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Kiribati vs Malaysia: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 141 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Kiribati
kir
Leads on 38 of 141 metrics
Malaysia
mys
Leads on 94 of 141 metrics

Summary

Malaysia has 263 times as many people as Kiribati (36.4 million vs 138,459). Malaysia's economy is 1,351 times the size of Kiribati's ($466.53 billion vs $345.45 million GDP).

Comparing Kiribati and Malaysia: Malaysia leads on Top Exporting Countries (274.68 billion USD) against Kiribati (17.09 million USD); Malaysia leads on Tourism Receipts per Capita (24.59 billion USD) against Kiribati (2.10 million USD); Kiribati leads on Major Urban Areas Population (64,000 people) against Malaysia (8.62 people). Across 141 compared metrics, Kiribati wins on 38 and Malaysia wins on 94.

  • Communications: 8 metrics compared
  • Economy: 50 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 5 metrics compared
  • Government: 6 metrics compared
  • Health: 22 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 34 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 3 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

8 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration0.03 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants13.55 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)89.44 %98.02 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)88 %97.69 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 88% (2023 est.)percent of population: 98% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed0.03 Mbps13.55 Mbps★
Radios17,000★10.9
Televisions1,000★10.8
Waterways57,200★

Economy

50 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country62.32M $47.38B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars345.45M $466.53B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)25.85 %★22.8 %
Coal Revenue00.02★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)12.1 % of GDP★3.8 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index78.483.3★
Electricity Consumption26.97136.9★
Electricity Exports03★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7378★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants018★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables27★4
Electricity Imports033★
Electricity Installed Capacity11,000★33
Electricity Production29148.3★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)8.58 USD per capita113.16 USD per capita★
Gini Index Coefficient27.840.7★
Highest GDP per Capita Countries3,364 USD35,461.45 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)-6.2 %4.9 %★
Inflation Rate2.46 %1.83 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)9.3 %1.8 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)NA2.03 % of GDP
Natural Gas Consumption030.44★
Natural Gas Exports038.23★
Natural Gas Imports02.8★
Natural Gas Production069.49★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves01.18★
Oil Consumption300561,000★
Oil Exports0644,900★
Oil Imports284355,300★
Oil Production0664,800★
Oil Proved Reserves04★
Population Below Poverty Line21.9 people6.2 people★
Public Debt22.9★64.3
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5.3 USD★5.1 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption400704,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports0208,400★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports420304,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0528,300★
Remittances4★0.4
Revenue from Forest Resources0.041.57★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)21.281.66★
Tax Burden (% of GDP)17.53 %12.56 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)17.53 % of GDP★12.56 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues17.7★12.6
Top Exporting Countries17.09M USD274.68B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)2.35 %3.69 %★
Tourism Contribution to GDP0.72 %6.76 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)0.72 %6.76 %★
Unemployment Rate30.6 %4.61 %★

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)3,169★13.93M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate0 %★-60,000 %
Average Annual Temperature26.25 °C★25.87 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions81,000260.01★
Global Precipitation Distribution592.83 mm3,150.09 mm★
Population Distributionconsists of three archipelagos spread out over an area roughly the size of India; the eastern Line Islands and central Phoenix Islands are sparsely populated, but the western Gilbert Islands are some of the most densely settled places on earth, with the ma highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsula
Protected Land Area for Adaptation23.05 sq km★13.3 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage22.9 %★13.3 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0 Cubic meters per year64 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources0580★
Total Threatened Mammal Species2 species★80 species

Geography

5 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization2.25 %4.11 %★
Agricultural land340 sq. km85,710 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km810328,550★
Coastline Length (km)1,143 km4,675 km★
Irrigated Land04,420★

Government

6 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country59.99 %67.87 %★
Administrative Divisions313★
Independence1231★
LGBT Rights Index Score0.61★-2.46
Prison Population Rate113 per 100,000★180 per 100,000
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

22 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water15.09 %94.7 %★
Average BMI for Adults29 kg/m²★25.3 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate79 %96 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)24.6★21.1
Female Life Expectancy Leaders66.6 years76.82 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.86 per 1,000 births0.48 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita461.87 USD1,703.34 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score51 score80 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)14.8 % of GDP★4.4 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy66.6 years76.82 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA0.3 %
Hospital Bed Density1.9 people/sq km2 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.86 beds per 1,0001.88 beds per 1,000★
Low Birth Weight Prevalence9.03 %★13.81 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)80 %26 %★
Nurses and Midwives Density3.63 per 1,000 people3.95 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)46 %15.6 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending2.91 %★37.09 %
People Living With HIV/AIDSNA92,000
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People1 per 100,000 people1 per 100,000 people
Total Number of Doctors0.191.56★
Underweight Children Under 56.9★15.3

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Active Military Personnel0 personnel113,000 personnel★

People and Society

34 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Currently married (Percent)65.71 %★58.88 %
Human Capital Index0.560.65★
Life expectancy at birth69.48 years80.87 years★
Median age of population23.1 years31.44 years★
Population Change1,922.9 persons428,622.9 persons★
Population density190.85 per sq. km110.8 per sq. km★
Total population138,459 persons36.40M persons★
Beer Consumption per Capita0.24 liters0.51 liters★
Birth Rate (%)19.4 %★14.05 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate33.5 %52.2 %★
Crude Birth Rate25.31 per 1,000 people★12.36 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)6.88 %5.8 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)16.4 % of GDP★3.5 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age36,151.8 persons9.69M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)6.91 %45.85 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate0.03 %13.55 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.31 male/female106.37 male/female★
Labor Force Participation Rate39,000★16.74
Learning-adjusted years of school8.03 years9.72 years★
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population64,000 people★8.62 people
Mean Male Height (cm)169.2★167.88
Old-Age Dependency Ratio6.76 %★10.6 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization66.1 %83.21 %★
Physician Density0.2 people/sq km2.34 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate0.98 %★0.97 %
Population living in slums3.37 %★0.2 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio25.4911.66★
Total deaths922.7 persons★179,998.3 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)40.09 %42.17 %★
Total fertility rate3.06 per woman★1.53 per woman
Total net-migration-523.4 persons162,673.4 persons★
Under-five mortality rate51.97 per live births5.53 per live births★
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate2.92 %★1.79 %

Transportation

3 metrics
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)0.191.58★
Airports21100★
Civil Air Travel253★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇰🇮 Kiribati🇲🇾 MalaysiaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita2.10M USD24.59B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Kiribati vs Malaysia

Which has a larger population, Kiribati or Malaysia?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia has 263 times as many people as Kiribati (36.4 million vs 138,459). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Kiribati or Malaysia?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia's economy is 1,351 times the size of Kiribati's ($466.53 billion vs $345.45 million GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Kiribati or Malaysia?▾

Malaysia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $12,818 in Malaysia vs $2,495 in Kiribati (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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