Sabah by Numbers — Complete Statistics & Data Hub (2025)
Last updated: April 2026
3.76M
Population
↑ 2025 DOSM estimate
RM84.3B
GDP
↑ 2024, +1.1% growth
73,631 km²
Land Area
2nd largest state
RM8.74B
Tourism Revenue
↑ 2025, +12% GDP
9
National Parks
30% land protected
30+
Ethnic Groups
Kadazan, Bajau, Murut…
Sabah is one of Malaysia's most data-rich states — and one of the least documented online. This hub compiles verified statistics from DOSM, the Sabah Tourism Board, PETRONAS, the Sabah Forestry Department, and 40+ primary sources. Every number has a citation. Every page has a "last verified" date.
Browse 32 topic pages below — each with KPI strips, interactive charts, and six-question FAQs. Use our methodology page to understand how the data is sourced, and the sources index for the full bibliography.
Sabah's Population Growth (1970–2025)
From 711,000 in 1970 to 3.76 million today — a 5× increase in 55 years driven by migration and high birth rates.
What Drives Sabah's RM84.3B Economy?
Oil & gas leads at 28%, followed by manufacturing and palm oil. Tourism has grown to 12% of GDP — the fastest-rising sector.
Explore All 32 Statistics Pages
Every page includes KPI dashboards, Chart.js visualisations, sourced data, and FAQs.
👥
People & Society
6 pages 3.76M people
Population
District breakdown, growth trends, citizens vs non-citizens
Median age 27.2
Age & Demographics
Age pyramid, sex ratio, urbanisation, household size
30+ groups
Ethnic Groups
Kadazan-Dusun, Bajau, Chinese, Malay and 30+ communities
69.6% Muslim
Religion
Religious composition, history, district-level breakdown
~1.8M workers
Employment & Labour
Labour force, unemployment rate, wages by sector
RM2,800 avg spend
Cost of Living
KK vs Tawau vs rural, household expenditure, housing costs
💰
Economy & Industry
8 pages RM84.3B GDP
Economy Overview
Sector shares, growth trajectory, investment landscape
+1.1% in 2024
GDP & Growth
Real GDP, per capita income, historical trend, 2025 projection
1.68M hectares
Palm Oil
Malaysia's largest producer — output, mills, employment
28% of GDP
Oil & Gas
Offshore production, PETRONAS royalties, SOGIP data
RM60B+ exports
Trade
Import/export volumes, top trading partners, commodities
Median RM6,000+
Household Income
Income deciles, poverty rate, urban vs rural gaps
400K+ hectares
Agriculture
Rice, cocoa, rubber, timber — beyond palm oil
200K+ tonnes
Fisheries
Marine catch, aquaculture output, export value
🌿
Nature & Geography
9 pages 73,631 km²
Geography
394 islands, 560km Kinabatangan River, 27 districts
2,500–4,000mm rain
Climate
Monsoon seasons, temperatures, rainfall by region
4,500+ plant species
Biodiversity
Endemic wildlife, species counts, conservation status
~11,000 orangutans
Wildlife Populations
Bornean orangutan, pygmy elephant, proboscis monkey trends
30% TPA
Protected Areas
9 national parks, wildlife reserves, marine parks by area
4,095m
Mount Kinabalu
Climber statistics, UNESCO Heritage data, ecology zones
~50% cover
Forests
Forest cover trend, deforestation rate, reforestation targets
600km² coral reefs
Marine & Coral
Sipadan, marine parks, coral cover, fish biomass
394 islands
Islands
Top islands by area, inhabited vs uninhabited, marine parks
✈️
Tourism & Infrastructure
9 pages 3.79M arrivals
Tourism Overview
Top-line metrics, seasonality, contribution to economy
+8% YoY 2025
Visitor Arrivals
By country, domestic vs international, monthly trend
RM8.74B
Tourism Revenue
Spending breakdown, per-visitor average, sector contribution
5 airports
Infrastructure
Roads, airports, ports, utilities — overview
4M passengers
Airports
KKIA + 4 regional airports, routes, capacity
500K TEUs
Ports
Sapanggar Bay container throughput, cargo volume
1,116km total
Pan Borneo Highway
Phase progress, completion timeline, economic impact
40,000+ rooms
Hotels & Rooms
Room count by star rating, occupancy rates
95.8% literacy
Education
Schools, universities, enrolment, Sabah UMS data
Looking for fun facts?
Visit Did You Know? for Sabah's most surprising statistics — from the world's largest flower to the smallest bear on Earth.
About this data
All statistics are sourced from primary Malaysian government agencies (DOSM, KPKT, Sabah Tourism Board, Jabatan Hutan Sabah) and verified as of April 2026. Some figures are DOSM estimates; live population data is fetched from the OpenDOSM API. See our methodology and full source list for details.