Malaysia Sees 4.5 Per Cent Drop In Live Births As Fertility Rate Declines To 1.5 Children Per Woman

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 15 – Malaysia logged a 4.5 per cent drop in live births in 2025 as the national total fertility rate (TFR) fell to 1.5 children per woman, continuing a steady multi-year decline in domestic birth rates.

According to the Vital Statistics, Malaysia, 2026 report released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) on Thursday, October 15, 2026, the country registered 396,175 live births in 2025, representing a decrease of 18,743 from 414,918 recorded in 2024.

The crude birth rate (CBR) similarly decreased from 12.2 births per 1,000 population in 2024 to 11.6 births per 1,000 population in 2025.

“CBR for all major ethnic groups recorded a decrease in 2025 as compared to 2024. Malay recorded the highest CBR with 14.9 births, while Chinese remained to record the lowest CBR with 5.0 births per 1,000 population in 2025,” DOSM stated.

Across all states, birth rates contracted across the board in 2025. Terengganu recorded the highest CBR nationwide at 18.7 births per 1,000 population, whereas Penang registered the lowest at 9.3 births per 1,000 population.

Fertility Trends and Mortality Statistics

DOSM highlighted specific demographic shifts across ethnic breakdowns and state borders:

• Total Fertility Rate (TFR) Shifts: The national TFR fell from 1.6 children per woman in 2024 to 1.5 in 2025. Malays maintained the highest TFR at 1.9 children per woman aged 15–49, while the Indian TFR held steady at 1.1 children. The Chinese community recorded the lowest TFR, declining from 0.9 children in 2024 to 0.7 children in 2025.
• State TFR Breakdown: Terengganu registered the highest TFR at 2.5 children per woman, followed by Kelantan (2.3) and Pahang (1.8). Penang recorded the lowest TFR at 1.1 children per woman, slipping from 1.2 in 2024.
• National Mortality Data: Total deaths rose by 0.4 per cent (815 deaths), increasing from 198,992 in 2024 to 199,807 in 2025. The overall crude death rate (CDR) remained constant at 5.8 deaths per 1,000 population.
• Ethnic and State Mortality Variations: Indians recorded the highest CDR at 8.2 deaths per 1,000 population, while Other Bumiputera logged the lowest at 5.7. The CDR for Chinese eased slightly from 7.6 in 2024 to 7.5 in 2025. By state, Perak recorded the highest CDR at 8.2 deaths, whereas Putrajaya registered the lowest at 2.6 deaths per 1,000 population.

The statistical findings underscore ongoing demographic shifts in population growth, reflecting structural changes in national family planning and replacement rates.

–NMT