Largest cities in Malaysia, 1975 to 2050

Kuala Lumpur leads Malaysia with 8.44 million people in 2025, ahead of Johor Bahru at 1.70 million in the UN city ranking.

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What the data shows

In 2025, Kuala Lumpur ranks #1 with 8.44M, ahead of Johor Bahru (1.70M) and Ipoh (0.82M).
By 2050, on the UN's projections, Kuala Lumpur is projected to rank #1 with 10.63M, ahead of Johor Bahru (2.10M) and Kota Kinabalu (1.01M).
Back in 1975, George Town was #1 with 0.29M.
The top spot changed hands once: Kuala Lumpur in 1977.
Biggest climber: Kota Kinabalu, from #12 in 1975 to #3 in 2050.

About this chart

Kuala Lumpur leads the 2025 ranking for Malaysia, with 8.44 million people under the UN city definition. The first year looks different: George Town headed the 1975 ranking at 0.29 million. Ipoh occupies third place in 2025 at 0.82 million. These are populations of urban areas defined consistently by the UN, rather than administrative city limits.

The UN projects Kuala Lumpur to lead in 2050 at 10.63 million people. The figures after 2025 are projections. The Degree of Urbanization identifies contiguous dense settlements, so these totals can differ from municipal and metropolitan statistics. The historical ranking is useful for comparing positions; changing settlement boundaries mean it should not be treated as a measure of growth within fixed city limits.

The data

Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population.

Largest cities in Malaysia, Population in millions, 1975–2050; projected after 2025, 1975–2050
Date	🇲🇾 George Town	🇲🇾 Ipoh	🇲🇾 Kuala Lumpur	🇲🇾 Kuching	🇲🇾 Bukit Mertajam	🇲🇾 Tawau	🇲🇾 Johor Bahru	🇲🇾 Sibu	🇲🇾 Sungai Petani	🇲🇾 Kluang	🇲🇾 Kota Kinabalu	🇲🇾 Kota Bharu	🇲🇾 Malacca City	🇲🇾 Seremban
1975	0.29M	0.21M	0.17M	0.17M	0.16M	0.13M	0.12M	0.10M	0.10M	0.08M	0.06M	0.05M		0.08M
1976	0.30M	0.22M	0.28M	0.17M	0.17M	0.13M	0.14M	0.11M	0.11M	0.08M	0.07M	0.06M		0.08M
1977	0.30M	0.22M	0.39M	0.17M	0.17M	0.14M	0.15M	0.11M	0.11M	0.08M	0.09M	0.08M		0.08M
1978	0.31M	0.22M	0.49M	0.17M	0.18M	0.14M	0.17M	0.11M	0.11M	0.08M	0.10M	0.09M		0.08M
1979	0.32M	0.23M	0.60M	0.18M	0.18M	0.14M	0.18M	0.11M	0.11M	0.09M	0.11M	0.10M		0.08M
1980	0.32M	0.23M	0.71M	0.18M	0.19M	0.14M	0.20M	0.11M	0.12M	0.09M	0.13M	0.12M	0.08M	0.08M
1981	0.33M	0.24M	0.82M	0.18M	0.19M	0.15M	0.24M	0.11M	0.12M	0.09M	0.13M	0.13M	0.09M	0.09M
1982	0.34M	0.26M	0.93M	0.19M	0.20M	0.15M	0.27M	0.12M	0.12M	0.09M	0.14M	0.14M	0.10M	0.10M
1983	0.35M	0.27M	1.04M	0.19M	0.21M	0.16M	0.31M	0.12M	0.12M	0.10M	0.15M	0.15M	0.11M	0.11M
1984	0.36M	0.28M	1.16M	0.20M	0.21M	0.16M	0.35M	0.12M	0.13M	0.10M	0.16M	0.16M	0.12M	0.12M
1985	0.37M	0.29M	1.27M	0.20M	0.22M	0.16M	0.39M	0.12M	0.13M	0.10M	0.17M	0.18M	0.13M	0.13M
1986	0.38M	0.31M	1.45M	0.21M	0.23M	0.17M	0.42M	0.12M	0.13M	0.10M	0.17M	0.18M	0.15M	0.13M
1987	0.40M	0.33M	1.62M	0.21M	0.23M	0.17M	0.45M	0.13M	0.13M	0.11M	0.18M	0.19M	0.16M	0.14M
1988	0.41M	0.35M	1.80M	0.21M	0.24M	0.18M	0.47M	0.13M	0.14M	0.11M	0.18M	0.20M	0.17M	0.14M
1989	0.43M	0.37M	1.98M	0.22M	0.25M	0.18M	0.50M	0.13M	0.14M	0.11M	0.19M	0.21M	0.18M	0.15M
1990	0.44M	0.38M	2.15M	0.22M	0.26M	0.19M	0.53M	0.13M	0.14M	0.12M	0.19M	0.22M	0.19M	0.16M
1991	0.45M	0.39M	2.30M	0.23M	0.27M	0.19M	0.56M	0.13M	0.15M	0.12M	0.21M	0.22M	0.20M	0.17M
1992	0.47M	0.40M	2.44M	0.24M	0.28M	0.20M	0.59M	0.13M	0.15M	0.12M	0.22M	0.22M	0.21M	0.18M
1993	0.48M	0.40M	2.58M	0.25M	0.29M	0.21M	0.61M	0.13M	0.15M	0.12M	0.24M	0.23M	0.21M	0.19M
1994	0.49M	0.41M	2.72M	0.26M	0.31M	0.21M	0.64M	0.13M	0.16M	0.13M	0.25M	0.23M	0.22M	0.20M
1995	0.50M	0.41M	2.86M	0.27M	0.32M	0.22M	0.67M	0.13M	0.16M	0.13M	0.27M	0.23M	0.22M	0.21M
1996	0.51M	0.43M	3.11M	0.28M	0.32M	0.22M	0.70M	0.14M	0.16M	0.13M	0.29M	0.23M	0.23M	0.22M
1997	0.52M	0.44M	3.37M	0.30M	0.33M	0.23M	0.73M	0.14M	0.17M	0.13M	0.32M	0.23M	0.24M	0.22M
1998	0.53M	0.46M	3.63M	0.32M	0.34M	0.23M	0.77M	0.14M	0.17M	0.13M	0.35M	0.23M	0.24M	0.23M
1999	0.54M	0.47M	3.89M	0.33M	0.34M	0.23M	0.80M	0.14M	0.18M	0.13M	0.38M	0.23M	0.25M	0.23M
2000	0.54M	0.49M	4.14M	0.35M	0.35M	0.24M	0.83M	0.14M	0.18M	0.13M	0.41M	0.23M	0.25M	0.24M
2001	0.56M	0.50M	4.29M	0.36M	0.36M	0.25M	0.87M	0.14M	0.18M	0.14M	0.42M	0.24M	0.26M	0.25M
2002	0.57M	0.51M	4.43M	0.37M	0.37M	0.25M	0.90M	0.14M	0.19M	0.14M	0.43M	0.25M	0.27M	0.26M
2003	0.59M	0.52M	4.57M	0.38M	0.38M	0.26M	0.94M	0.15M	0.20M	0.14M	0.45M	0.26M	0.28M	0.28M
2004	0.60M	0.53M	4.71M	0.39M	0.38M	0.27M	0.98M	0.15M	0.20M	0.14M	0.46M	0.27M	0.29M	0.29M
2005	0.61M	0.54M	4.85M	0.41M	0.39M	0.28M	1.01M	0.15M	0.21M	0.14M	0.48M	0.27M	0.31M	0.30M
2006	0.63M	0.55M	5.01M	0.41M	0.40M	0.28M	1.06M	0.16M	0.22M	0.14M	0.49M	0.28M	0.32M	0.31M
2007	0.64M	0.56M	5.17M	0.42M	0.41M	0.29M	1.11M	0.16M	0.22M	0.14M	0.51M	0.29M	0.33M	0.32M
2008	0.65M	0.57M	5.33M	0.43M	0.41M	0.30M	1.16M	0.16M	0.23M	0.14M	0.52M	0.30M	0.34M	0.34M
2009	0.66M	0.58M	5.50M	0.44M	0.42M	0.30M	1.21M	0.16M	0.24M	0.15M	0.54M	0.30M	0.35M	0.35M
2010	0.68M	0.59M	5.66M	0.44M	0.43M	0.31M	1.26M	0.16M	0.25M	0.15M	0.56M	0.31M	0.36M	0.36M
2011	0.68M	0.62M	5.86M	0.45M	0.44M	0.31M	1.30M	0.16M	0.25M	0.15M	0.57M	0.32M	0.38M	0.37M
2012	0.69M	0.64M	6.06M	0.46M	0.44M	0.32M	1.33M	0.16M	0.25M	0.15M	0.59M	0.33M	0.41M	0.37M
2013	0.70M	0.66M	6.26M	0.47M	0.45M	0.33M	1.37M	0.16M	0.26M	0.15M	0.61M	0.34M	0.43M	0.38M
2014	0.71M	0.68M	6.46M	0.48M	0.46M	0.33M	1.40M	0.16M	0.26M	0.15M	0.63M	0.35M	0.46M	0.39M
2015	0.72M	0.70M	6.66M	0.49M	0.46M	0.34M	1.44M	0.16M	0.26M	0.15M	0.65M	0.36M	0.49M	0.39M
2016	0.72M	0.72M	6.90M	0.50M	0.47M	0.34M	1.47M	0.16M	0.27M	0.15M	0.67M	0.38M	0.49M	0.39M
2017	0.73M	0.74M	7.14M	0.52M	0.47M	0.35M	1.50M	0.16M	0.28M	0.15M	0.69M	0.39M	0.50M	0.40M
2018	0.73M	0.76M	7.38M	0.53M	0.48M	0.35M	1.54M	0.16M	0.28M	0.15M	0.71M	0.40M	0.51M	0.40M
2019	0.74M	0.78M	7.62M	0.55M	0.48M	0.35M	1.57M	0.16M	0.29M	0.15M	0.73M	0.41M	0.52M	0.40M
2020	0.75M	0.80M	7.86M	0.56M	0.49M	0.35M	1.60M	0.16M	0.30M	0.15M	0.75M	0.42M	0.52M	0.40M
2021	0.75M	0.80M	7.98M	0.57M	0.49M	0.36M	1.62M	0.17M	0.30M	0.16M	0.76M	0.43M	0.53M	0.41M
2022	0.75M	0.81M	8.10M	0.57M	0.50M	0.36M	1.64M	0.17M	0.30M	0.16M	0.77M	0.44M	0.54M	0.41M
2023	0.76M	0.81M	8.21M	0.58M	0.51M	0.37M	1.66M	0.18M	0.31M	0.16M	0.78M	0.44M	0.54M	0.42M
2024	0.76M	0.82M	8.33M	0.58M	0.51M	0.37M	1.68M	0.18M	0.31M	0.16M	0.78M	0.45M	0.55M	0.43M
2025	0.77M	0.82M	8.44M	0.59M	0.52M	0.38M	1.70M	0.19M	0.31M	0.16M	0.79M	0.46M	0.56M	0.43M
2026	0.77M	0.83M	8.57M	0.59M	0.52M	0.38M	1.71M	0.19M	0.31M	0.16M	0.80M	0.47M	0.56M	0.44M
2027	0.77M	0.84M	8.69M	0.60M	0.53M	0.38M	1.73M	0.19M	0.31M	0.17M	0.81M	0.47M	0.57M	0.45M
2028	0.78M	0.85M	8.81M	0.61M	0.53M	0.39M	1.75M	0.19M	0.32M	0.17M	0.82M	0.48M	0.58M	0.46M
2029	0.78M	0.86M	8.93M	0.61M	0.53M	0.39M	1.77M	0.20M	0.32M	0.17M	0.83M	0.49M	0.59M	0.46M
2030	0.79M	0.87M	9.05M	0.62M	0.54M	0.39M	1.78M	0.20M	0.32M	0.17M	0.84M	0.49M	0.59M	0.47M
2031	0.79M	0.87M	9.15M	0.63M	0.54M	0.40M	1.80M	0.20M	0.32M	0.17M	0.86M	0.51M	0.60M	0.48M
2032	0.79M	0.87M	9.26M	0.63M	0.54M	0.40M	1.82M	0.20M	0.32M	0.17M	0.88M	0.53M	0.60M	0.49M
2033	0.79M	0.88M	9.36M	0.64M	0.54M	0.40M	1.84M	0.20M	0.32M	0.18M	0.89M	0.55M	0.61M	0.49M
2034	0.80M	0.88M	9.46M	0.65M	0.54M	0.41M	1.86M	0.20M	0.32M	0.18M	0.91M	0.56M	0.61M	0.50M
2035	0.80M	0.88M	9.56M	0.65M	0.55M	0.41M	1.88M	0.21M	0.32M	0.18M	0.93M	0.58M	0.62M	0.51M
2036	0.80M	0.89M	9.64M	0.66M	0.55M	0.41M	1.89M	0.21M	0.33M	0.18M	0.93M	0.59M	0.62M	0.52M
2037	0.80M	0.89M	9.73M	0.66M	0.55M	0.42M	1.91M	0.21M	0.33M	0.18M	0.94M	0.61M	0.63M	0.52M
2038	0.81M	0.89M	9.81M	0.67M	0.55M	0.42M	1.92M	0.21M	0.33M	0.18M	0.95M	0.62M	0.63M	0.53M
2039	0.81M	0.89M	9.90M	0.67M	0.55M	0.42M	1.93M	0.21M	0.34M	0.18M	0.95M	0.64M	0.63M	0.54M
2040	0.81M	0.90M	9.98M	0.67M	0.55M	0.43M	1.95M	0.21M	0.34M	0.18M	0.96M	0.65M	0.64M	0.54M
2041	0.81M	0.90M	10.06M	0.68M	0.55M	0.43M	1.96M	0.22M	0.34M	0.18M	0.97M	0.67M	0.64M	0.55M
2042	0.81M	0.90M	10.13M	0.68M	0.56M	0.43M	1.97M	0.22M	0.34M	0.18M	0.97M	0.69M	0.65M	0.55M
2043	0.82M	0.90M	10.20M	0.69M	0.56M	0.44M	1.98M	0.22M	0.34M	0.19M	0.98M	0.71M	0.65M	0.56M
2044	0.82M	0.90M	10.27M	0.69M	0.56M	0.44M	1.99M	0.22M	0.35M	0.19M	0.99M	0.73M	0.65M	0.56M
2045	0.82M	0.91M	10.34M	0.70M	0.56M	0.44M	2.00M	0.22M	0.35M	0.19M	0.99M	0.75M	0.66M	0.57M
2046	0.82M	0.91M	10.40M	0.70M	0.56M	0.45M	2.02M	0.22M	0.35M	0.19M	1.00M	0.76M	0.66M	0.57M
2047	0.82M	0.91M	10.45M	0.71M	0.56M	0.45M	2.04M	0.22M	0.35M	0.19M	1.00M	0.77M	0.66M	0.58M
2048	0.82M	0.91M	10.51M	0.72M	0.56M	0.45M	2.06M	0.22M	0.35M	0.19M	1.01M	0.78M	0.67M	0.58M
2049	0.82M	0.91M	10.57M	0.72M	0.56M	0.45M	2.08M	0.23M	0.35M	0.19M	1.01M	0.79M	0.67M	0.59M
2050	0.83M	0.91M	10.63M	0.73M	0.56M	0.45M	2.10M	0.23M	0.35M	0.19M	1.01M	0.81M	0.67M	0.59M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Malaysia?

Kuala Lumpur is the largest city in Malaysia in the UN 2025 series, with about 8.44 million people. Johor Bahru follows at 1.70 million. These figures use the UN Degree of Urbanization definition, not municipal boundaries.

Which city is projected to be largest in Malaysia in 2050?

The UN projects Kuala Lumpur to rank first in 2050, with about 10.63 million people. This is a projection, not an observed population count.

Was Kuala Lumpur also the largest city in 1975?

The 1975 ranking was led by George Town, with 0.29 million people. The table preserves every city that reached the top ten in any year shown, including cities outside the top ten today.

Where does this data come from?

UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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