Malaysia
World Watch List
(2019-2023)
- Population:
- 35,558,000
- Language:
- Malay
- Religion:
- Islam
Malaysia’s history includes early Malay kingdoms, colonial rule by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British, and occupation by Japan during World War II. It gained independence in 1957 and later merged with several territories to form modern Malaysia. Today, it is a rapidly developing nation with a strong economy based on manufacturing, trade, and tourism.
Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country consisting of two regions: Peninsular Malaysia, which shares borders with Thailand to the north and Singapore to the south, and East Malaysia, located on the island of Borneo, sharing borders with Indonesia and Brunei. Covering a total area of approximately 330,803 square kilometers, Malaysia has a population of about 32 million people as of 2023. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya serves as the administrative center. The official language is Malay. Malaysia operates as a federal constitutional monarchy, with a king serving as the head of state and a prime minister as the head of government. The economy is diverse and robust, with key sectors including manufacturing, services, and agriculture. Malaysia is known for its cultural diversity, tropical rainforests, and landmarks such as the Petronas Twin Towers. The country is a member of international organizations such as the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the Commonwealth of Nations.
| Title | Population | Bibles | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malay | 11500000 | 6 | 15 |
| Min Nan Chinese | 3497500 | 10 | 39 |
| Sabah Malay | 3000000 | 0 | 2 |
| Kedah Malay | 2600000 | 0 | 18 |
| Tamil | 1890000 | 10 | 293 |
| Hakka Chinese | 1832800 | 11 | 27 |
| Yue Chinese | 1480200 | 12 | 35 |
| Mandarin Chinese | 1090700 | 46 | 104 |
| Javanese | 900000 | 3 | 34 |
| Kadazan Dusun | 485900 | 1 | 4 |
| Tagalog | 483500 | 8 | 32 |
| Min Bei Chinese | 407100 | 3 | 2 |
| Brunei | 370500 | 0 | 0 |
| Min Dong Chinese | 271800 | 2 | 3 |
| Baba Malay | 258700 | 1 | 1 |
| West Coast Bajau | 246700 | 0 | 0 |
| Nepali | 237900 | 6 | 113 |
| Tausug | 221200 | 2 | 4 |
| Telugu | 120100 | 6 | 42 |
| Central Melanau | 113000 | 0 | 0 |
| Vietnamese | 102700 | 9 | 44 |
| Rohingya | 90800 | 1 | 6 |
| English | 85200 | 242 | 359 |
| Bengali | 82900 | 17 | 164 |
| Sabah Bisaya | 74100 | 0 | 1 |
| Bukar-Sadung Bidayuh | 72400 | 1 | 5 |
| Panjabi | 68700 | 7 | 89 |
| Xiang Chinese | 67200 | 0 | 4 |
| Hindi | 60300 | 13 | 105 |
| Semai | 59000 | 1 | 3 |
| Kannada | 59000 | 6 | 95 |
| Malaysian Sign Language | 58700 | 1 | 0 |
| Madurese | 57300 | 1 | 9 |
| Rungus | 55000 | 1 | 2 |
| Lamaholot | 47700 | 0 | 2 |
| Mainstream Kenyah | 42300 | 1 | 36 |
| Iranian Persian | 42300 | 8 | 70 |
| Malayalam | 35800 | 8 | 18 |
| Temiar | 32000 | 0 | 0 |
| Jakun | 31900 | 0 | 0 |
| Iranun (Malaysia) | 31700 | 0 | 0 |
| Batak Mandailing | 31300 | 0 | 3 |
| Labuk-Kinabatangan Kadazan | 30300 | 1 | 1 |
| Pu-Xian Chinese | 30200 | 2 | 1 |
| Sindhi | 30100 | 3 | 46 |
| Seru | 30000 | 0 | 0 |
| Gujarati | 30000 | 4 | 27 |
| Thai | 29900 | 8 | 72 |
| Burmese | 29900 | 12 | 72 |
| Bau Bidayuh | 29400 | 0 | 2 |
| Lundayeh | 28200 | 1 | 18 |
| Brunei Bisaya | 24700 | 0 | 0 |
| Tatana | 23200 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Tidung | 21100 | 0 | 0 |
| Lotud | 21100 | 0 | 0 |
| Daro-Matu Melanau | 20800 | 0 | 0 |
| Central Sama | 20400 | 2 | 6 |
| Tagal Murut | 20000 | 1 | 5 |
| Southern Sama | 18600 | 1 | 5 |
| Wolio | 18000 | 0 | 4 |
| Sugut Dusun | 17900 | 0 | 3 |
| Buginese | 17800 | 2 | 8 |
| Mapun | 16800 | 2 | 3 |
| Rara Bakati' | 16600 | 0 | 3 |
| Ida'an | 15800 | 1 | 1 |
| Kendayan | 15700 | 0 | 16 |
| Urdu | 15100 | 13 | 81 |
| Japanese | 15000 | 13 | 12 |
| North Levantine Arabic | 15000 | 2 | 21 |
| Tombonuo | 14700 | 1 | 3 |
| Malaccan Creole Portuguese | 14700 | 0 | 0 |
| Western Cham | 13400 | 1 | 2 |
| Kuijau | 11600 | 0 | 0 |
| Bintulu | 11500 | 0 | 0 |
| Iban | 11300 | 2 | 46 |
| Eastern Penan | 11200 | 1 | 0 |
| Tobilung | 10800 | 0 | 0 |
| Timugon Murut | 10300 | 1 | 0 |
| Keningau Murut | 9740 | 0 | 0 |
| Sebuyau | 9540 | 0 | 0 |
| Southern Thai | 8350 | 0 | 21 |
| Rejang Kayan | 8310 | 0 | 0 |
| Semelai | 7510 | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Pashto | 6110 | 4 | 31 |
| Balinese | 6000 | 1 | 5 |
| Lanas Lobu | 5290 | 0 | 0 |
| Bonggi | 5290 | 1 | 0 |
| Balau | 5000 | 0 | 0 |
| Duano | 4990 | 0 | 0 |
| Kimaragang | 4920 | 1 | 0 |
| Remun | 4870 | 0 | 0 |
| Sebop | 4750 | 0 | 0 |
| Sinhala | 4440 | 5 | 15 |
| Narom | 4390 | 0 | 0 |
| Tampias Lobu | 4240 | 0 | 0 |
| Dumpas | 4230 | 0 | 0 |
| Western Penan | 4170 | 1 | 3 |
| Baram Kayan | 4150 | 1 | 1 |
| Kelabit | 4000 | 1 | 1 |
| Uma' Lasan | 3430 | 0 | 5 |
| Kalabakan | 3290 | 0 | 0 |
| Southern Tidung | 3170 | 0 | 1 |
| Besisi | 3000 | 0 | 0 |
| Sembakung Murut | 2940 | 0 | 1 |
| Kota Marudu Talantang | 2650 | 0 | 0 |
| Molbog | 2640 | 1 | 2 |
| Bookan | 2540 | 0 | 0 |
| Jah Hut | 2500 | 0 | 0 |
| Semaq Beri | 2400 | 0 | 0 |
| Okolod | 2330 | 0 | 0 |
| Klias River Kadazan | 2110 | 0 | 0 |
| Gana | 2110 | 0 | 0 |
| Sekapan | 2050 | 0 | 0 |
| Orang Seletar | 1910 | 0 | 1 |
| Upper Kinabatangan | 1810 | 0 | 6 |
| Paluan | 1800 | 0 | 0 |
| Central Berawan | 1720 | 0 | 1 |
| Long Wat | 1640 | 0 | 1 |
| Sa'ban | 1630 | 1 | 1 |
| Jehai | 1550 | 0 | 0 |
| Abai Sungai | 1480 | 0 | 0 |
| Minokok | 1470 | 0 | 0 |
| East Berawan | 1260 | 0 | 0 |
| Punan Bah-Biau | 1230 | 0 | 0 |
| Ambonese Malay | 1230 | 3 | 5 |
| Yakan | 1200 | 2 | 7 |
| Wahau Kenyah | 1200 | 1 | 0 |
| Sibu Melanau | 1150 | 0 | 0 |
| West Berawan | 1140 | 0 | 0 |
| Kajaman | 1130 | 0 | 0 |
| Murik (Malaysia) | 1100 | 0 | 0 |
| Serudung Murut | 1050 | 0 | 0 |
| Tringgus-Sembaan Bidayuh | 1030 | 0 | 0 |
| Penang Sign Language | 1000 | 0 | 0 |
| Semnam | 980 | 0 | 0 |
| Selungai Murut | 880 | 0 | 0 |
| Lahanan | 790 | 0 | 0 |
| Tring | 760 | 0 | 0 |
| Chewong | 540 | 0 | 0 |
| Kanowit-Tanjong Melanau | 530 | 0 | 1 |
| Selangor Sign Language | 500 | 0 | 0 |
| Papar | 500 | 0 | 0 |
| Belait | 490 | 0 | 0 |
| Lanoh | 370 | 0 | 0 |
| Ukit | 270 | 0 | 0 |
| Kensiu | 250 | 0 | 0 |
| Mintil | 220 | 0 | 0 |
| Minriq | 210 | 0 | 0 |
| Ten'edn | 150 | 0 | 0 |
| Kintaq | 130 | 0 | 0 |
| Sian | 71 | 0 | 0 |
| Punan Batu 1 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
| Standard Malay | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Negeri Sembilan Malay | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Temuan | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Temoq | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Balangingi | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Orang Kanaq | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malay | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Kiput | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chinese Sign Language | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cocos Islands Malay | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malaccan Creole Malay | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Batek | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Biatah Bidayuh | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bukitan | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Banjar | 0 | 1 | 19 |
| Achinese | 0 | 1 | 7 |