Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

Malaysia vs Saudi Arabia: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 172 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Malaysia
mys
Leads on 77 of 172 metrics
Saudi Arabia
sau
Leads on 81 of 172 metrics

Summary

Malaysia and Saudi Arabia have similar populations (36.4 million vs 35.17 million). Saudi Arabia's economy is 3.3 times the size of Malaysia's ($1.56 trillion vs $466.53 billion GDP).

Comparing Malaysia and Saudi Arabia: Malaysia leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (704,000) against Saudi Arabia (3.29); Malaysia leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (528,300) against Saudi Arabia (2.48); Malaysia leads on Oil Consumption (561,000) against Saudi Arabia (2.64). Across 172 compared metrics, Malaysia wins on 77 and Saudi Arabia wins on 81.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 66 metrics compared
  • Environment: 12 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 20 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 39 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration13.55 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants44.07 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★
Internet Penetration Rate (%)98.02 %100 %★
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)98.02 %100 %★
Internet Userspercent of population: 98% (2023 est.)percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed13.55 Mbps44.07 Mbps★
Press Freedom Index Score56.09 points★27.94 points
Radios10.9★6.25
Televisions10.8★5.1
Waterways7,296none

Economy

66 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country47.38B $★30.82B $
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars466.53B $1.56T $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)21.95 %30.24 %★
Apple Import Volume101.62M tonnes228.82M tonnes★
Bank Account Ownership Rate88.69 %★78.84 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)3 %★2.5 %
Coal Revenue0.02★0
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)4.61 %8.3 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends24 %★0 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)3.8 % of GDP6.4 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index83.3★76
Electricity Consumption136.9296.2★
Electricity Exports3★0
Electricity from Fossil Fuels78100★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants18★0
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels00
Electricity from Other Renewables4★0
Electricity Imports33★0
Electricity Installed Capacity3382.94★
Electricity Production148.3324.1★
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)113.16 USD per capita349.69 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate56.67 %★34.89 %
Gini Index Coefficient41.145.9★
Gross Fixed Investment25.2★21.5
Gross National Saving28.530.1★
High-Tech Export Percentage63.18 %★31.11 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries35,461.45 USD63,051.05 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)4.9 %★-1.3 %
Inflation Rate1.38 %★2.08 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.8 %1.7 %★
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)1 % of GDP7.1 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption30.44109.3★
Natural Gas Exports38.23★0
Natural Gas Imports2.8★0
Natural Gas Production69.49109.3★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves1.188.62★
Number of AI Patents Filed5 patents★1 patents
Oil Consumption561,000★2.64
Oil Exports644,900★7.64
Oil Imports355,300★83,150
Oil Production664,800★10.52
Oil Proved Reserves4262.6★
Population Below Poverty Line5.6 peopleNA
Private Investment (% of GDP)16.45 % of GDP26.87 % of GDP★
Public Debt64.313.1★
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)1.01 %★0.41 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)5.1 USD★1.8 USD
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption704,000★3.29
Refined Petroleum Products Exports208,400★1.78
Refined Petroleum Products Imports304,600609,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Production528,300★2.48
Remittances0.4★0
Researchers in R&D per Million1,218.33 researchers★958.19 researchers
Revenue from Forest Resources1.57★0
Robotics Research Funding1.01 USD★0.41 USD
Tax Burden (% of GDP)12.43 %8.09 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)12.43 % of GDP★8.09 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues12.6★7.8
Top Exporting Countries301.22B USD360.90B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)3.69 %★1.7 %
Total Number of Billionaires19★15
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.67 %3.46 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.67 %3.46 %★
Unemployment Rate3.9 %3.9 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate66.12 %65.1 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate11.95 %10.01 %★

Environment

12 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)13.93M★14.69M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-60,000 %1,500 %★
Average Annual Temperature25.87 °C26.56 °C★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions260.01★656.51
Continental Shelf200not specific;
Global Precipitation Distribution3,150.09 mm★51.43 mm
Population Distributiona highly uneven distribution, with over 80% of the population residing on the Malay Peninsulahistorically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since oil was discovered in the 1930s; most of the country's population is now concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula,
Protected Land Area for Adaptation13.3 sq km24.77 sq km★
Protected Land Area Percentage13.3 %18.5 %★
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country64 Cubic meters per year★2.2 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources580★2.4
Total Threatened Mammal Species80 species11 species★

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization4.11 %★0.52 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)209.87★26.61
Agricultural land85,710 sq. km1.74M sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km328,5502.15M★
Coastline Length (km)4,675 km★2,640 km
Dam capacity per capita611.58 cubic meters per inhabitant★29.56 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land4,4207,575★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country67.87 %★64.18 %
Administrative Divisions1313
Corruption Perception Index50 index★59 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score50 index59 index★
Independence31★23
LGBT Rights Index Score-2.46★-3.48
Prison Population Rate118 per 100,000★131 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception50★59
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

20 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaShare
Average BMI for Adults25.3 kg/m²28 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate96 %96 %
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)21.123.1★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders76.82 years78.98 years★
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.48 per 1,000 births0.4 per 1,000 births★
Health Care Spending per Capita1,703.34 USD3,758.53 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score80 score83 score★
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)4.4 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy76.82 years78.98 years★
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate0.3 %NA
Hospital Bed Density2 people/sq km2.2 people/sq km★
Hospital Beds per Capita1.96 beds per 1,0002.41 beds per 1,000★
Malaria Incidence Rate0.07 cases per 1,0000.05 cases per 1,000★
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)26 %7 %★
Nurses and Midwives Density4.05 per 1,000 people6.56 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)15.6 %★35.4 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending37.09 %14.12 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS92,00012,000★
Total Number of Doctors2.343.41★
Underweight Children Under 515.33.5★

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaShare
Active Military Personnel113,000 personnel257,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)1.04 %★6.48 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)136,000282,000★

People and Society

39 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaShare
Currently married (Percent)58.88 %★52.77 %
Human Capital Index0.65★0.6
Life expectancy at birth80.87 years82.13 years★
Median age of population31.44 years★30.06 years
Population Change428,622.9 persons681,198 persons★
Population density110.8 per sq. km16.53 per sq. km★
Total population36.40M persons★35.17M persons
Academic Freedom Index0.29★0.07
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA★A
Birth Rate (%)14.05 %★13.41 %
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate52.2 %★27.9 %
Crude Birth Rate12.36 per 1,000 people16.5 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)5.8 %3.51 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)3.5 % of GDP5.1 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age9.69M persons★8.25M persons
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)45.85 %84.15 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate13.55 %44.07 %★
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth106.37 male/female★104.97 male/female
Human Development Index0.48★0.31
Labor Force Participation Rate18.26★17.17
Learning-adjusted years of school9.72 years★8.41 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population8.62 people★7.68 people
Mean Male Height (cm)167.88★167.67
Mean Years of Schooling11.96 years★9.86 years
Military Manpower at Military Age21★17
Military Service Age and Obligation17voluntary military service for men (17-40) and women (typically 21-40, although maximum age may vary by role); no conscription (2025)
Old-Age Dependency Ratio10.6 %3.86 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization83.21 %84.78 %★
Physician Density2.34 people/sq km3.41 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate0.97 %1.72 %★
Population living in slums0.2 %0.55 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio11.66★12.23
Total deaths179,998.3 persons78,615 persons★
Total demand for family planning (Percent)42.17 %★34.89 %
Total fertility rate1.53 per woman2.36 per woman★
Total net-migration162,673.4 persons166,821.2 persons★
Under-five mortality rate5.53 per live births★7.26 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.79 %4.82 %★

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.58★1.36
Airports100★90
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel53104★
Heliports2469★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita24.59B USD46.34B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇲🇾 Malaysia🇸🇦 Saudi ArabiaShare
Current Bank Rate2.75 %4.25 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About Malaysia vs Saudi Arabia

Which has a larger population, Malaysia or Saudi Arabia?▾

Malaysia. Malaysia and Saudi Arabia have similar populations (36.4 million vs 35.17 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Malaysia or Saudi Arabia?▾

Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's economy is 3.3 times the size of Malaysia's ($1.56 trillion vs $466.53 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Malaysia or Saudi Arabia?▾

Saudi Arabia is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $44,398 in Saudi Arabia vs $12,818 in Malaysia (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More Malaysia comparisons

More Saudi Arabia comparisons