Malaysia vs Qatar: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 169 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Summary

Malaysia has 11.4 times as many people as Qatar (36.4 million vs 3.18 million). Malaysia's economy is 70% larger than Qatar's ($466.53 billion vs $274.1 billion GDP).

Comparing Malaysia and Qatar: Malaysia leads on Oil Exports (644,900) against Qatar (1.04); Malaysia leads on Oil Production (664,800) against Qatar (1.44); Qatar leads on Major Urban Areas Population (798,000 people) against Malaysia (8.62 people). Across 169 compared metrics, Malaysia wins on 82 and Qatar wins on 77.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 62 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 23 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇶🇦 QatarShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration13.55 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★11.82 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)98.02 %98.09 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)97.69 %99.65 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 98% (2023 est.)percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed13.55 Mbps★11.82 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score56.09 points58.25 points★
Radios10.9256,000★
Televisions10.8230,000★
Waterways7,296none

Economy

62 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇶🇦 QatarShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country47.38B $★789.72M $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars466.53B $★274.10B $
AI Investment (% of GDP)23.59 %30.64 %★
Apple Import Volume101.62M tonnes★27.93M tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate66.17 %★65.88 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3 %5 %★
Coal Revenue0.02★0
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)4.61 %4.95 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.8 % of GDP★2.5 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index83.386.1★
Electricity Consumption136.9★37.24
Electricity Exports3★0
Electricity from Fossil Fuels78100★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants18★0
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables4★1
Electricity Imports33★0
Electricity Installed Capacity33★8.8
Electricity Production148.3★39.78
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)113.16 USD per capita814.31 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate56.67 %63.62 %★
Gini Index Coefficient40.7★35.1
Gross Fixed Investment25.228.2★
Gross National Saving28.550.2★
High-Tech Export Percentage63.18 %★31.26 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries35,461.45 USD110,135.7 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.9 %★1.6 %
Inflation Rate1.83 %1.27 %★
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.8 %1.3 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1 % of GDP5 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption30.4439.9★
Natural Gas Exports38.23126.5★
Natural Gas Imports2.8★0
Natural Gas Production69.49166.4★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves1.1824.07★
Oil Consumption561,000★166,000
Oil Exports644,900★1.04
Oil Imports355,300★4,108
Oil Production664,800★1.44
Oil Proved Reserves425.38★
Population Below Poverty Line5.6 peopleNA
Public Debt64.346.7★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.04 %★0.53 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5.1 USD★2.8 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends5.3 %8.16 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption704,000★277,000
Refined Petroleum Products Exports208,400485,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports304,600★12,300
Refined Petroleum Products Production528,300★273,800
Remittances0.40.7★
Researchers in R&D per Million2,110.44 researchers★585.61 researchers
Revenue from Forest Resources1.57★0
Robotics Research Funding1.04 USD★0.53 USD
Taxes and Other Revenues11.6526.4★
Top Exporting Countries313.25B USD★161.69B USD
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.69 %★0.21 %
Total Number of Billionaires19★2
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.67 %2.86 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.67 %2.86 %★
Unemployment Rate3.9 %0.2 %★
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate66.12 %★87.01 %
Youth Unemployment Rate11.95 %0.56 %★

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇶🇦 QatarShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)13.93M6.27M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-60,000 %0 %★
Average Annual Temperature25.87 °C27.88 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions260.01127.78★
Continental Shelf200not specific;
Global Precipitation Distribution3,150.09 mm★59.43 mm
Population Distributiona highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsulamost of the population is clustered in or around the capital of Doha on the eastern side of the peninsula
Protected Land Area for Adaptation13.3 sq km15.54 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage13.3 %15.6 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country64 Cubic meters per year★0.06 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources580★58
Total Threatened Mammal Species80 species4 species★

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇶🇦 QatarShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization4.11 %7.24 %★
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)209.87★0
Agricultural land85,710 sq. km★740 sq. km
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km328,550★11,490
Coastline Length (km)4,675 km★563 km
Irrigated Land4,420★130

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇶🇦 QatarShare
Rule of Law Index by Country67.87 %84.03 %★
Administrative Divisions13★8
Corruption Perception Index50 index★59 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score50 index59 index★
Independence31★3
LGBT Rights Index Score-2.46-2.34★
Prison Population Rate145 per 100,00038 per 100,000★
Public Sector Corruption Perception50★59
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

23 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇶🇦 QatarShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water94.7 %95.35 %★
Average BMI for Adults25.3 kg/m²28.8 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate96 %99 %★
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)13.01★28
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)21.124.6★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.82 years82.52 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.48 per 1,000 births0.28 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,703.34 USD2,289.32 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score80 score84 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.4 % of GDP★2.9 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.82 years82.52 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %0.2 %★
Hospital Bed Density2 people/sq km★1.1 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita1.94 beds per 1,000★1.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence13.81 %9.96 %★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)26 %4 %★
Nurses and Midwives Density4.05 per 1,000 people8.49 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)15.6 %★35.1 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending37.09 %7.43 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS92,000<200 (2020 est.)
Psychiatrist Density Per 100,000 People1 per 100,000 people2 per 100,000 people★
Total Number of Doctors2.343.02★
Underweight Children Under 515.32.3★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇶🇦 QatarShare
Active Military Personnel113,000 personnel★17,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.9 %★6.5 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)136,000★22,000

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇶🇦 QatarShare
Currently married (Percent)58.88 %62.44 %★
Human Capital Index0.650.67★
Life expectancy at birth80.87 years84.14 years★
Median age of population31.44 years34.17 years★
Population Change428,622.9 persons★69,686 persons
Population density110.8 per sq. km★275.98 per sq. km
Total population36.40M persons★3.18M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.29★0.1
Beer Consumption per Capita0.51 liters★0.35 liters
Birth Rate (%)14.05 %★9.19 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate52.2 %★37.5 %
Crude Birth Rate12.36 per 1,000 people★9.52 per 1,000 people
Death Rate (%)5.8 %1.42 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.5 % of GDP★3.2 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age9.69M persons★590,690.4 persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)45.85 %69.38 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate13.55 %★11.82 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.37 male/female★103.76 male/female
Human Development Index0.48★0.36
Labor Force Participation Rate18.26★2.12
Learning-adjusted years of school9.72 years★9.32 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population8.62 people798,000 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)167.88170.48★
Mean Years of Schooling11.96 years★8.52 years
Military Manpower at Military Age21★18
Military Service Age and Obligation17typically 18-30 for voluntary service for men and women; compulsory military service for men 18-35; compulsory service is from 4-12 months, depending on educational and professional circumstances (2025) note: the military incorporates about 2,000 conscrip
Old-Age Dependency Ratio10.6 %1.89 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization83.21 %93.46 %★
Physician Density2.34 people/sq km3.02 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate0.97 %★0.57 %
Population living in slums0.2 %★0 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio11.66★11.77
Total deaths179,998.3 persons3,285.8 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)42.17 %42.25 %★
Total fertility rate1.53 per woman1.75 per woman★
Total net-migration162,673.4 persons★42,281.1 persons
Under-five mortality rate5.53 per live births★6.98 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.79 %3.96 %★

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇶🇦 QatarShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.58★1.3
Airports100★8
Civil Air Travel53★3
Heliports24★12

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇶🇦 QatarShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita24.59B USD★23.60B USD

Other

1 metric
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇶🇦 QatarShare
Current Bank Rate2.75 %4.1 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Malaysia vs Qatar

Which has a larger population, Malaysia or Qatar?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia has 11.4 times as many people as Qatar (36.4 million vs 3.18 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Malaysia or Qatar?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia's economy is 70% larger than Qatar's ($466.53 billion vs $274.1 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Malaysia or Qatar?▾

Qatar is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $86,103 in Qatar vs $12,818 in Malaysia (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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