Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Malaysia fits inside Iran 5.3 times
Iran: 1,745,150 km² (2024) · Malaysia: 330,534 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
Malaysia’s coastline is 92% longer than Iran’s
Iran: 2,440 km (2026 edition) · Malaysia: 4,675 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Iran’s highest peak towers 1,530 m above Malaysia’s
Iran: 5,625 m (2026 edition) · Malaysia: 4,095 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 29% of Iran, versus 25% of Malaysia
Iran: 29% (2024) · Malaysia: 24.8% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Iran has 2.6 times as many people as Malaysia
Iran: 92.4 million (2025) · Malaysia: 36 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Malaysia is 92% more densely populated than Iran
Iran: 57 per km² (2025) · Malaysia: 110 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Iran are 6.4 cm taller than in Malaysia
Iran: 175.6 cm (2019) · Malaysia: 169.2 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Iran are 4.1 cm taller than in Malaysia
Iran: 161.2 cm (2019) · Malaysia: 157.1 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Iran is 2.8 years older than in Malaysia
Iran: 32.9 years (2023) · Malaysia: 30.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Iran have 0.1 more children on average than in Malaysia
Iran: 1.68 children per woman (2024) · Malaysia: 1.54 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
8.6% of people in Iran are 65 or older, versus 8.0% in Malaysia
Iran: 8.6% (2025) · Malaysia: 8% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
Iran hosts 2 times as many refugees per resident as Malaysia
Iran: 8.3 per 1,000 (2025) · Malaysia: 4.2 per 1,000 (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Iran has produced 0.3 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Malaysia none
Iran: 0.3 (2026) · Malaysia: 0 (2026)
How many official languages?
Malaysia has 2 official languages, Iran 1
Iran: 1 (2026) · Malaysia: 2 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Malaysia’s economy is 30% larger than Iran’s
Iran: $363 billion (2025) · Malaysia: $472 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Malaysia produces 2.1 times as much per person as Iran
Iran: Int$19,699 (2025) · Malaysia: Int$41,498 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Malaysia than in Iran (Gini 4.8 points higher)
Iran: 35.9 (2023) · Malaysia: 40.7 (2021)
How many live on less than $3 a day?
2.5% of people in Iran live on less than $3 a day, versus 0% in Malaysia
Iran: 2.5% (2023) · Malaysia: 0% (2021)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 8.3% in Iran, versus 3.8% in Malaysia
Iran: 8.3% (2025) · Malaysia: 3.8% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Iran spends 2.1% of its GDP on the military, Malaysia 1.0%
Iran: 2.1% (2025) · Malaysia: 1% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
Iran: no data · Malaysia: 12.4% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Malaysia’s price level (US = 100) is 1.6× Iran’s
Iran: 20% (2025) · Malaysia: 32% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Malaysia spends 69% more on health per person than Iran
Iran: $267 (2023) · Malaysia: $450 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in Iran live 1 year longer than in Malaysia
Iran: 77.9 years (2024) · Malaysia: 76.8 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Iran is 47% more likely to die before turning one than in Malaysia
Iran: 10.3 per 1,000 (2024) · Malaysia: 7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Malaysia has 29% more doctors per person than Iran
Iran: 1.8 per 1,000 (2023) · Malaysia: 2.3 per 1,000 (2023)
How many hospital beds are there?
Malaysia has 6% more hospital beds per person than Iran
Iran: 1.9 per 1,000 (2019) · Malaysia: 2 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is suicide?
The suicide rate in Iran is 20% higher than in Malaysia
Iran: 6 per 100k (2023) · Malaysia: 5 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
26% of adults in Iran are obese, versus 24% in Malaysia
Iran: 25.7% (2024) · Malaysia: 23.6% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
17% of adults in Malaysia smoke, versus 12% in Iran
Iran: 11.9% (2024) · Malaysia: 16.9% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Malaysia rate their lives 0.85 points higher than in Iran
Iran: 5.15 (2025) · Malaysia: 6.01 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Malaysia drink 39 times as much alcohol as in Iran
Iran: 0.021 litres (2023) · Malaysia: 0.8 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Malaysia has 2.3 times as much meat per person as Iran
Iran: 29.9 kg (2023) · Malaysia: 69.1 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Malaysia has 51 kcal more food per person per day than Iran
Iran: 2,875 kcal (2023) · Malaysia: 2,927 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Malaysia put in 61 more hours a year than in Iran
Iran: 2,246 hours (2023) · Malaysia: 2,308 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Malaysia went to school 0.24 years longer than in Iran
Iran: 10.8 years (2023) · Malaysia: 11.1 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Iran: no data · Malaysia: 0.29 (2022)
How many World Heritage sites?
Iran has 24 more World Heritage sites than Malaysia (30 against 6)
Iran: 30 (2026) · Malaysia: 6 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
Iran has won 88 Olympic medals, Malaysia 15
Iran: 88 (2026 edition) · Malaysia: 15 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
98% of people in Malaysia are online, versus 85% in Iran
Iran: 85% (2024) · Malaysia: 98% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Iran: no data · Malaysia: 269 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
Iran and Malaysia are practically level
Iran: 100% (2024) · Malaysia: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
Malaysia and Iran are practically level
Iran: 77% (2025) · Malaysia: 77% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Iran has 174 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Malaysia 140
Iran: 174 (2024) · Malaysia: 140 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Iran’s railway network is 5.7 times as long as Malaysia’s
Iran: 9,455 km (2021) · Malaysia: 1,655 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Malaysia fly 6.6 times as many passengers per resident as those from Iran
Iran: 0.2 (2023) · Malaysia: 1.3 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 58% of Malaysia, but only 6.6% of Iran
Iran: 6.6% (2024) · Malaysia: 57.7% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Iran emits 6% more CO₂ than someone in Malaysia
Iran: 8.7 t (2024) · Malaysia: 8.2 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
21% of Malaysia’s electricity is renewable, versus 3.8% in Iran
Iran: 3.8% (2025) · Malaysia: 20.7% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in Iran carries 2.5 times as much fine dust as in Malaysia
Iran: 37.7 µg/m³ (2024) · Malaysia: 15.3 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 3.2 times as likely to be murdered in Iran as in Malaysia
Iran: 2.4 per 100k (2014) · Malaysia: 0.7 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Iran are 78% deadlier than in Malaysia
Iran: 28.9 per 100k (2023) · Malaysia: 16.2 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Malaysia is on average 6.7 °C warmer than Iran
Iran: 19.3°C (2016–2025 avg) · Malaysia: 26°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Malaysia gets 11 times as much rain as Iran
Iran: 272 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Malaysia: 3,081 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Between them
People, goods and passports that cross from one to the other
Quick answers
Is Iran bigger than Malaysia?
Iran is larger. Malaysia fits inside Iran 5.3 times.
Which has more people, Iran or Malaysia?
Iran has 2.6 times as many people as Malaysia (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Iran or Malaysia?
People in Iran live 1 year longer than in Malaysia. Life expectancy at birth is 77.9 years in Iran and 76.8 in Malaysia.
Are people taller in Iran or Malaysia?
Men in Iran are 6.4 cm taller than in Malaysia (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
