Imports of goods and services in Malaysia
Malaysia: Imports of goods and services was 65.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Imports of goods and services in Malaysia, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 65.4% for imports of goods and services in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.9% on the previous year and up 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Malaysia peaked at 100.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 35.8%, in 1973.
Malaysia ranks 50th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 39.3% | — |
| 1961 | 41.6% | +5.9% |
| 1962 | 43.1% | +3.7% |
| 1963 | 44.0% | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 42.3% | -3.7% |
| 1965 | 40.4% | -4.6% |
| 1966 | 38.6% | -4.6% |
| 1967 | 38.5% | -0.1% |
| 1968 | 39.7% | +3.1% |
| 1969 | 37.0% | -6.8% |
| 1970 | 41.3% | +11.6% |
| 1971 | 39.0% | -5.6% |
| 1972 | 37.4% | -4.3% |
| 1973 | 35.8% | -4.1% |
| 1974 | 48.1% | +34.1% |
| 1975 | 45.1% | -6.2% |
| 1976 | 41.4% | -8.3% |
| 1977 | 42.6% | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 43.5% | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 47.1% | +8.4% |
| 1980 | 55.0% | +16.8% |
| 1981 | 58.5% | +6.3% |
| 1982 | 59.6% | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 56.5% | -5.2% |
| 1984 | 52.4% | -7.3% |
| 1985 | 49.8% | -4.9% |
| 1986 | 50.2% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 49.0% | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 56.2% | +14.7% |
| 1989 | 65.3% | +16.2% |
| 1990 | 72.4% | +10.9% |
| 1991 | 81.5% | +12.5% |
| 1992 | 74.6% | -8.4% |
| 1993 | 79.0% | +5.9% |
| 1994 | 90.8% | +14.8% |
| 1995 | 98.0% | +8.0% |
| 1996 | 90.2% | -8.0% |
| 1997 | 92.4% | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 93.7% | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 96.3% | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 100.6% | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 93.0% | -7.6% |
| 2002 | 91.1% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 87.3% | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 95.0% | +8.9% |
| 2005 | 91.0% | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 90.4% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 86.3% | -4.5% |
| 2008 | 77.2% | -10.6% |
| 2009 | 71.1% | -7.8% |
| 2010 | 71.0% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 69.7% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 68.5% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 67.1% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 64.5% | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 61.9% | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 60.1% | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 63.1% | +5.0% |
| 2018 | 61.8% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 57.8% | -6.6% |
| 2020 | 55.2% | -4.4% |
| 2021 | 63.4% | +14.8% |
| 2022 | 69.6% | +9.8% |
| 2023 | 63.9% | -8.2% |
| 2024 | 66.0% | +3.3% |
| 2025 | 65.4% | -0.9% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 65.4% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 43.0%, 1.5× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 65.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 63.3%, 1.0× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 40.5% | 37.0% | 44.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 42.1% | 35.8% | 48.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 55.3% | 49.0% | 65.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 86.9% | 72.4% | 98.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 88.3% | 71.1% | 100.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.6% | 57.8% | 71.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.9% | 55.2% | 69.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More economy & growth data for Malaysia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.04 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.97 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 13.04 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0309 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 366.69 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 15.59 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 96.92 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0369 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 438.53 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 8.09 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is imports of goods and services in Malaysia?
- Imports of goods and services in Malaysia was 65.4% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 100.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.8% in 1973.
- How does Malaysia rank for imports of goods and services?
- Malaysia ranks 50th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Imports of goods includes change in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Imports of services includes services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.