Malaysia
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Name origin: devised in the early 19th century by British geographers.
CIA 2026
Curated stat
Malaysia is split by the South China Sea: one part on the Malay Peninsula, another on Borneo.
Matchup file
Malaysia vs Thailand
124 shared metrics.
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Country briefing
What matters for both sides
Short real-world notes so the comparison reads like more than a stat strip.
Thailand
Quick notes before you compare the numbers.
Identity
Formal name: Kingdom of Thailand.
CIA 2026
Identity
Name origin: the name means "Land of the Thai," referring to the local population.
CIA 2026
Analysis
Malaysia and Thailand are closely matched, each leading in 62 metrics.
Malaysia's Capital Elevation is 32.0x that of Thailand (66 m vs 2.0 m).
Malaysia's Unemployment Rate is 4.5x that of Thailand (3.8% vs 0.69%).
Malaysia's Doctors (per 1,000) is 3.3x that of Thailand (2.3 per 1k vs 0.54 per 1k).
Malaysia's McDonald's Outlets per Million People is 3.3x that of Thailand (10.11 per 1M people vs 2.4 per 1M people).
Malaysia's Youth Unemployment Rate is 1.6x that of Thailand (11.95% of youth labor force vs 4.5% of youth labor force).
Key Comparisons
Capital ElevationMalaysia leads
Malaysia
66 m
Thailand
2.0 m
Unemployment RateMalaysia leads
Malaysia
3.8%
Thailand
0.69%
Doctors (per 1,000)Malaysia leads
Malaysia
2.3 per 1k
Thailand
0.54 per 1k
McDonald's Outlets per Million PeopleMalaysia leads
Malaysia
10.11 per 1M people
Thailand
2.4 per 1M people
Youth Unemployment RateMalaysia leads
Malaysia
11.95% of youth labor force
Thailand
4.5% of youth labor force
Shipping TrafficMalaysia leads
Malaysia
27.29M
Thailand
10.50M
All Metrics
Capital Elevation
MalaysiaMalaysia
66 m
Thailand
2.0 m
3200% higher
Unemployment Rate
MalaysiaMalaysia
3.8%
Thailand
0.69%
452% higher
Doctors (per 1,000)
MalaysiaMalaysia
2.3 per 1k
Thailand
0.54 per 1k
333% higher
McDonald's Outlets per Million People
MalaysiaMalaysia
10.11 per 1M people
Thailand
2.4 per 1M people
329% higher
Youth Unemployment Rate
MalaysiaMalaysia
11.95% of youth labor force
Thailand
4.5% of youth labor force
164% higher
Shipping Traffic
MalaysiaMalaysia
27.29M
Thailand
10.50M
160% higher
Firms Hit by Power Outages
MalaysiaMalaysia
22.32% of firms
Thailand
8.6% of firms
160% higher
Coal Electricity Share
MalaysiaMalaysia
44.56%
Thailand
17.83%
150% higher
CO2 Per Capita
MalaysiaMalaysia
8.2 t/person/yr
Thailand
3.7 t/person/yr
118% higher
High-Tech Exports (%)
MalaysiaMalaysia
58.63%
Thailand
28.31%
107% higher
GDP Growth Rate
MalaysiaMalaysia
5.1%
Thailand
2.5%
101% higher
Spirits Consumption
ThailandMalaysia
0.11 L/person/yr
Thailand
4.9 L/person/yr
98% lower
Merchant Fleet Size
MalaysiaMalaysia
1.8K
Thailand
884
98% higher
Water Stress (%)
ThailandMalaysia
1.2%
Thailand
25.53%
95% lower
Meat Consumption per Person
MalaysiaMalaysia
52.9 kg/person/yr
Thailand
27.37 kg/person/yr
93% higher
Irrigated Land
ThailandMalaysia
4.4K km²
Thailand
64.2K km²
93% lower
Alcohol Consumption
ThailandMalaysia
0.74 L/adult/yr
Thailand
8.0 L/adult/yr
91% lower
Water Withdrawal
ThailandMalaysia
6.7 B m³
Thailand
57.31 B m³
88% lower
Seafood Consumption per Person
MalaysiaMalaysia
53.33 kg/person/yr
Thailand
28.48 kg/person/yr
87% higher
Tourism Revenue
ThailandMalaysia
$3,386,000,000
Thailand
$15,360,000,000
78% lower
Teen Birth Rate
ThailandMalaysia
6.0 per 1k
Thailand
26.14 per 1k
77% lower
EV Chargers per 100,000 People
MalaysiaMalaysia
0.59 per 100k people
Thailand
0.33 per 100k people
76% higher
Firms Making Informal Payments
ThailandMalaysia
4.9% of firms
Thailand
17.57% of firms
72% lower
Beer Consumption
ThailandMalaysia
0.51 L/person/yr
Thailand
1.8 L/person/yr
71% lower
Armed Forces Personnel
ThailandMalaysia
136.0K
Thailand
455.0K
70% lower
Electricity Use (Per Capita)
MalaysiaMalaysia
5.0K kWh/person
Thailand
3.0K kWh/person
68% higher
Suicide Rate
ThailandMalaysia
5.7 per 100k
Thailand
16.59 per 100k
66% lower
Vehicles per 1,000 People
MalaysiaMalaysia
868.62 per 1k people
Thailand
526.93 per 1k people
65% higher
Insufficient Physical Activity
MalaysiaMalaysia
40.6% of adults
Thailand
24.64% of adults
65% higher
Credit Card Ownership
MalaysiaMalaysia
13.18% of adults
Thailand
8.0% of adults
65% higher
GNI Per Capita
MalaysiaMalaysia
$11,650
Thailand
$7,100
64% higher
Researchers
ThailandMalaysia
711.51 per 1M
Thailand
1.9K per 1M
62% lower
Renewable Energy (%)
ThailandMalaysia
7.5%
Thailand
19%
61% lower
Firms Asked for Bribes
ThailandMalaysia
3.8% of firms
Thailand
9.9% of firms
61% lower
Firms with Female Top Manager
ThailandMalaysia
25.54% of firms
Thailand
64.84% of firms
61% lower
Highest Elevation
MalaysiaMalaysia
4.1K m
Thailand
2.6K m
60% higher
Corruption Perceptions Index
MalaysiaMalaysia
52 pts
Thailand
33 pts
58% higher
Hypertension Prevalence
MalaysiaMalaysia
41% of adults
Thailand
26% of adults
58% higher
Solar Electricity Share
ThailandMalaysia
2.2%
Thailand
5.3%
58% lower
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
MalaysiaMalaysia
$38,779.28
Thailand
$24,712.07
57% higher
Railway Length
ThailandMalaysia
1.9K km
Thailand
4.1K km
55% lower
Energy Use (Per Capita)
MalaysiaMalaysia
2.9K kg oil eq/person
Thailand
1.9K kg oil eq/person
55% higher
Obesity Rate
MalaysiaMalaysia
22.4%
Thailand
14.51%
54% higher
Land Border Length
ThailandMalaysia
2.7K km
Thailand
5.7K km
52% lower
Population
ThailandMalaysia
34.91M
Thailand
70.03M
50% lower
Elderly Population (%)
ThailandMalaysia
7.7%
Thailand
15.36%
50% lower
Political Corruption Index
ThailandMalaysia
0.32
Thailand
0.64
49% lower
Forest Coverage (%)
MalaysiaMalaysia
57.72%
Thailand
38.69%
49% higher
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
ThailandMalaysia
16.19 µg/m³
Thailand
31.01 µg/m³
48% lower
Youth Population (%)
MalaysiaMalaysia
21.79%
Thailand
14.75%
48% higher
Current Account Balance (% of GDP)
ThailandMalaysia
1.6% of GDP
Thailand
3.1% of GDP
48% lower
ATMs per 100,000 Adults
ThailandMalaysia
51.84 per 100k
Thailand
97.9 per 100k
47% lower
Coastline Length
MalaysiaMalaysia
4.7K km
Thailand
3.2K km
45% higher
Road Traffic Death Rate
ThailandMalaysia
13.9 per 100k
Thailand
25.4 per 100k
45% lower
Scientific Publications
MalaysiaMalaysia
26.5K
Thailand
18.5K
43% higher
Birth Rate
MalaysiaMalaysia
14.05 per 1k
Thailand
9.8 per 1k
43% higher
Agricultural Land (%)
ThailandMalaysia
26.09%
Thailand
43.8%
40% lower
Education Spending (% GDP)
MalaysiaMalaysia
3.5% of GDP
Thailand
2.5% of GDP
39% higher
Land Area
ThailandMalaysia
328.6K km²
Thailand
510.9K km²
36% lower
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
MalaysiaMalaysia
3.7% of GDP
Thailand
2.7% of GDP
36% higher
Electric Generating Capacity
ThailandMalaysia
37.22M kW
Thailand
55.97M kW
34% lower
Minimum Paid Vacation Days
MalaysiaMalaysia
8.0 days/yr
Thailand
6.0 days/yr
33% higher
Women in Senior Management
ThailandMalaysia
23.22% of managers
Thailand
34.91% of managers
33% lower
Women in Parliament (%)
ThailandMalaysia
13.51%
Thailand
19.4%
30% lower
Inflation Rate
MalaysiaMalaysia
1.8%
Thailand
1.4%
29% higher
Protected Land (%)
ThailandMalaysia
13.3%
Thailand
18.4%
28% lower
Death Rate
ThailandMalaysia
5.8 per 1k
Thailand
8.1 per 1k
28% lower
Health Spending (% GDP)
ThailandMalaysia
3.9% of GDP
Thailand
5.4% of GDP
27% lower
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
ThailandMalaysia
6.0 sites
Thailand
8.0 sites
25% lower
Border Neighbors
ThailandMalaysia
3.0
Thailand
4.0
25% lower
Population Density
ThailandMalaysia
106.91 /km²
Thailand
140.35 /km²
24% lower
Median Age
ThailandMalaysia
30.1 years
Thailand
39.7 years
24% lower
Health Spending Per Capita
MalaysiaMalaysia
$458.22
Thailand
$369.98
24% higher
Urban Population (%)
MalaysiaMalaysia
76.92%
Thailand
61.87%
24% higher
Inequality (Gini)
MalaysiaMalaysia
40.7
Thailand
33.5
21% higher
Big Mac Price
ThailandMalaysia
$3.39
Thailand
$4.3
21% lower
GDP (Nominal)
ThailandMalaysia
$422,227,005,428.69
Thailand
$526,517,658,841.68
20% lower
Broadband Access (%)
ThailandMalaysia
13 per 100 people
Thailand
16 per 100 people
19% lower
Electoral Democracy Index
MalaysiaMalaysia
0.50
Thailand
0.42
19% higher
Food Waste per Person
MalaysiaMalaysia
209.53 kg/person/yr
Thailand
176.25 kg/person/yr
19% higher
R&D Spending (% GDP)
ThailandMalaysia
0.95% of GDP
Thailand
1.2% of GDP
18% lower
Tax Revenue (% GDP)
ThailandMalaysia
12.56% of GDP
Thailand
15.26% of GDP
18% lower
Smoking Rate
MalaysiaMalaysia
22%
Thailand
19.2%
15% higher
Infant Mortality
ThailandMalaysia
6.8 per 1k births
Thailand
8.0 per 1k births
15% lower
Milk Consumption per Person
ThailandMalaysia
25.28 kg/person/yr
Thailand
29.35 kg/person/yr
14% lower
University Enrollment Rate
ThailandMalaysia
38.5%
Thailand
44.98%
14% lower
Liberal Democracy Index
MalaysiaMalaysia
0.35
Thailand
0.31
13% higher
Mobile Subscriptions (%)
ThailandMalaysia
140 per 100 people
Thailand
161 per 100 people
13% lower
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
ThailandMalaysia
2.0 per 1k
Thailand
2.3 per 1k
13% lower
Child Mortality
ThailandMalaysia
8.1 per 1k births
Thailand
9.2 per 1k births
12% lower
Women's Political Empowerment
MalaysiaMalaysia
0.77
Thailand
0.69
12% higher
Fertility Rate
MalaysiaMalaysia
1.7 children/woman
Thailand
1.6 children/woman
12% higher
Renewable Energy (%)
MalaysiaMalaysia
8.3%
Thailand
7.4%
12% higher
Foreign Patents
ThailandMalaysia
6.7K
Thailand
7.4K
10% lower
Air Passengers
ThailandMalaysia
46.70M
Thailand
51.92M
10% lower
Electricity Carbon Intensity
MalaysiaMalaysia
601.97 gCO2/kWh
Thailand
545.74 gCO2/kWh
10% higher
Internet Users (%)
MalaysiaMalaysia
98.02%
Thailand
90.87%
8% higher
Military Spending
ThailandMalaysia
0.99% of GDP
Thailand
1.1% of GDP
8% lower
Mobile Money Accounts
MalaysiaMalaysia
44.5% of adults
Thailand
41.68% of adults
7% higher
Airports
ThailandMalaysia
100
Thailand
106
6% lower
Digital Payments Used
ThailandMalaysia
77.47% of adults
Thailand
82.75% of adults
6% lower
Average Weekly Work Hours
MalaysiaMalaysia
44.7 hrs/week
Thailand
42.53 hrs/week
5% higher
Adult Literacy Rate
MalaysiaMalaysia
95.77%
Thailand
91.1%
5% higher
Life Evaluation Score
ThailandMalaysia
6.0 pts
Thailand
6.3 pts
5% lower
Forest Area
ThailandMalaysia
189.6K km²
Thailand
197.7K km²
4% lower
Total CO2 Emissions
MalaysiaMalaysia
295.95 Mt CO2e
Thailand
283.81 Mt CO2e
4% higher
Human Development Index
MalaysiaMalaysia
0.82
Thailand
0.80
3% higher
Dependency Ratio
ThailandMalaysia
41.89% of working-age pop.
Thailand
43.09% of working-age pop.
3% lower
Tobacco Use Prevalence
ThailandMalaysia
16.9% of adults
Thailand
17.4% of adults
3% lower
Sanitation Access (%)
ThailandMalaysia
96.02%
Thailand
99.35%
3% lower
Government Debt (% GDP)
MalaysiaMalaysia
64.3% of GDP
Thailand
62.2% of GDP
3% higher
Domestic Patents
MalaysiaMalaysia
883
Thailand
867
2% higher
Exports (% GDP)
MalaysiaMalaysia
71.34% of GDP
Thailand
70.05% of GDP
2% higher
Imports (% GDP)
ThailandMalaysia
66.02% of GDP
Thailand
66.7% of GDP
1% lower
Can Raise Emergency Money
MalaysiaMalaysia
89.37% of adults
Thailand
88.56% of adults
1% higher
Electricity Generation
ThailandMalaysia
198.22 TWh
Thailand
199.55 TWh
1% lower
Time Zones Count
MalaysiaMalaysia
2.0 time zones
Thailand
2.0 time zones
equal
Wind Electricity Share
ThailandMalaysia
0%
Thailand
1.8%
ranked lower
Electricity Access (%)
MalaysiaMalaysia
100%
Thailand
100%
equal
Life Expectancy
MalaysiaMalaysia
76.7 years
Thailand
76.4 years
equal
Nobel Laureates Born per Million People
MalaysiaMalaysia
0 per 1M people
Thailand
0 per 1M people
ranked higher
Lowest Elevation
MalaysiaMalaysia
0 m
Thailand
0 m
ranked higher
Official Languages Count
MalaysiaMalaysia
1.0
Thailand
1.0
equal
Freedom of Expression Index
ThailandMalaysia
0.59
Thailand
0.59
equal
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