Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

Malaysia vs Nauru: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 128 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Malaysia
mys
Leads on 79 of 128 metrics
Nauru
nru
Leads on 38 of 128 metrics

Summary

Malaysia has 3,007 times as many people as Nauru (36.4 million vs 12,105). Malaysia's economy is 2,681 times the size of Nauru's ($466.53 billion vs $174.04 million GDP).

Comparing Malaysia and Nauru: Malaysia leads on Agricultural land (85,710 sq. km) against Nauru (4 sq. km); Malaysia leads on Tourism Receipts per Capita (17.90 billion USD) against Nauru (930,114 USD); Malaysia leads on Airports per 1,000 Sq Km (328,550) against Nauru (20). Across 128 compared metrics, Malaysia wins on 79 and Nauru wins on 38.

  • Communications: 8 metrics compared
  • Economy: 44 metrics compared
  • Environment: 9 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 6 metrics compared
  • Health: 20 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 1 metric compared
  • People and Society: 31 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 2 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

8 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇳🇷 NauruShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration12.18 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★9.96 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)98.02 %★83.01 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)89.56 %★81.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 98% (2023 est.)percent of population: 82% (2020 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed12.18 Mbps★9.96 Mbps
Radios10.97,000★
Televisions10.8500★
Waterways7,296none

Economy

44 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇳🇷 NauruShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country47.38B $★3.98M $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars466.53B $★174.04M $
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.8 % of GDP9.6 % of GDP★
Electricity Consumption136.9★22.32
Electricity Exports3★0
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7886★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants18★0
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables414★
Electricity Imports33★0
Electricity Installed Capacity337,000★
Electricity Production148.3★24
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)123.76 USD per capita★0 USD per capita
Gini Index Coefficient41.1★34.8
Highest GDP per Capita Countries35,461.45 USD★12,134.89 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.43 %4.3 %★
Inflation Rate1.66 %-0.12 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.8 %★2.6 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.03 % of GDPNA
Natural Gas Consumption30.44★0
Natural Gas Exports38.23★0
Natural Gas Imports2.8★0
Natural Gas Production69.49★0
Natural Gas Proved Reserves1.18★0
Oil Consumption561,000★1,300
Oil Exports644,900★0
Oil Imports355,300★1,044
Oil Production664,800★0
Oil Proved Reserves4★0
Population Below Poverty Line5.6 peopleNA
Public Debt64.3★65
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5.1 USD★1.8 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption704,000★470
Refined Petroleum Products Exports208,400★0
Refined Petroleum Products Imports304,600★449
Refined Petroleum Products Production528,300★0
Remittances0.40.6★
Revenue from Forest Resources1.57★0
Tax Burden (% of GDP)12.43 %★21.42 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)12.43 % of GDP21.42 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues12.644.4★
Top Exporting Countries301.22B USD★89.95M USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.69 %★-3.48 %
Unemployment Rate4.61 %★23 %

Environment

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇳🇷 NauruShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)13.93M2,685★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-60,000 %0 %★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions260.01★86,000
Population Distributiona highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsulamost people live in the fertile coastal areas, especially along the southwest coast
Protected Land Area for Adaptation13.3 sq km★0 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage13.3 %★0 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country64 Cubic meters per year★0.01 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources580★10
Total Threatened Mammal Species80 species2 species★

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇳🇷 NauruShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization4.11 %61.77 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)209.87★0
Agricultural land85,710 sq. km★4 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km328,550★20
Coastline Length (km)4,675 km★30 km
Irrigated Land4,420★0

Government

6 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇳🇷 NauruShare
Rule of Law Index by Country67.87 %★56.37 %
Administrative Divisions1314★
Independence3131
LGBT Rights Index Score-2.462.07★
Prison Population Rate126 per 100,000★260 per 100,000
Suffrage Participation Rate1820★

Health

20 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇳🇷 NauruShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water94.7 %★18.66 %
Average BMI for Adults25.3 kg/m²32.2 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate96 %98 %★
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)21.121.8★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.82 years★62.28 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.48 per 1,000 births★0.52 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita1,703.34 USD3,533.9 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score80 score★62 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.4 % of GDP13.1 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.82 years★62.28 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %NA
Hospital Bed Density1.9 people/sq km5 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.91 beds per 1,0004.97 beds per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)26 %★273 %
Nurses and Midwives Density3.95 per 1,000 people7.3 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)15.6 %★61 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending37.09 %0.73 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS92,000NA
Total Number of Doctors1.49★1.27
Underweight Children Under 515.33.8★

Military and Security

1 metric
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇳🇷 NauruShare
Active Military Personnel113,000 personnel★0 personnel

People and Society

31 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇳🇷 NauruShare
Currently married (Percent)58.88 %★53.17 %
Human Capital Index0.65★0.51
Life expectancy at birth80.87 years★64.62 years
Median age of population31.44 years★20.06 years
Population Change428,622.9 persons★65.9 persons
Population density110.8 per sq. km★605.26 per sq. km
Total population36.40M persons★12,104.5 persons
Beer Consumption per Capita0.53 liters★0.01 liters
Birth Rate (%)14.05 %19.64 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate52.2 %NA
Crude Birth Rate12.36 per 1,000 people24.56 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)5.8 %★6.55 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.5 % of GDP5.7 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age9.69M persons★2,978.6 persons
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate12.18 %★9.96 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.37 male/female106.85 male/female★
Labor Force Participation Rate16.74NA
Learning-adjusted years of school9.72 years★6.51 years
Mean Male Height (cm)167.88★167.83
Old-Age Dependency Ratio10.6 %4.6 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization83.21 %92.33 %★
Physician Density2.34 people/sq km★1.27 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.97 %★0.37 %
Population living in slums0.2 %1 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio11.61★40.18
Total deaths179,998.3 persons91.6 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)42.17 %44.39 %★
Total fertility rate1.53 per woman3.2 per woman★
Total net-migration162,673.4 persons★-118.5 persons
Under-five mortality rate5.53 per live births★24.14 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.79 %★0.65 %

Transportation

2 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇳🇷 NauruShare
Airports100★1
Civil Air Travel53★3

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇳🇷 NauruShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita17.90B USD★930,114.44 USD

Frequently Asked Questions About Malaysia vs Nauru

Which has a larger population, Malaysia or Nauru?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia has 3,007 times as many people as Nauru (36.4 million vs 12,105). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Malaysia or Nauru?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia's economy is 2,681 times the size of Nauru's ($466.53 billion vs $174.04 million GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Malaysia or Nauru?▾

Nauru is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $14,378 in Nauru vs $12,818 in Malaysia (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More Malaysia comparisons

More Nauru comparisons