Malaysia's population estimates at 32.7 million in 2020

Commenting on the publication, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the decline of population growth rate was attributed to the decrease in the number of non-citizens from 3.1 million in 2019 to 3.0 million this year.

"This is in line with the closure of our national borders and the return of foreigners to their respective countries during the Movement Control Order (MCO) following the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide," he said in a statement here today.

Mohd Uzir said the growth rate of citizens remained stable at 1.1 per cent with the population increasing from 29.4 million in 2019 to 29.7 million this year.

This year, he said male population outnumbered females with 16.8 million and 15.9 million respectively, with the sex ratio of 106 males per 100 females.

Mohd Uzir said the report also showed that the percentage of the population aged 0-14 years (young age) decreased to 23.3 per cent as compared to 23.5 per cent in 2019.

The overall percentage of 15-64 years (working age) also declined from 69.8 per cent in 2019 to 69.7 per cent in 2020, he said.

"This is due to the lower number of non-citizens, which comprised mostly foreign workers," he said.

According to Mohd Uzir, the percentage of the population aged 65 years and over (old age) had increased from 6.7 per cent to 7.0 per cent over the same period.

"The median age also increased from 28.9 years in 2019 to 29.2 years in 2020," he said.

Mohd Uzir said Malaysia was expected to experience ageing population in 2030 with the percentage of the population aged 60 years and over at 15.3 per cent.

Three states with the highest population composition in 2020 were Selangor (20 per cent) followed by Sabah (12 per cent) and Johor (11.6 per cent), he added.