Malaysia2020 Economic Complexity : 1.02, Rank 25 of 127
2020 Product Exports | Imports: $266B | $196B, 20 of 226 | 25 of 226
2020 Per Capita Product Exports | Imports: $8.23k | $6.07k, 57 of 219 | 69 of 219
2019 Service Exports | Imports : $37.6B | $42.9B, 14 of 76 | 13 of 76
Overview In 2020 Malaysia was the number 37 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 20 in total exports, the number 25 in total imports, the number 69 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 25 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI).
Exports The top exports of Malaysia are Integrated Circuits ($65B), Refined Petroleum ($15.9B), Palm Oil ($10.6B), Semiconductor Devices ($8.67B), and Rubber Apparel ($8.25B), exporting mostly to China ($38.7B), Singapore ($36.5B), United States ($33.8B), Hong Kong ($18.2B), and Japan ($15.6B).
In 2020, Malaysia was the world's biggest exporter of Rubber Apparel ($8.25B), Hot-Rolled Iron Bars ($1.33B), Other Vegetable Oils ($1.09B), Copper Powder ($400M), and Platinum Clad Metals ($102M)
Imports The top imports of Malaysia are Integrated Circuits ($27.8B), Refined Petroleum ($13.4B), Crude Petroleum ($4.75B), Special Purpose Ships ($4.39B), and Broadcasting Equipment ($3.43B), importing mostly from China ($51.5B), Singapore ($22.9B), United States ($12.4B), Japan ($12.1B), and South Korea ($11.6B).
In 2020, Malaysia was the world's biggest importer of Special Purpose Ships ($4.39B), Tin Ores ($321M), Scrap Plastic ($261M), and Processed Mushrooms ($171M)
Location Malaysia borders Brunei, Indonesia, and Thailand by land and Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam by sea.
September, 2020
Overview In September 2020 Malaysia exported MYR88.9B and imported MYR67B, resulting in a positive trade balance of MYR22B. Between September 2019 and September 2020 the exports of Malaysia have increased by MYR11.2B (14.4%) from MYR77.7B to MYR88.9B, while imports decreased by MYR-2.41B (-3.48%) from MYR69.4B to MYR67B.
Trade In September 2020, the top exports of Malaysia were Integrated Circuits (MYR21.3B), Palm Oil (MYR3.8B), Rubber Apparel (MYR3.78B), Refined Petroleum (MYR3.08B), and Semiconductor Devices (MYR2.74B). In September 2020 the top imports of Malaysia were Integrated Circuits (MYR11.8B), Refined Petroleum (MYR3.74B), Telephones (MYR1.54B), Semiconductor Devices (MYR1.24B), and Gold (MYR1.06B).
Destinations In September 2020, Malaysia exported mostly to China (MYR15.6B), Singapore (MYR12.2B), United States (MYR10.3B), Hong Kong (MYR6.71B), and Japan (MYR4.76B), and imported mostly from China (MYR15.3B), Singapore (MYR6.51B), United States (MYR5.42B), Japan (MYR5.4B), and Chinese Taipei (MYR5.14B).
Growth In September 2020, the increase in Malaysia's year-by-year exports was explained primarily by an increase in exports to China (MYR922M or 9.13%), Thailand (MYR823M or 17.1%), and South Korea (MYR748M or 29.2%), and product exports increase in Integrated Circuits (MYR1.35B or 8.2%), Petroleum Gas (MYR1.2B or 28.3%), and Ethylene Polymers (MYR426M or 79.7%). In September 2020, the decrease in Malaysia's year-by-year imports was explained primarily by an decrease in imports from Singapore (MYR-1.5B or -16.5%), France (MYR-623M or -47.1%), and Switzerland (MYR-348M or -33.6%), and product imports decrease in Refined Petroleum (MYR-1.3B or -19.7%), Integrated Circuits (MYR-538M or -4.34%), and Refined Copper (MYR-414M or -34%).
EXPORT GROWTH (September 2019 - September 2020): MYR11.2B, (14.4%)
IMPORT GROWTH (September 2019 - September 2020): MYR-2.41B, (-3.48%)
MAIN DESTINATION (September 2020): China, MYR15.6B
This section shows exports and imports data at subnational level for Malaysia. Click any date in the line plot, or any product, destination or origin country to explore the exports or imports behavior of Malaysia over time.
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Top Export (2020): Integrated Circuits, $65B
Top Destination (2020): China, $51.5B
In 2020, Malaysia exported a total of $266B, making it the number 20 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of Malaysia have changed by $39.9B from $226B in 2015 to $266B in 2020.
The most recent exports are led by Integrated Circuits ($65B), Refined Petroleum ($15.9B), Palm Oil ($10.6B), Semiconductor Devices ($8.67B), and Rubber Apparel ($8.25B). The most common destination for the exports of Malaysia are China ($38.7B), Singapore ($36.5B), United States ($33.8B), Hong Kong ($18.2B), and Japan ($15.6B).
Fastest Growing Export Markets (2019 - 2020)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2019 - 2020)
Malaysia Exports Services (2019): $37.6B
Malaysia Imports Services (2019): $42.9B
In 2019, Malaysia exported $37.6B worth of services. The top services exported by Malaysia in 2019 were Personal travel ($17.8B), Other business services ($7.06B), Transportation ($5.23B), Computer and information services ($2.99B), and Business travel ($1.97B).
The top services imported by Malaysia in 2019 were Transportation ($11.5B), Personal travel ($10.1B), Other business services ($7.92B), Computer and information services ($3.53B), and Insurance services ($2.34B).
Malaysia has a high level of specialization in Rubber Apparel (31.2), Copper Powder (26.2), Other Vegetable Oils (20.5), Palm Oil (19.5), and Rubber Thread (14.3). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between Malaysia observed and expected exports in each product.
The highest complexity exports of Malaysia according to the product complexity index (PCI) are Chemical elements doped for use in electronics, in the form of discs, wafers or similar forms; chemical compounds doped for use in electronics (2.01), Machinery and mechanical appliances; having individual functions, n.e.c. in this chapter (1.95), Discs, tapes, solid-state non-volatile storage devices, smart cards and other media for the recording of sound or of other phenomena, whether or not recorded, including matrices and masters for the production of discs, excluding products of Chapter 37 (1.85), Instruments, apparatus for measuring, checking electrical quantities not meters of heading no. 9028; instruments, apparatus for measuring or detecting alpha, beta, gamma, x-ray, cosmic and other radiations (1.83), and Watch movements; complete and assembled (1.76). PCI measures the knowledge intensity of a product by considering the knowledge intensity of its exporters.
The top export opportunities for Malaysia according to the relatedness index, are Pearls (0.23), Electrical Parts (0.22), Printed Circuit Boards (0.22), Nickel Mattes (0.22), and Mirrors and Lenses (0.21). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that Malaysia is not specialized in.
The product space is a network connecting products that are likely to be co-exported. The product space can be used to predict future exports, since countries are more likely to start exporting products that are related to current exports. Relatedness measures the distance between a product, and all of the products a country currently specializes in.
The Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk vs strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is predictive of the probability that a country increases its exports in a product. Complexity, is associated with higher levels of income, economic growth, less income inequality, and lower greenhouse emissions.
During the last 20 years Malaysia's economy has become relatively more complex, moving from the 54th to the 25th position in the ECI rank.
These economic complexity rankings use 6 digit exports classified according to the HS96 classification. We consider only countries with population of at least 1 million and exports of at least $1 billion, and products with world trade over $500 million. To explore different rankings and vary these parameters visit the custom rankings section.
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