A total of 396,175 live births were recorded last year, down 18,743 from 414,918 in 2024.PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia recorded a 4.5% decline in live births in 2025 while the total fertility rate (TFR) fell to 1.5 children per woman, reflecting a continued downward trend in the country's birth rate.
According to the statistics department, 396,175 live births were recorded last year, down 18,743 from 414,918 in 2024.
The crude birth rate (CBR) also decreased from 12.2 births in 2024 to 11.6 births per 1,000 population in 2025.
"The CBR for all major ethnic groups decreased in 2025 compared with 2024. The Malays recorded the highest CBR with 14.9 births, while the Chinese continued to record the lowest CBR with five births per 1,000 population in 2025," the department said in a statement.
