Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malaysia
Malaysia: Total shortfall from extreme poverty was 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malaysia, 1984–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices for total shortfall from extreme poverty in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 86.7% on the previous year and down 98.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malaysia peaked at 183.06 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2003 and was at its lowest, 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 2021.
Malaysia ranks 111th 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.
Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 162.93 million international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1987 | 131.69 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -19.2% |
| 1989 | 99.32 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -24.6% |
| 1992 | 116.96 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +17.8% |
| 1995 | 145.86 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +24.7% |
| 1997 | 20.23 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -86.1% |
| 2003 | 183.06 million international-$ in 2021 prices | +804.7% |
| 2006 | 101.99 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -44.3% |
| 2008 | 91.62 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -10.2% |
| 2011 | 18.54 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -79.8% |
| 2013 | 5.82 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -68.6% |
| 2015 | 2.81 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -51.7% |
| 2018 | 2.07 million international-$ in 2021 prices | -26.6% |
| 2021 | 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices | -86.7% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.83 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 1% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 130.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices, 0% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malaysia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +804.7% | 20.23 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 183.06 million international-$ in 2021 prices |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 131.31 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 99.32 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 162.93 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
| 1990s | 94.35 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 20.23 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 145.86 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
| 2000s | 125.56 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 91.62 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 183.06 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 3 |
| 2010s | 7.31 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 2.07 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 18.54 million international-$ in 2021 prices | 4 |
| 2020s | 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices | 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices | 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 108 Thailand 1.08 million international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 109 Albania 976,820 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 110 Moldova 493,421 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 112 Iceland 219,746 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 113 Luxembourg 213,382 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 114 Cyprus 104,217 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
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 total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malaysia?
- Total shortfall from extreme poverty in Malaysia was 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 183.06 million international-$ in 2021 prices in 2003.
- What is the lowest total shortfall from extreme poverty recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 275,677 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2021.
- How does Malaysia rank for total shortfall from extreme poverty?
- Malaysia ranks 111th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is total shortfall from extreme poverty rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 98.5%. 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 Total shortfall from extreme poverty. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
This is the amount of money that would be theoretically needed to lift the income or consumption of all people in poverty up to $3 per day. However, this is not a measure of the actual cost of eliminating poverty, since it does not take into account the costs involved in making the necessary transfers nor any changes in behavior they would bring about.