Share of population in extreme poverty in Malaysia

Malaysia: Share of population in extreme poverty was 0.0131 in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
0.0131
Change on year
down 56.6%
World rank
114th
of 120 countries
All-time high
6.66
in 1984
All-time low
0.0131
in 2021
Years of data
14
1984–2021

Share of population in extreme poverty in Malaysia, 1984–2021

02461984200220211984: 6.71987: 5.91989: 4.91992: 51995: 5.21997: 1.72003: 3.22006: 1.72008: 1.52011: 0.3642013: 0.1092015: 0.0522018: 0.032021: 0.013

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

Malaysia recorded 0.0131 for share of population in extreme poverty in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.

That represents a change of down 56.6% on the previous year and down 96.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population in extreme poverty in Malaysia peaked at 6.66 in 1984 and was at its lowest, 0.0131, in 2021.

That places Malaysia 114th out of 120 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Share of population in extreme poverty in Malaysia, year by year

Annual values for Share of population in extreme poverty in Malaysia, 1984 to 2021.
Year Value Change
1984 6.66
1987 5.86 -12.0%
1989 4.94 -15.7%
1992 5 +1.3%
1995 5.23 +4.6%
1997 1.71 -67.2%
2003 3.17 +85.1%
2006 1.66 -47.6%
2008 1.48 -10.8%
2011 0.3641 -75.4%
2013 0.1087 -70.2%
2015 0.0523 -51.9%
2018 0.0302 -42.3%
2021 0.0131 -56.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 5.82 4.94 6.66 3
1990s 3.98 1.71 5.23 3
2000s 2.11 1.48 3.17 3
2010s 0.1388 0.0302 0.3641 4
2020s 0.0131 0.0131 0.0131 1

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 111 Ukraine 0.0338 compare
  2. 112 Thailand 0.0147 compare
  3. 113 Cyprus 0.0132 compare
  4. 115 Bhutan 0.007 compare
  5. 116 Azerbaijan 0 compare
  6. 116 Belarus 0 compare
  7. 116 China 0 compare
  8. 116 Czechia 0 compare
  9. 116 Slovenia 0 compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More poverty & inequality data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population in extreme poverty in Malaysia?
Share of population in extreme poverty in Malaysia was 0.0131 in 2021, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of population in extreme poverty recorded in Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 6.66 in 1984.
What is the lowest share of population in extreme poverty recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0131 in 2021.
How does Malaysia rank for share of population in extreme poverty?
Malaysia ranks 114th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
Is share of population in extreme poverty rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is down 96.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malaysia data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population in extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of population in extreme poverty in Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://poverty.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-population-in-extreme-poverty/malaysia/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of population in extreme poverty
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
120 places, 2,148 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed