Malaysia’s population reached 34.3 million in Q4 2025, with growth slowing to 0.6% amid declining births and a continuing ageing trend.

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s population grew to an estimated 34.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2025.

This marks an increase from 34.1 million a year earlier, but the growth rate slowed significantly to 0.6% from 1.2% previously.

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the composition of citizens and non-citizens remained steady at 90.1% and 9.9% respectively.

The male population rose to 18 million, while females increased to 16.3 million, resulting in an overall sex ratio of 110 males for every 100 females.

The data indicates a continuing demographic shift towards an older population.

The proportion of those aged 65 and above increased to 8%, up from 7.8% in the same quarter of 2024.

Meanwhile, the young population (0–14 years) declined slightly to 21.6%, and the working-age group (15–64 years) edged up to 70.4%.

Ethnic composition remained unchanged, with Malays comprising 58.2% of the population.

Chinese accounted for 22.2%, other Bumiputera 12.3%, and Indians 6.5%.

A key driver of the slowing growth is a continued decline in live births.

Births fell by 5.4% to 99,353 in Q4 2025, down from 105,027 a year earlier.

Male babies outnumbered females with 51,340 births, resulting in a sex ratio at birth of 107 males for every 100 females.

Selangor recorded the highest number of live births at 18,517, while Labuan recorded the lowest at 331.

Mothers aged 30-39 years accounted for the highest number of births at 49,432, or 49.8% of the total.

“On average, one baby was born per minute, 45 babies per hour and 1,080 babies per day in the fourth quarter 2025,” Mohd Uzir said.

Conversely, the number of recorded deaths increased by 1.3% to 51,077.

Male deaths numbered 29,358, compared to 21,719 female deaths, yielding a mortality sex ratio of 135 males for every 100 females.

Selangor also recorded the highest number of deaths at 7,990, while Putrajaya recorded the lowest at 82.

Individuals aged 60 and over accounted for 70.1% of all deaths.

“On average, one death was recorded every two minutes, 23 deaths per hour and 555 deaths per day,” Mohd Uzir added.

He noted that declining birth and fertility rates are a global trend.

Many countries, including South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, now have fertility rates below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman.

This raises widespread concerns about ageing populations and future workforce sustainability.

 The Sun Malaysia