Updated
Overview
Malaysia has 6.6 times the population of Ireland: 35.98 million people against 5.48 million (2025).
Ireland's economy is about 55% larger than Malaysia's, at $721.70B versus $472.19B.
Per person, Ireland is the wealthier of the two: $131,592 against $13,125 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Malaysia | Ireland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $472.19B | Higher: $721.70B | 2025 | $421.97B / $577.39B |
| GDP per capita | $13,125 | Higher: $131,592 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 5.2% | Higher: 12.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 1.4% | 2.2% | 2025 | 1.8% / 2.1% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 3.8% | 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 32 | 85 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $698 | Higher: $5,697 | 2020 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $328 | Higher: $2,579 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.57 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 35.98 million | 5.48 million | 2025 | 34.91 million / 5.23 million |
| Population growth | 1.2% | 1.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 31.0 yrs | 39.0 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.53 | 1.60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 76.8 yrs | Higher: 83.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 77% | 65% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 98% | 97% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 330,803 km² | 70,273 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 108.8/km² | 78.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 290 Mt | Lower: 33 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 8.2 t | Lower: 6.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $4.31B | $1.33B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.0% | 0.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 136,000 | 9,000 | 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
Ireland is growing much faster: 12.3% annual GDP growth versus 5.2%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 1.4% in Malaysia and 2.2% in Ireland.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Malaysia: a price level of 32 versus 85 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Ireland: $5,697 against $698 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Malaysia is the far younger society: median age 31.0 versus 39.0 years.
Life expectancy is 6.2 years longer in Ireland (83.0 vs 76.8).
Malaysia is considerably more urbanized: 77% of people live in cities, against 65%.
Geography
By land area, Malaysia is 4.7 times the size of Ireland: 330,803 km² versus 70,273 km².
Military
Malaysia spends 3.2 times as much on defence as Ireland: $4.31B versus $1.33B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Malaysia fields the larger armed forces: 136,000 personnel against 9,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Malaysia bigger than Ireland?
- Malaysia is larger by land area. Malaysia covers 330,803 km² while Ireland covers 70,273 km², so Malaysia is 4.7 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Malaysia or Ireland?
- Malaysia has the larger population: 35.98 million versus 5.48 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Malaysia richer than Ireland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Ireland is richer: $131,592 against $13,125. Total GDP tells the same story: $472.19B for Malaysia versus $721.70B for Ireland.
- Who spends more on their military, Malaysia or Ireland?
- Malaysia spends more: $4.31B versus $1.33B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).