PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s population grows at a slower rate in the third quarter of 2024 with an estimated population of 34.1 million, as compared with 33.6 million in the same period a year ago (Q3 2023) with a slower growth of 1.6 per cent versus 2.1 per cent (Q3 2023).
In a statement today, Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the lower growth could be attributed to the decline of child births.
He said the total population comprised 30.7 million or 90 per cent citizens and 3.4 million or 10 per cent non-citizens.
Mohd Uzir noted that the male population increased to 17.9 million from 17.6 million in the third quarter 2023 and females rose to 16.2 million from 16 million in the same period.
“The overall sex ratio of population was 111 males per 100 females while sex ratio for citizens was 103 males per 100 females,“ he said.
Mohd Uzir said the young age population (0-14 years old) remained unchanged at 7.6 million or 22.2 per cent whilst the composition of working age population (15-64 years) and old population (65 years and over) increased from 23.5 million (70 per cent) and 2.5 million (7.5 per cent) to 23.9 million (70.2 per cent) and 2.6 million (7.7 per cent), respectively.
He added Malays accounted for 58.1 per cent of the population (Q3 2023: 57.9 per cent) and noted that the Chinese and Indian population respectively decreased to 22.4 per cent and 6.5 per cent, as compared to 22.5 per cent and 6.6 per cent in the same period last year, while Other Bumiputeras remained unchanged at 12.3 per cent.
In addition, Mohd Uzir also remarked that the number of live births recorded a decrease of 12.3 per cent with 100,645 births as compared to 113,764 births in Q3 2023.
Selangor recorded the highest live births of 19,458 (19.3 per cent) while Federal Territory of Labuan recorded the lowest at 327 births (0.3 per cent).
Most of 50.3 per cent of Malaysia’s live births are from mother aged 30-39 years followed by aged 20-29 years (42.6 per cent), 40 years and over (5.0 per cent) and less than 20 years (2.1 per cent).
“On average, one baby was born per minute, 46 babies per hour and 1,094 babies per day in the third quarter 2024,“ Mohd Uzir said.
Commenting further, he said a total of 48,317 deaths were recorded, an increase of 1.9 per cent as compared to 47,438 deaths recorded in last year’s Q3.
Age group 60 years and over recorded the highest number of deaths at 33,995 deaths (70.4 per cent), followed by 41-59 years (20.0 per cent), 15-40 years (7.5 per cent) and 0-14 years (2.2 per cent).
“On average, one death was recorded in two minutes, 22 deaths per hour and 525 deaths per day in the third quarter 2024,“ Mohd Uzir said.
