Population redistribution and concentration in Malaysia, 1970-2020
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2022
Abstract
This paper uses published census data to examine population redistribution and concentration in Malaysia since 1970. The population growth rate varied widely across states and districts, and between urban and rural areas. Consequently, the population has become ever more concentrated in the cities. In 2020, 41 of the population lived in 12 districts, making up 2.6 of the total land area. About one in four Malaysians live in the Greater Kuala Lumpur (commonly known as the Klang Valley – comprising the Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur and four adjacent districts in Selangor), compared to 4.3 in 1970. The population in urban areas increased from 28 in 1970 to 75 in 2020, and most are in the cities. The rapid growth of urban population and concentration of population in major cities pose sustainable development challenges. However, the agglomeration of diverse labour pools provides economies of scale. © 2022 Malaysian Institute Of Planners. All rights reserved.
Keywords
Concentration, Conurbation, Population density, Population growth, Redistribution, Urbanisation
Divisions
Faculty_of_Business_and_Accountancy
Funders
Faculty of Business and Economics, Universiti Malaya
Publication Title
Planning Malaysia
Volume
20
Issue
3
Publisher
Malaysian Institute of Planners