Malaysia, 1984–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2021, number of people living in extreme poverty: september 2024 data vs. latest data in Malaysia stood at 4,510 people. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.
That represents a change of down 54.9% on the previous year and down 95.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in extreme poverty: september 2024 data vs. latest data in Malaysia peaked at 1.06 million people in 1995 and was at its lowest, 4,510 people, in 2021.
Malaysia ranks 107th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in extreme poverty: September 2024 data vs. latest data in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 982,360 people | — |
| 1987 | 953,166 people | -3.0% |
| 1989 | 855,188 people | -10.3% |
| 1992 | 942,482 people | +10.2% |
| 1995 | 1.06 million people | +12.9% |
| 1997 | 366,371 people | -65.6% |
| 2003 | 783,065 people | +113.7% |
| 2006 | 438,937 people | -43.9% |
| 2008 | 410,799 people | -6.4% |
| 2011 | 106,185 people | -74.2% |
| 2013 | 32,791 people | -69.1% |
| 2015 | 16,589 people | -49.4% |
| 2018 | 9,997 people | -39.7% |
| 2021 | 4,510 people | -54.9% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 4,510 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 88,601 people, 5% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 4,510 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 230,843 people, 2% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 930,238 people | 855,188 people | 982,360 people | 3 |
| 1990s | 790,918 people | 366,371 people | 1.06 million people | 3 |
| 2000s | 544,267 people | 410,799 people | 783,065 people | 3 |
| 2010s | 41,390 people | 9,997 people | 106,185 people | 4 |
| 2020s | 4,510 people | 4,510 people | 4,510 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 number of people living in extreme poverty: september 2024 data vs. latest data in Malaysia?
- Number of people living in extreme poverty: september 2024 data vs. latest data in Malaysia was 4,510 people in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in extreme poverty: september 2024 data vs. latest data recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.06 million people in 1995.
- What is the lowest number of people living in extreme poverty: september 2024 data vs. latest data recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,510 people in 2021.
- How does Malaysia rank for number of people living in extreme poverty: september 2024 data vs. latest data?
- Malaysia ranks 107th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is number of people living in extreme poverty: september 2024 data vs. latest data rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 95.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Number of people living in extreme poverty: September 2024 data vs. latest data. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in households with an income or consumption below $3 per day.