MigrantoMalaysian Diaspora
2.4M Malaysians live abroad — 7% of the population of Malaysia
Malaysian diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 83% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Singapore | 1553249 |
| Bangladesh | 274253 |
| Australia | 181202 |
| Indonesia | 161013 |
| United Kingdom | 66932 |
| Brunei | 56375 |
| Canada | 24975 |
| Taiwan | 24506 |
| New Zealand | 23224 |
| Hong Kong | 16481 |
| India | 11283 |
| Japan | 11275 |
| China | 9810 |
| Libya | 8936 |
| Egypt | 2311 |
| Denmark | 1077 |
| Norway | 1039 |
| Sri Lanka | 935 |
| Algeria | 890 |
| Italy | 764 |
| Finland | 625 |
| South Africa | 528 |
| Chile | 325 |
| North Korea | 202 |
| Malta | 200 |
| Cambodia | 193 |
| Hungary | 184 |
| Luxembourg | 128 |
| Maldives | 116 |
| Solomon Islands | 103 |
| Papua New Guinea | 78 |
| Iceland | 73 |
| Greece | 65 |
| East Timor | 62 |
| Mauritius | 61 |
| Portugal | 61 |
| Panama | 50 |
| Bermuda | 49 |
| Cyprus | 47 |
| Venezuela | 30 |
| Bulgaria | 28 |
| Slovakia | 25 |
| Cayman Islands | 21 |
| Dominican Republic | 18 |
| Estonia | 17 |
| Slovenia | 15 |
| Lithuania | 12 |
| Bolivia | 9 |
| Saint Lucia | 8 |
| Latvia | 7 |
| Costa Rica | 5 |
| Guinea | 0 |
| Liechtenstein | 0 |
By region
87% of the diaspora lives in Asia
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Key facts
The Malaysian diaspora in numbers
Most Malaysians abroad live in Singapore
64% of the diaspora lives in Singapore, while the next country accounts for just 11%.
The diaspora is more concentrated than in 1990
The largest country's share rose from 53% to 64%, and today that country is Singapore.
The diaspora has grown 15% since 2020
The number of Malaysians living abroad rose from 2.1M to 2.4M in four years.
1 in 15 people born in Malaysia lives abroad
2.4M people born in Malaysia now live in other countries — 6.8% of a population of 35.6M.
Malaysian diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 663690 |
| 1995 | 891900 |
| 2000 | 1165408 |
| 2005 | 1283218 |
| 2010 | 1647051 |
| 2015 | 1916776 |
| 2020 | 2118942 |
| 2024 | 2433875 |
Largest communities over time
Malaysians living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Singapore | Bangladesh | Australia | Indonesia | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 349149 | 92533 | 70262 | 936 | 43404 |
| 1995 | 515743 | 126263 | 80482 | 119 | 46293 |
| 2000 | 733158 | 159993 | 84788 | 13 | 49330 |
| 2005 | 785955 | 190436 | 101481 | 10 | 57519 |
| 2010 | 1085108 | 204878 | 129840 | 14 | 68428 |
| 2015 | 1318217 | 203561 | 144205 | 1892 | 68963 |
| 2020 | 1384577 | 199618 | 177343 | 94489 | 67838 |
| 2024 | 1553249 | 274253 | 181202 | 161013 | 66932 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Malaysians in each country has changed since the selected year
Malaysians among immigrants in other countries
Where Malaysians make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Malaysians live outside Malaysia?
Around 2.4M Malaysians live abroad, the world's #32 largest diaspora.
Where do most Malaysians abroad live?
Most Malaysians live in Singapore, Bangladesh and Australia — these three countries account for about 83% of all Malaysians living abroad.
Which country has the largest Malaysian population outside Malaysia?
Singapore is home to the largest Malaysian community abroad — 1.6M people, about 64% of all Malaysians living abroad.
What share of the population of Malaysia lives abroad?
About 7% of the population of Malaysia lives abroad — that's 2.4M out of a total population of 35.6M.
Is the Malaysian diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Malaysians living abroad has grown from 1.9M to 2.4M, about 27%.
Where does the data on the Malaysian diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Malaysia who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
Where to live?
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Living in Malaysia
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