Country comparison

Malaysia Philippines

How do Malaysia and Philippines compare on area, population, economy and living standards? Every figure below comes from open data, computed at build time.

Malaysia vs Philippines at a glance

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MalaysiaPhilippines — Malaysia's GDP per capita is about 3.1× Philippines's.

Side-by-side metric comparison
MetricMalaysiaPhilippinesA vs B
Population & land
Population36M (2025)116.8M (2025)31%
Population growth1.2% (2025)0.8% (2025)1.4×
Urban population share77.4% (2025)55.8% (2025)1.4×
Population aged 65+8.0% (2025)5.7% (2025)1.4×
Fertility rate1.5 (2024)1.9 (2024)81%
Birth rate12.4‰ (2024)15.9‰ (2024)78%
Death rate5.3‰ (2024)6.4‰ (2024)83%
Net migration166.6K (2025)-149.3K (2025)N/A
Surface area339,752 km²293,246 km²1.2×
Population densityderived106/km² (2025)398/km² (2025)27%
Economy
GDP (total)$472.2B (2025)$487.1B (2025)97%
GDP per capita$13,125 (2025)$4,171 (2025)3.1×
GNI per capita$12,380 (2025)$4,850 (2025)2.6×
GDP growth (annual)5.2% (2025)4.4% (2025)1.2×
Inflation rate1.4% (2025)1.7% (2025)83%
Unemployment rate3.8% (2025)2.2% (2025)1.7×
Gini index40.7 (2021)39.3 (2023)1.0×
Poverty rate ($2.15/day)0.0% (2021)5.3% (2023)N/A
Trade & industry
Exports share of GDP71.0% (2025)26.6% (2025)2.7×
Imports share of GDP65.4% (2025)40.2% (2025)1.6×
Agriculture share of GDP8.2% (2025)8.6% (2025)96%
Manufacturing share of GDP22.1% (2025)15.3% (2025)1.4×
International tourist arrivals4.3M (2020)1.5M (2020)2.9×
Tourism receipts$3.4B (2020)$2.8B (2020)1.2×
Health & education
Life expectancy76.8 years (2024)69.9 years (2024)1.1×
Infant mortality7.0‰ (2024)21.7‰ (2024)32%
Under-five mortality8.3‰ (2024)26.5‰ (2024)31%
DPT immunization93.0% (2024)71.0% (2024)1.3×
Hospital beds2.0 per 1,000 (2023)1.0 per 1,000 (2021)2.0×
Health spending share of GDP4.0% (2023)5.1% (2023)78%
Secondary school enrollment80.3% (2024)85.3% (2024)94%
Education spending share of GDP3.5% (2023)4.0% (2025)89%
Society & living
Human Development Index0.819 (2023)0.720 (2023)1.1×
Internet users98.0% (2024)67.3% (2024)1.5×
Mobile subscriptions139.7 per 100 (2024)115.3 per 100 (2024)1.2×
Fixed broadband13.5 per 100 (2024)7.1 per 100 (2024)1.9×
Electricity access100.0% (2024)94.8% (2024)1.1×
Environment & security
CO₂ emissions per capita8.3 t (2024)1.5 t (2024)5.5×
CO₂ emissions (total)derived296 Mt (2024)174 Mt (2024)1.7×
Renewable electricity share17.0% (2021)22.6% (2021)75%
Renewable energy consumption7.5% (2021)28.0% (2021)27%
Forest area57.7% (2023)24.5% (2023)2.4×
Agricultural land26.1% (2023)42.7% (2023)61%
Arable land2.4% (2023)18.7% (2023)13%
PM2.5 exposure15.9 µg/m³ (2023)22.2 µg/m³ (2023)71%
Military spending1.0% (2024)1.3% (2024)75%

Population density is our own derived metric: latest population ÷ the equal-area surface area computed from Natural Earth boundaries — the same area basis as the true-size tool.

Malaysia

Capital
Kuala Lumpur
Languages
English, Malay
Currencies
MYR
Subregion
South-Eastern Asia

Philippines

Capital
Manila
Languages
English, Filipino
Currencies
PHP
Subregion
South-Eastern Asia

Malaysia vs Philippines in five metrics

Horizontal bar chart comparing Malaysia and Philippines on area, population, GDP, GDP per capita and life expectancy; the longer bar is the larger value within each metric. Malaysia Philippines Surface area 339,752 km² 293,246 km² Population (2025) 36M 116.8M GDP (total) (2025) $472.2B $487.1B GDP per capita (2025) $13,125 $4,171 Life expectancy (2024) 76.8 years 69.9 years

Full metric comparison

Side-by-side metric comparison
Metric Malaysia Philippines A vs B
Population & land
Population 36M (2025) 116.8M (2025) 31%
Population growth 1.2% (2025) 0.8% (2025) 1.4×
Urban population share 77.4% (2025) 55.8% (2025) 1.4×
Population aged 65+ 8.0% (2025) 5.7% (2025) 1.4×
Fertility rate 1.5 (2024) 1.9 (2024) 81%
Birth rate 12.4‰ (2024) 15.9‰ (2024) 78%
Death rate 5.3‰ (2024) 6.4‰ (2024) 83%
Net migration 166.6K (2025) -149.3K (2025) N/A
Surface area 339,752 km² 293,246 km² 1.2×
Population density derived 106/km² (2025) 398/km² (2025) 27%
Economy
GDP (total) $472.2B (2025) $487.1B (2025) 97%
GDP per capita $13,125 (2025) $4,171 (2025) 3.1×
GNI per capita $12,380 (2025) $4,850 (2025) 2.6×
GDP growth (annual) 5.2% (2025) 4.4% (2025) 1.2×
Inflation rate 1.4% (2025) 1.7% (2025) 83%
Unemployment rate 3.8% (2025) 2.2% (2025) 1.7×
Gini index 40.7 (2021) 39.3 (2023) 1.0×
Poverty rate ($2.15/day) 0.0% (2021) 5.3% (2023) N/A
Trade & industry
Exports share of GDP 71.0% (2025) 26.6% (2025) 2.7×
Imports share of GDP 65.4% (2025) 40.2% (2025) 1.6×
Agriculture share of GDP 8.2% (2025) 8.6% (2025) 96%
Manufacturing share of GDP 22.1% (2025) 15.3% (2025) 1.4×
International tourist arrivals 4.3M (2020) 1.5M (2020) 2.9×
Tourism receipts $3.4B (2020) $2.8B (2020) 1.2×
Health & education
Life expectancy 76.8 years (2024) 69.9 years (2024) 1.1×
Infant mortality 7.0‰ (2024) 21.7‰ (2024) 32%
Under-five mortality 8.3‰ (2024) 26.5‰ (2024) 31%
DPT immunization 93.0% (2024) 71.0% (2024) 1.3×
Hospital beds 2.0 per 1,000 (2023) 1.0 per 1,000 (2021) 2.0×
Health spending share of GDP 4.0% (2023) 5.1% (2023) 78%
Secondary school enrollment 80.3% (2024) 85.3% (2024) 94%
Education spending share of GDP 3.5% (2023) 4.0% (2025) 89%
Society & living
Human Development Index 0.819 (2023) 0.720 (2023) 1.1×
Internet users 98.0% (2024) 67.3% (2024) 1.5×
Mobile subscriptions 139.7 per 100 (2024) 115.3 per 100 (2024) 1.2×
Fixed broadband 13.5 per 100 (2024) 7.1 per 100 (2024) 1.9×
Electricity access 100.0% (2024) 94.8% (2024) 1.1×
Environment & security
CO₂ emissions per capita 8.3 t (2024) 1.5 t (2024) 5.5×
CO₂ emissions (total) derived 296 Mt (2024) 174 Mt (2024) 1.7×
Renewable electricity share 17.0% (2021) 22.6% (2021) 75%
Renewable energy consumption 7.5% (2021) 28.0% (2021) 27%
Forest area 57.7% (2023) 24.5% (2023) 2.4×
Agricultural land 26.1% (2023) 42.7% (2023) 61%
Arable land 2.4% (2023) 18.7% (2023) 13%
PM2.5 exposure 15.9 µg/m³ (2023) 22.2 µg/m³ (2023) 71%
Military spending 1.0% (2024) 1.3% (2024) 75%

Population density is our own derived metric: latest population ÷ the equal-area surface area computed from Natural Earth boundaries — the same area basis as the true-size tool.

Reference facts

Metric Malaysia Philippines
Capital Kuala Lumpur Manila
Languages English, Malay English, Filipino
Currencies MYR PHP
Subregion South-Eastern Asia South-Eastern Asia

Frequently asked questions

Which is bigger, Malaysia or Philippines?

Malaysia's surface area is larger: about 1.2× Philippines's (339,752 km² vs 293,246 km²).

Which has a larger population, Malaysia or Philippines?

Malaysia's population is smaller: about 31% of Philippines's (36M vs 116.8M).

Which economy is larger, Malaysia or Philippines?

Malaysia's GDP (total) is smaller: about 97% of Philippines's ($472.2B vs $487.1B).

Open the interactive compare tool with Malaysia and Philippines preselected

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Distance between Malaysia and Philippines →

Malaysia country profile: key metrics vs world median →

Philippines country profile: key metrics vs world median →

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Data & method

Indicators: World Bank Open Data, 43 indicators — CC BY 4.0 © World Bank — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/; Human Development Index — CC BY 3.0 IGO © United Nations Development Programme — https://hdr.undp.org/terms-use

Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:110m (public domain); surface areas are computed with an equal-area spherical formula (Chamberlin–Duquette).

Reference facts (capital, languages, currencies, subregion): mledoze/countries (ODbL).