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GDP
2025: Up 4.9%
At the end of 2025, Malaysia's GDP reached 1.73 trillion Malaysian ringgit (about $427 billion at the exchange rate as of January 20, 2026). This is 4.9% more than the previous year, when the figure was at the level of 1.65 trillion Malaysian ringgit. The corresponding data on January 16, 2026 was published by the Department of Statistics of the country.
Positive dynamics, as noted, has been demonstrated in all major sectors. In particular, an increase of 5.1% was recorded in the service sector. The manufacturing industry showed an increase of 4.5% on an annualized basis, the construction industry - by 12.4%. In agriculture and mining, there was an increase of 2.2% and 0.5%, respectively. There is an increase in activity in the field of digital payments.
The development of the Malaysian economy at the end of 2025 is due to the improvement in indicators in wholesale and retail, in to trade the areas transport of and warehousing, as well as in the food industry and hospitality. It is said to increase the production of electrical, electronic and optical products, vegetable and animal oils and fats, as well as food industry products, mineral products, basic metals and products made of them.
In the agricultural sector, the situation in the field of growing oil palm has improved. In addition, there has been continued growth in livestock and other segments. The construction sector showed a significant increase due to higher indicators in non-residential and specialized segments.
The largest sector of Malaysia's economy is the service sector, which accounts for about 54% of GDP. The contribution of the production sector is approximately 25% percent, mining and agriculture - 9% each[1]
2022
Malaysia's share of global PPP GDP reaches 0.67%
Main article: World Economy
GDP size forecast - $0.44 trillion
2021: GDP size - $0.37 trillion
Financial system
Sovereign Wealth Fund
Non-financial debt
2022: Aggregate non-financial debt
National debt
2023: State debt - 66% of GDP
Inflation
2024:2% in May
SEZ
Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone
In January 2025, Malaysia introduced a number of tax breaks to attract investors to a special economic zone with Singapore, which by 2030 should bring the Malaysian economy $26 billion a year.
The package of measures came a day after Singapore and Malaysian leaders officially opened a zone linking border regions. The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone is nearly twice the size of China's Shenzhen - a city bordering Hong Kong whose success Malaysia hopes to replicate with the SEZ.
Minerals
2022
Second place in the world in the processing of rare earth metals
LNG exports
2021: Oil Production
Power
2025
Malaysia's largest energy company loses $1 billion to illegal miners
In November 2025, Malaysia's national energy provider Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) revealed colossal losses from the theft of electricity for cryptocurrency mining. According to official data released in parliament, the total damage over the past five years has reached 4.57 billion ringgit ($1 billion). Read more here.
Coal is Malaysia's most common source of electricity
Traditional fossil fuels, including natural gas, oil and coal, continue to be actively used around the world. This is evidenced by Dewesoft data, which TAdviser got acquainted with in early October 2025. Read more here
2020: Average energy consumption per capita
and
Agriculture
2019: Average use of pesticides in agriculture
Food industry
Palm oil
2022: Malaysia produces 25% of palm oil from global volume
Main article: Palm oil (global market)
2019
Tourism
2025: Growth of tourist flow from Russia to Malaysia by 6.7% to 139.7 thousand people
At the end of 2025, the flow of tourists from Russia to Malaysia increased to 139.7 thousand people. The figure is 6.7% more than the data for 2024. So many Russians have never visited Malaysia until 2025 - this is one of the records, Russia is one of the TOP-20 countries in terms of the number of tourists. This was reported in January 2026 in Tourism Malaysia in the Russian Federation. Growth is facilitated by interest in little-known countries, active promotion of the direction and convenient transportation. The total tourist flow to Malaysia increased by 11.2% to 42.2 million people.[2]
2024: An increase in the number of Russian tourists visiting Malaysia by 40% to 130 thousand people
In 2024, the number of Russian tourists visiting Malaysia amounted to 130 thousand people. Compared to 2019, the figure increased by 40%. This was announced in July 2025 by the Director for International Promotion for Europe, America and Oceania of the country's tourism office, Akbal Setia. According to his forecasts, in 2025, about 138 thousand Russian tourists will visit Malaysia, although the goal is even greater - about 170-180 thousand. In the structure of tourist flow from European countries, Russia already ranks fourth in the number of guests in Malaysia.[3]
Foreign trade
2024
10th in terms of fertilizer exports in the world - $0.8 billion
The volume of global fertilizer exports in 2024 reached $60.91 billion. This is evidenced by the data of the national statistics services and the UN platform Comtrade, with which TAdviser got acquainted in May 2025. TAdviser has prepared an infographic with the world's largest fertilizer exporting countries. Read more here.
Russia increased annual fish exports to Malaysia by 35%
In 2024, the Russian Federation supplied 4 thousand tons of fish and seafood to Malaysia, which is 35% more than in 2023. In value terms, supplies increased by 45%, to $6 million. This was announced in May 2025 by the Fish Union based on the analysis of data from the Malaysian customs service. As noted in the union, exports recovered after a threefold fall to the peak in 2021, when almost 10 thousand tons were exported for $9 million. The main export product is sardine iwasi ice cream - 95% of the supply. Read more here
Reduction in trade between Russia and Malaysia by 20% to $2.5 billion
The Department of Statistics of Malaysia in May 2025 published data on foreign trade turnover with Russia, which at the end of 2024 amounted to $2.5 billion, having decreased by 20% compared to 2023. In the first quarter of 2025, negative dynamics intensified - trade between the countries amounted to $440 million, which is 44% lower than the values of the same period in 2024.
Russia's exports to Malaysia in 2024 exceeded $1.6 billion, down 35% from 2023. The basis of Russian deliveries was:
- fuel (petroleum products, coal, oil) - 73%
- fertilizers (potash, nitrogen, mixed) - 19%
- aluminum - 3%
The largest decrease was noted in the supply of fuel (-42%) and aluminum (-63%). At the same time, the export of potash fertilizers increased by 26%. In January-March 2025, Malaysia imported goods from Russia in the amount of $269 million, which is 57% lower than the values of the first quarter of 2024. The trend of reducing the supply of fuel and aluminum continued.
In contrast to the reduction in imports from Russia, the volume of Malaysian exports to Russia in 2024 increased by 44%, reaching $893 million. The basis of Malaysian supplies was formed by:
- computers and components - 28%
- bearings - 14%
- cocoa and products from it - 10%
- rubber and rubber products - 9%
The most significant increase in absolute terms is noted in the supply of cocoa, which has more than doubled. In the first quarter of 2025, Malaysian exports to Russia continued to grow, increasing by 7% compared to the same period in 2024 and amounting to $171 million. The trend of growth in cocoa supplies has continued.
Issues of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Malaysia were discussed on September 4, 2024 on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. During the talks, the leaders of the two countries noted significant potential for increasing mutual trade.[4]
2023
Trade turnover with Russia for the year reached $3.11 billion
In September 2024, it became known that the trade turnover between Russia and Malaysia in 2023 increased to $3.11 billion, despite the difficult global economic situation. Bilateral trade has seen steady growth, underscoring the importance of trade ties between the two countries, according to the trade department of the Malaysian Embassy in Moscow.
According to Prime, at the end of 2023, Malaysia's exports to Russia increased by 13% and amounted to $619.3 million, while Russian exports to Malaysia increased by 10.8%, reaching $2.49 billion. The main goods supplied by Malaysia to Russia remain industrial products, which confirms a steady interest in high-tech and industrial products of Malaysian production. In turn, Russian supplies to Malaysia include traditional items such as petroleum products, chemical products and other manufactured goods.
According to Malaysian trade attaché Haifil Elmi Jamil, despite the positive growth dynamics, both countries still have the potential to further increase the volume of trade. The President, at Russia Vladimir Putin a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, expressed hope for deepening trade partnership between the countries. Putin noted that the volume of trade in $3.5 billion does not correspond to the opportunities that Russia and Malaysia have, and stressed the need to further develop cooperation.
During the conversation, Anwar Ibrahim confirmed Malaysia's readiness to expand interaction with Russia, especially in light of the upcoming Malaysian presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2025. He expressed hope for Russia's active participation in the organization's activities and stressed the importance of further deepening economic ties.[5]
Merchant fleet - 1.8 thousand ships
2022
China is the largest export destination
Among the leaders in LNG exports
2021
5th in the world in terms of electronics exports with a 5% share
China's seventh largest trading partner
The fifth exporter of liquefied natural gas in the world
Main Article: Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
2018: Clothing exports - $5.8 billion
R&D
2020: R&D spending - $9.7 billion
Unemployment
2020: Unemployment rate - 4.9%
Incomes of the population
2023: Minimum wage - $289
Consumption
2023: Fish consumption is higher than meat consumption
2019: Poultry meat is the most consumed type of meat
See also
Notes
- ↑ Advance Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Estimates Fourth Quarter 2025
- ↑ Tourist flow from Russia to Malaysia in 2025 increased by almost 7%
- ↑ Akbal Setia: Malaysia wants to become Asia's leader in the number of tourists from Russia
- ↑ Trade between Russia and Malaysia in 2024 reached $2.5 billion
- ↑ Trade turnover of Russia and Malaysia in 2023 increased by 11 percent
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