Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 12 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Malaysia: Mobility & Trade
How connected is a country to the rest of the world?
Malaysia is placed 6th of 177 countries on mobility & trade in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Liner Shipping Connectivity Index 523.33 (2025); Container Import Dwell Time 3.5 (2024).
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Mobility & Trade
6th
of 177 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Malaysia on mobility & trade — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
523.33
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)
Higher is better
Ranked 4th of 177 by UNCTAD
Malaysia: 523.33. Across the 168 countries in this edition, values run from 4.13 (Turks and Caicos Islands) to 1,313 (China); the world median is 60.84.
- World median
- 60.84
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 625.94 Singapore
- Land neighbours
- Brunei 23.13 · Indonesia 246.8 · Thailand 271.29
3.5
Median days a full import container waits in port
Lower is better
Malaysia: 3.5. Across the 156 countries in this edition, values run from 1 (Gibraltar) to 21.6 (Haiti); the world median is 4.4.
- World median
- 4.4
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 1.1 Brunei
- Land neighbours
- Brunei 1.1 · Indonesia 2 · Thailand 2.9
3.6
LPI score (1–5)
Higher is better
Ranked 26th of 139 by World Bank Group
Malaysia: 3.6. Across the 139 countries in this edition, values run from 1.9 (Afghanistan) to 4.3 (Singapore); the world median is 2.9.
- World median
- 2.9
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 4.3 Singapore
- Land neighbours
- Indonesia 3 · Thailand 3.5
Key 4 of 4
ICT Goods Exports
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
35.21
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports)
Higher is better
Malaysia: 35.21. Across the 120 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Gambia) to 61.45 (Hong Kong); the world median is 0.975.
- World median
- 0.975
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 43.57 Philippines
- Land neighbours
- Brunei 0.06 · Indonesia 2.66 · Thailand 16.86
02Over time
Which way Malaysia is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) · higher is better
MalaysiaWorld median
Malaysia rose from 404.79 in 2006 to 509.53 in 2026; the world median went from 52.25 to 56.21.
Every year’s figures
Year Malaysia World median 2026 509.5 56.21 2025 523.3 60.84 2024 497.4 55.22 2023 502.0 54.78 2022 483.8 51.49 2021 469.1 52.64 2020 476.4 47.86 2019 463.6 51.05 2018 462.2 52.03 2017 464.0 49.87 2016 469.8 48.09 2015 478.0 49.13 2014 461.3 48.08 2013 468.5 51.32 2012 477.2 47.44 2011 503.5 50.26 2010 460.1 50.51 2009 422.1 53.04 2008 448.8 51.68 2007 449.9 55.78 2006 404.8 52.25 Logistics Performance Index
LPI score (1–5) · higher is better
MalaysiaWorld median
Malaysia rose from 3.48 in 2007 to 3.6 in 2023; the world median went from 2.529 to 2.9.
Every year’s figures
Year Malaysia World median 2023 3.60 2.900 2018 3.22 2.706 2016 3.43 2.734 2014 3.59 2.753 2012 3.49 2.773 2010 3.44 2.746 2007 3.48 2.529 ICT Goods Exports
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) · higher is better
MalaysiaWorld median
Malaysia fell from 52.13 in 2000 to 35.21 in 2024; the world median went from 0.43 to 0.975.
Every year’s figures
Year Malaysia World median 2024 35.21 0.975000 2023 34.53 0.690000 2022 32.75 0.565000 2021 30.48 0.550000 2020 32.76 0.680000 2019 30.15 0.625000 2018 31.08 0.480000 2017 29.08 0.630000 2016 28.12 0.865000 2015 27.99 0.790000 2014 27.15 0.760000 2013 26.70 0.645000 2012 26.73 0.630000 2011 28.16 0.535000 2010 32.68 0.560000 2009 35.88 0.780000 2008 23.99 0.595000 2007 38.76 0.660000 2006 42.04 0.445000 2005 42.76 0.570000 2004 44.47 0.535000 2003 47.80 0.530000 2002 49.96 0.510000 2001 50.68 0.490000 2000 52.13 0.430000
03In context
Malaysia beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 177 countries on mobility & trade, never a place within the region.
Malaysia and the countries it borders
Standing among all 177; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexLSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) | Container Import Dwell TimeMedian days a full import container waits in port | Logistics Performance IndexLPI score (1–5) | ICT Goods ExportsICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | 6th | 523.33 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 35.21 |
 Thailand | 10th | 271.29 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 16.86 |
 Indonesiacompare | =30th | 246.8 | 2 | 3 | 2.66 |
 Brunei | 96th | 23.13 | 1.1 | — | 0.06 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across South-eastern Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 177.
Placed either side on mobility & trade
The countries immediately above and below Malaysia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Malaysia is ahead of the world, and behind
29 more statistics filed under mobility & trade, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median5
Statistics on which Malaysia does better than the middle country measured.
Cost of Sending RemittancesWorld Bank Group · 2023 · world median 3.2250.9843.225▲ Improved since 2016
Malaysia: 0.984 · world median 3.225 · Average cost of sending $200 home (% of the amount). World Bank Group, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -49.69 to 19.63; lower is better.
Position 86th of 93 · derived, 1st = worst.
Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2025 · world median 0.2060.0870.206No real change since 2015
Malaysia: 0.087 · world median 0.206 · Digital STRI (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.021 to 0.649; lower is better.
Position 99th of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
Inbound Mobility Rate, TertiaryUIS · 2024 · world median 5.49412.475.494No real change since 2014
Malaysia: 12.47 · world median 5.494 · Inbound mobility rate, tertiary (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.12; higher is better.
Position 19th of 75 · derived.
Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 25.4229.0825.42No real change since 2014
Malaysia: 29.08 · world median 25.42 · Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.377 to 87.15; higher is better.
Position 76th of 170 · derived.
ICT Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 7.4747.5197.474▲ Improved since 2014
Malaysia: 7.519 · world median 7.474 · ICT services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 56.25; higher is better.
Position 57th of 118 · derived.
Behind the world median3
Statistics on which Malaysia does worse than the middle country measured.
Freedom of Foreign MovementV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.20.4321.2▲ Improved since 2015
Malaysia: 0.432 · world median 1.2 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +2.9); higher = freer movement. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.642 to 2.727; higher is better.
Position 125th of 176 · derived.
Average Time to Clear Exports Through CustomsWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.45612.814.456No earlier reading
Malaysia: 12.81 · world median 4.456 · Average time to clear exports through customs (days). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 27.46; lower is better.
Position 20th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2024 · world median 0.0790.3220.079▼ Worsened since 2018
Malaysia: 0.322 · world median 0.079 · FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.567; lower is better.
Position 10th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end21
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Container Port TrafficUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1,827,78830,659,8501,827,788No real change since 2014
Malaysia: 30,659,850 · world median 1,827,788 · Container port traffic (TEU, twenty-foot equivalent units). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 17,263 to 299,703,800.
Position 5th of 103 · derived, counted from the highest value.
International MigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 223,3233,806,514223,323No real change since 2015
Malaysia: 3,806,514 · world median 223,323 · International migrants living in the country, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 246 to 52,375,047.
Asylum-Seekers by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 1,83663,0111,836Moved since 2015
Malaysia: 63,011 · world median 1,836 · Asylum-seekers awaiting a decision, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 3,718,945.
Creative Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1.2353.9491.235Moved since 2014
Malaysia: 3.949 · world median 1.235 · Creative goods exports (% of merchandise exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.23.
EmigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 444,4512,433,875444,451No real change since 2015
Malaysia: 2,433,875 · world median 444,451 · Migrants from the country living abroad, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 313 to 18,533,845.
Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 36.3470.9736.34Moved since 2015
Malaysia: 70.97 · world median 36.34 · Exports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.103 to 199.76.
Position 22nd of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Net Migration RateUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median -0.1335.155-0.133No real change since 2013
Malaysia: 5.155 · world median -0.133 · Net migrants per 1,000 population. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -61.68 to 39.62.
Trade (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 79.68136.479.68Moved since 2015
Malaysia: 136.4 · world median 79.68 · Exports plus imports (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.382 to 396.65.
Position 24th of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Merchant Fleet by Country of OwnershipUNCTAD · 2026 · world median 275.739,542275.73Moved since 2016
Malaysia: 9,542 · world median 275.73 · Merchant fleet owned (thousand dead-weight tons). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 397,071.
Refugee Population by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 12,269150,16412,269No real change since 2015
Malaysia: 150,164 · world median 12,269 · Refugees under UNHCR's mandate hosted, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 2,655,191.
Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 41.7265.4341.72No real change since 2015
Malaysia: 65.43 · world median 41.72 · Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.279 to 196.89.
Position 32nd of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Terms of Trade IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 103.23121.51103.23Moved since 2015
Malaysia: 121.51 · world median 103.23 · Terms of trade index (2015 = 100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 38.2 to 1,448.
Foreign Value Added Share of Gross ExportsOECD · 2022 · world median 27.4134.1627.41Moved since 2012
Malaysia: 34.16 · world median 27.41 · Foreign value added (% of gross exports). OECD, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 4.491 to 66.08.
Cereal Import Dependency RatioFAO · 2022 · world median 42.878.142.8Moved since 2012
Malaysia: 78.1 · world median 42.8 · Share of the cereal supply that is imported (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from -1,894 to 100.
International Migrants as a Share of PopulationUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 6.08910.716.089Moved since 2015
Malaysia: 10.71 · world median 6.089 · International migrants (% of population). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.02 to 100.
Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 9.60213.629.602No real change since 2015
Malaysia: 13.62 · world median 9.602 · Services exports (% of GDP). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.085 to 166.21.
Creative Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 6.1717.1926.171Moved since 2014
Malaysia: 7.192 · world median 6.171 · Creative services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.002 to 63.91.
Tariff Rate, Applied, Weighted Mean, All ProductsWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 3.663.423.66No real change since 2012
Malaysia: 3.42 · world median 3.66 · Applied tariff rate, trade-weighted mean (%). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 29.52.
Export Concentration IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 0.3060.2890.306Moved since 2015
Malaysia: 0.289 · world median 0.306 · Export concentration index (0–1, normalised Herfindahl–Hirschman). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.059 to 0.933.
Outbound Mobility Ratio, TertiaryUIS · 2023 · world median 5.2794.1415.279Moved since 2013
Malaysia: 4.141 · world median 5.279 · Outbound mobility ratio, tertiary (% of tertiary enrolment at home). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.333 to 1,724.
Commodity Export DependenceUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 67.1731.6767.17Moved since 2014
Malaysia: 31.67 · world median 67.17 · Commodity exports (% of merchandise exports, three-year average). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 4.605 to 99.77.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Mobility & Trade among Malaysia’s 15 topics
Mobility & Trade is Malaysia’s best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Mobility & Trade6th of 1774/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions40th of 1944/4 keys
- Digital & Technology41st of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation40th of 1764/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality41st of 1593/3 keys
- Work & Labour63rd of 1824/4 keys
- Peace & Security62nd of 1774/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital91st of 1963/3 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 86th of 1844/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties95th of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience95th of 1934/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing99th of 2004/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 131st of 1984/4 keys
- Gender & Equalityjoint 131st of 1834/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 158th of 1864/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on mobility & trade
The three countries placed highest of 177, and the leaders Malaysia can most readily be measured against.
1
SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia
1st of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
2
MacauEastern Asia
2nd of 177 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
Hong KongEastern Asia
3rd of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
Singapore1st4/4 keysThis page
Malaysia6th4/4 keys
Positions out of 177 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Malaysia and mobility & trade
On mobility & trade
China Leads Global High-Technology Exports
The world’s ten largest high-technology exporters as a treemap, with the rest of the world beside them. Each country’s figure is its own most recent year, between 2022 and 2024.
On mobility & trade
The World’s Safest Airlines for 2025
The eleven safest airlines of 2025, each beside the country it is based in, and the nine things the grading looks at. Three airlines share third place, and the publisher gives an order but no score.
On mobility & trade
The world’s most powerful passports for 2025
Sixteen passports, their mobility scores, and the visa-free, visa-on-arrival and visa-required split behind each. Fourteen share third place while differing in how they reach it.
08Questions
Malaysia on mobility & trade: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Malaysia rank on mobility & trade?
Malaysia is placed 6th of 177 countries on Mobility & Trade in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Liner Shipping Connectivity Index, Container Import Dwell Time, Logistics Performance Index and ICT Goods Exports). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Liner Shipping Connectivity Index figure for Malaysia?
523.33 in 2025 (lSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)), according to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The world median in the same edition was 60.84.
What is the latest Container Import Dwell Time figure for Malaysia?
3.5 in 2024 (median days a full import container waits in port), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 4.4.
How does Malaysia compare with Indonesia on mobility & trade?
Indonesia is placed joint 30th of 177, and Malaysia 6th. Liner Shipping Connectivity Index: Indonesia 246.8, Malaysia 523.33; Container Import Dwell Time: Indonesia 2, Malaysia 3.5; Logistics Performance Index: Indonesia 3, Malaysia 3.6; ICT Goods Exports: Indonesia 2.66, Malaysia 35.21.
How have Malaysia’s mobility & trade figures changed?
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index rose from 404.79 in 2006 to 509.53 in 2026; Logistics Performance Index rose from 3.48 in 2007 to 3.6 in 2023; ICT Goods Exports fell from 52.13 in 2000 to 35.21 in 2024.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Passport strength and freedom of movement for people are not measured with a key, because the data behind passport rankings is not licensed for reuse here. Trade as a share of the economy, remittance costs and student mobility are published here as context.
How the Mobility & Trade standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The mobility & trade method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Liner Shipping Connectivity Index — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Container Import Dwell Time — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Logistics Performance Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- ICT Goods Exports — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 29 statistics on this page come from 8 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Malaysia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Malaysia (banner) — Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
- Macau — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hong Kong — Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Malaysia: Mobility & Trade — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/malaysia/mobility