Share of the population using the Internet in Malaysia
Malaysia: Share of the population using the Internet was 98.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in Malaysia, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population using the internet in Malaysia is 98.0%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 54.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in Malaysia peaked at 98.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
Malaysia ranks 13th of 208 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population using the Internet in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1992 | 0.0% | — |
| 1993 | 0.0% | +2328.6% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | +290.6% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | +46.6% |
| 1996 | 0.9% | +483.6% |
| 1997 | 2.3% | +171.1% |
| 1998 | 6.8% | +192.2% |
| 1999 | 12.3% | +82.2% |
| 2000 | 21.4% | +73.9% |
| 2001 | 26.7% | +24.8% |
| 2002 | 32.3% | +21.1% |
| 2003 | 35.0% | +8.1% |
| 2004 | 42.3% | +20.8% |
| 2005 | 48.6% | +15.1% |
| 2006 | 51.6% | +6.2% |
| 2007 | 55.7% | +7.9% |
| 2008 | 55.8% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 55.9% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 56.3% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 61.0% | +8.3% |
| 2012 | 65.8% | +7.9% |
| 2013 | 57.1% | -13.3% |
| 2014 | 63.7% | +11.6% |
| 2015 | 71.1% | +11.6% |
| 2016 | 78.8% | +10.9% |
| 2017 | 80.1% | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 81.2% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 84.2% | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 89.6% | +6.4% |
| 2021 | 96.8% | +8.0% |
| 2022 | 97.4% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 97.7% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 98.0% | +0.3% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 98.0% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 81.5%, 1.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 98.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 80.5%, 1.2× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population using the Internet in Malaysia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +2328.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1996 | +483.6% | 0.1% | 0.9% |
| 1994 | +290.6% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1998 | +192.2% | 2.3% | 6.8% |
| 1997 | +171.1% | 0.9% | 2.3% |
| 1999 | +82.2% | 6.8% | 12.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.5% | 0.0% | 12.3% | 9 |
| 2000s | 42.5% | 21.4% | 55.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.9% | 56.3% | 84.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 95.9% | 89.6% | 98.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 10 Liechtenstein 98.3% compare
- 11 Iceland 98.2% compare
- 12 Qatar 98.1% compare
- 14 South Korea 97.9% compare
- 15 Faroe Islands 97.6% compare
- 16 San Marino 97.4% compare
More science & technology data for Malaysia
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 139.66 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.4 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 49.66 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 152.6 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -2.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -0.9474 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 23,691 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0007 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population using the internet in Malaysia?
- Share of the population using the internet in Malaysia was 98.0% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 98.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Malaysia rank for share of the population using the internet?
- Malaysia ranks 13th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 54.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the population who used the Internet in the last three months.