Malaysia’s rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between its crude birth rate and crude death rate—has been gradually declining over the past decades, reflecting broader demographic transitions in Southeast Asia. As of recent data, Malaysia’s RNI stands at around 1.3% per year, which is higher than the rates in neighboring Thailand (approximately 0.1%) and Singapore (close to 0%), both of which are experiencing very low birth rates and aging populations. In contrast, Malaysia’s RNI is lower than that of Indonesia (about 1.1%) and significantly below the Philippines (around 1.5–1.6%), where higher fertility rates persist. While Malaysia’s population continues to grow, its declining RNI signals a shift toward lower fertility and an aging society, albeit at a slower pace than some of its more developed neighbors.
| Year | Rate of Natural Increase | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.539 | 13,460,089 |
| 1985 | 2.566 | 15,685,144 |
| 1990 | 2.363 | 17,999,653 |
| 1995 | 2.179 | 20,499,808 |
| 2000 | 1.519 | 23,332,868 |
| 2005 | 1.354 | 26,261,658 |
| 2010 | 1.241 | 29,062,898 |
| 2015 | 1.169 | 31,241,608 |
| 2020 | 0.926 | 33,164,013 |
| 2024 | 0.848 | 34,564,810 |
| 2025 | 0.825 | 34,905,275 |
| 2026 | 0.801 | 35,240,479 |
| 2030 | 0.703 | 36,519,679 |
| 2035 | 0.578 | 37,957,793 |
| 2040 | 0.474 | 39,217,435 |
| 2045 | 0.389 | 40,325,234 |
| 2050 | 0.306 | 41,286,972 |
| 2055 | 0.222 | 42,087,828 |
| 2060 | 0.135 | 42,716,266 |
| 2065 | 0.05 | 43,164,952 |
| 2070 | -0.033 | 43,432,280 |
| 2075 | -0.107 | 43,526,973 |
| 2080 | -0.169 | 43,472,449 |
| 2085 | -0.215 | 43,302,138 |
| 2090 | -0.241 | 43,056,482 |
| 2095 | -0.251 | 42,776,333 |
| 2100 | -0.251 | 42,490,385 |
Data from US Census International Database