📜 A long story
Malaysia, 1800 → today
Malaysia grew from 287,000 in 1800 to 35.1 million; a newborn can expect 28.2 more years of life than in 1950, and output per person is 28× its 1820 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 287,000 people lived in Malaysia.
1900
2.09 million people.
7.3× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1855.
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1889.
1950
6.1 million people.
2.9× the 1900 level
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 1914.
Reached 20 times the 1800 level in 1949.
2023
35.1 million people, the latest year in this series.
5.8× the 1950 level
Reached 50 times the 1800 level in 1984.
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1950
In 1950, a newborn in Malaysia could expect to live 48.5 years, on average.
2023
76.7 years, the latest year in this series.
+28 years since 1950
Passed 50 years in 1952.
Passed 60 years in 1964.
Passed 70 years in 1986.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1820
In 1820, Malaysia produced about Int$961 per person, in 2011 prices.
1900
Int$818.
15% lower than in 1820
1950
Int$2,490.
3× the 1900 level
Reached twice the 1820 level in 1921.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 38% between 1937 and 1941 (Int$3,160 → Int$1,970).
2022
Int$26,600, the latest year in this series.
11× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1820 level in 1977.
Reached 10 times the 1820 level in 1993.
Reached 20 times the 1820 level in 2011.
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1890
In 1890, fossil fuels and industry in Malaysia emitted about 0.0048 t of CO₂ per person.
1950
0.6 t.
124× the 1890 level
Reached twice the 1890 level in 1891.
Reached 5 times the 1890 level in 1892.
Reached 10 times the 1890 level in 1895.
Reached 20 times the 1890 level in 1916.
Reached 50 times the 1890 level in 1920.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 93% between 1910 and 1912 (0.1 t → 0.0066 t).
2024
8.2 t, the latest year in this series.
14× the 1950 level
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Malaysia had spent 0.02 years in school, on average.
1900
0.1 years.
+0.07 years since 1870
1950
2.2 years.
+2.1 years since 1900
Passed 2 years in 1950.
2015
11.5 years, the latest year in this series.
+9.3 years since 1950
Passed 4 years in 1970.
Passed 6 years in 1980.
Passed 8 years in 1990.
Passed 10 years in 2005.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).