Updated
Overview
Canada has 16% more people than Malaysia: 41.65 million against 35.98 million (2025).
Canada's economy is 4.9 times the size of Malaysia's, at $2.32T versus $472.19B.
Per person, Canada is the wealthier of the two: $55,698 against $13,125 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Canada | Malaysia | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $2.32T | $472.19B | 2025 | $2.24T / $421.97B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $55,698 | $13,125 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.7% | Higher: 5.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 2.1% | Lower: 1.4% | 2025 | 2.4% / 1.8% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | Lower: 3.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 83 | 32 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $4,121 | $698 | 2025 / 2020 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $2,106 | $328 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.81 | $3.57 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 41.65 million | 35.98 million | 2025 | 39.19 million / 34.91 million |
| Population growth | 0.9% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.6 yrs | 31.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.33 | 1.53 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 82.1 yrs | 76.8 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 83% | 77% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 94% | Higher: 98% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 9,984,670 km² | 330,803 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 4.2/km² | 108.8/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 533 Mt | Lower: 290 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 13.4 t | Lower: 8.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $29.35B | $4.31B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.3% | 1.0% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 72,000 | 136,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Malaysia is growing much faster: 5.2% annual GDP growth versus 1.7%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.1% in Canada and 1.4% in Malaysia.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Malaysia: a price level of 32 versus 83 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Canada: $4,121 against $698 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Malaysia is the far younger society: median age 31.0 versus 40.6 years.
Life expectancy is 5.3 years longer in Canada (82.1 vs 76.8).
Geography
By land area, Canada is 30 times the size of Malaysia: 9,984,670 km² versus 330,803 km².
Malaysia is far more densely settled: 109 people per km² against 4.
Military
Canada spends 6.8 times as much on defence as Malaysia: $29.35B versus $4.31B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Malaysia fields the larger armed forces: 136,000 personnel against 72,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Canada bigger than Malaysia?
- Canada is larger by land area. Canada covers 9,984,670 km² while Malaysia covers 330,803 km², so Canada is 30 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Canada or Malaysia?
- Canada has the larger population: 41.65 million versus 35.98 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Canada richer than Malaysia?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Canada is richer: $55,698 against $13,125. Total GDP tells the same story: $2.32T for Canada versus $472.19B for Malaysia.
- Who spends more on their military, Canada or Malaysia?
- Canada spends more: $29.35B versus $4.31B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).