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Bhutan vs Malaysia: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 162 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more ā€” latest data through 2026.

Bhutan
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Leads on 57 of 162 metrics
Malaysia
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Leads on 99 of 162 metrics

Summary

Malaysia has 45.4 times as many people as Bhutan (36.4 million vs 801,839). Malaysia's economy is 143 times the size of Bhutan's ($466.53 billion vs $3.27 billion GDP).

Comparing Bhutan and Malaysia: Bhutan leads on Major Urban Areas Population (203,000 people) against Malaysia (8.62 people); Bhutan leads on Labor Force Participation Rate (406,500) against Malaysia (18.26); Bhutan leads on Radios (37,000) against Malaysia (10.90). Across 162 compared metrics, Bhutan wins on 57 and Malaysia wins on 99.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 60 metrics compared
  • Environment: 10 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡¹ BhutanšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration2.92 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants13.55 subscriptions per 100 inhabitantsā˜…
Internet Penetration Rate (%)91.28 %98.02 %ā˜…
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)88.43 %97.69 %ā˜…
Internet Userspercent of population: 88% (2023 est.)percent of population: 98% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed2.92 Mbps13.55 Mbpsā˜…
Press Freedom Index Score32.62 points56.09 pointsā˜…
Radios37,000ā˜…10.9
Televisions11,000ā˜…10.8
Waterwaysnone7,296

Economy

60 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡¹ BhutanšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country530.68M $47.38B $ā˜…
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars3.27B $466.53B $ā˜…
AI Investment (% of GDP)45.27 %ā˜…22.8 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate33.67 %80.67 %ā˜…
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)6 %ā˜…3 %
Coal Revenue00.02ā˜…
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)15 %ā˜…4.61 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.1 % of GDP3.8 % of GDPā˜…
Ease of Doing Business Index6683.3ā˜…
Electricity Consumption2.18136.9ā˜…
Electricity Exports5.76ā˜…3
Electricity from Fossil Fuels178ā˜…
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants99ā˜…18
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables04ā˜…
Electricity Imports84ā˜…33
Electricity Installed Capacity1.6333ā˜…
Electricity Production7.88148.3ā˜…
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)64.08 USD per capita113.16 USD per capitaā˜…
Female Labor Force Participation Rate59.65 %ā˜…56.67 %
Gini Index Coefficient28.540.7ā˜…
Gross Fixed Investment46ā˜…20.3
Gross National Saving40.4ā˜…28.5
Highest GDP per Capita Countries16,743.87 USD35,461.45 USDā˜…
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)0 %4.9 %ā˜…
Inflation Rate3.56 %1.38 %ā˜…
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.8 %1.8 %ā˜…
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1 % of GDP2.03 % of GDPā˜…
Natural Gas Consumption030.44ā˜…
Natural Gas Exports038.23ā˜…
Natural Gas Imports02.8ā˜…
Natural Gas Production069.49ā˜…
Natural Gas Proved Reserves01.18ā˜…
Oil Consumption1,000561,000ā˜…
Oil Exports0644,900ā˜…
Oil Imports1,549355,300ā˜…
Oil Production0664,800ā˜…
Oil Proved Reserves04ā˜…
Population Below Poverty Line12.4 people6.2 peopleā˜…
Private Investment (% of GDP)35.54 % of GDPā˜…15.89 % of GDP
Public Debt11164.3ā˜…
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)4.9 USD5.1 USDā˜…
Real Interest Rate Trends8.34 %ā˜…5.3 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption3,000704,000ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0208,400ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Imports3,120304,600ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Production0528,300ā˜…
Remittances3.6ā˜…0.4
Revenue from Forest Resources1.89ā˜…1.57
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)23.093.17ā˜…
Tax Burden (% of GDP)12.28 %10.88 %ā˜…
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)12.28 % of GDPā˜…10.88 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues12.312.6ā˜…
Top Exporting Countries855.30M USD274.68B USDā˜…
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.08 %3.69 %ā˜…
Tourism Contribution to GDP9.52 %ā˜…6.76 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)9.52 %ā˜…6.76 %
Unemployment Rate2.9 %ā˜…3.9 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate64.82 %ā˜…66.12 %
Youth Unemployment Rate17.05 %11.95 %ā˜…

Environment

10 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡¹ BhutanšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Annual COā‚‚ Emissions Growth (abs)27,768ā˜…13.93M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-8,483.98 %ā˜…-60,000 %
Average Annual Temperature9.76 Ā°C25.87 Ā°Cā˜…
Carbon Dioxide Emissions733,000260.01ā˜…
Global Precipitation Distribution2,741.29 mm3,150.09 mmā˜…
Protected Land Area for Adaptation52.17 sq kmā˜…13.3 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage51.6 %ā˜…13.3 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country8.1 Cubic meters per year64 Cubic meters per yearā˜…
Total Renewable Water Resources78580ā˜…
Total Threatened Mammal Species28 speciesā˜…80 species

Geography

7 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡¹ BhutanšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization0.41 %4.11 %ā˜…
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)269.32ā˜…209.87
Agricultural land5,340 sq. km85,710 sq. kmā˜…
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km38,140328,550ā˜…
Coastline Length (km)0 km4,675 kmā˜…
Dam capacity per capita0 cubic meters per inhabitant611.58 cubic meters per inhabitantā˜…
Irrigated Land3204,420ā˜…

Government

9 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡¹ BhutanšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country73.22 %ā˜…67.87 %
Administrative Divisions20ā˜…13
Corruption Perception Index72 index50 indexā˜…
Corruption Perceptions Index Score72 indexā˜…50 index
Independence1731ā˜…
LGBT Rights Index Score-0.34ā˜…-2.46
Prison Population Rate145 per 100,000ā˜…160 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception7250ā˜…
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡¹ BhutanšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water65.59 %94.7 %ā˜…
Average BMI for Adults23.5 kg/mĀ²25.3 kg/mĀ²ā˜…
Change in Measles Immunization Rate97 %ā˜…96 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)1221.1ā˜…
Female Life Expectancy Leaders73.26 years76.82 yearsā˜…
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.84 per 1,000 births0.48 per 1,000 birthsā˜…
Health Care Spending per Capita831.27 USD1,703.34 USDā˜…
Health Coverage Index Score69 score80 scoreā˜…
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.8 % of GDP4.4 % of GDPā˜…
Highest Male Life Expectancy73.26 years76.82 yearsā˜…
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.2 %ā˜…0.3 %
Hospital Bed Density2.2 people/sq kmā˜…2 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita2.16 beds per 1,000ā˜…1.96 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence11.43 %ā˜…13.81 %
Malaria Incidence Rate0.02 cases per 1,000ā˜…0.07 cases per 1,000
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)47 %26 %ā˜…
Nurses and Midwives Density2.05 per 1,000 people4.03 per 1,000 peopleā˜…
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)6.4 %ā˜…15.6 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending25.46 %ā˜…37.09 %
People Living With HIV/AIDS1,300ā˜…92,000
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People0 per 100,000 people1 per 100,000 peopleā˜…
Total Number of Doctors0.552.29ā˜…
Underweight Children Under 58.7ā˜…15.3

Military and Security

1 metric
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡¹ BhutanšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)6,000116,100ā˜…

People and Society

38 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡¹ BhutanšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Currently married (Percent)62.61 %ā˜…58.88 %
Human Capital Index0.480.65ā˜…
Life expectancy at birth75.85 years80.87 yearsā˜…
Median age of population31.05 years31.44 yearsā˜…
Population Change5,159.8 persons428,622.9 personsā˜…
Population density20.89 per sq. kmā˜…110.8 per sq. km
Total population801,838.5 persons36.40M personsā˜…
Academic Freedom Index0.4ā˜…0.29
Beer Consumption per Capita4.06 litersā˜…0.51 liters
Birth Rate (%)15.05 %ā˜…14.05 %
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA52.2 %
Crude Birth Rate12.53 per 1,000 peopleā˜…12.36 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.75 %ā˜…5.8 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.8 % of GDPā˜…3.5 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age224,451.5 persons9.69M personsā˜…
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)13.79 %45.85 %ā˜…
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate2.92 %13.55 %ā˜…
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth104.44 male/female106.37 male/femaleā˜…
Labor Force Participation Rate406,500ā˜…18.26
Learning-adjusted years of school6.33 years9.72 yearsā˜…
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population203,000 peopleā˜…8.62 people
Mean Male Height (cm)165.31167.88ā˜…
Military Manpower at Military Age1821ā˜…
Military Service Age and Obligation18ā˜…17
Old-Age Dependency Ratio8.82 %ā˜…10.6 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization32.87 %83.21 %ā˜…
Physician Density0.55 people/sq km2.34 people/sq kmā˜…
Population Growth Rate0.93 %0.97 %ā˜…
Population living in slums43.64 %ā˜…0.2 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio34.5611.66ā˜…
Total deaths4,794.9 personsā˜…179,998.3 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)48.35 %ā˜…42.17 %
Total fertility rate1.42 per woman1.53 per womanā˜…
Total net-migration139.8 persons162,673.4 personsā˜…
Under-five mortality rate19.55 per live births5.53 per live birthsā˜…
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.66 %ā˜…1.79 %
Voting Age Population59.08 millions62.14 millionsā˜…

Transportation

4 metrics
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡¹ BhutanšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.411.58ā˜…
Airports4100ā˜…
Civil Air Travel153ā˜…
Heliports824ā˜…

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
MetricšŸ‡§šŸ‡¹ BhutanšŸ‡²šŸ‡¾ MalaysiaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita199.11M USD24.59B USDā˜…

Frequently Asked Questions About Bhutan vs Malaysia

Which has a larger population, Bhutan or Malaysia?ā–¾

Malaysia. Malaysia has 45.4 times as many people as Bhutan (36.4 million vs 801,839). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Bhutan or Malaysia?ā–¾

Malaysia. Malaysia's economy is 143 times the size of Bhutan's ($466.53 billion vs $3.27 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Bhutan or Malaysia?ā–¾

Malaysia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $12,818 in Malaysia vs $4,081 in Bhutan (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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