Malaysia vs Saudi Arabia: Labor force, total

Malaysia
18.72 million
in 2025
Saudi Arabia
18.38 million
in 2025
Malaysia rank
36th
Saudi Arabia rank
37th

Labor force, total over time

  • Malaysia
  • Saudi Arabia
5.0M10.0M15.0M20.0M199020072025

How they compare

Malaysia currently reports 18.72 million against 18.38 million in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 335,700.

Across all 36 years both countries report, Malaysia has been ahead every year.

Malaysia ranks 36th and Saudi Arabia ranks 37th of 186 countries.

Malaysia has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Malaysia Saudi Arabia Difference Ahead
1990s 7.44 million 3.84 million 3.61 million Malaysia
2000s 10.57 million 6.53 million 4.04 million Malaysia
2010s 14.75 million 12.16 million 2.59 million Malaysia
2020s 17.83 million 16.23 million 1.60 million Malaysia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher labor force, total, Malaysia or Saudi Arabia?
Malaysia, at 18.72 million against 18.38 million in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.
What is the difference in labor force, total between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia?
335,700, with Malaysia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Malaysia and Saudi Arabia?
36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
How do Malaysia and Saudi Arabia rank globally for labor force, total?
Malaysia ranks 36th and Saudi Arabia ranks 37th of 186 countries.
Where does this data come from?
International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as Labor force, total. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator
Labor force, total
Source
International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
234 places, 8,410 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.