The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Southeast Asia
Languages Malaysia, in 33 editions.
The entry for Malaysia published Languages in 33 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 16 editions. Each is shown as published. Languages in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 16
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Language” (1990 to 1991) and “Languages” (1992 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Same as 2024The same text in 1990 and 1991.
Published as “Language”
- Peninsular Malaysia--Malay (official);
- English, Chinese dialects, Tamil;
- Sabah--English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate among Chinese;
- Sarawak--English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages
Peninsular Malaysia--Malay (official); English, Chinese dialects, Tamil; Sabah--English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate among Chinese; Sarawak--English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages
- Peninsular Malaysia - Malay (official);
- English, Chinese dialects, Tamil;
- Sabah - English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate among Chinese;
- Sarawak - English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages
Peninsular Malaysia--Malay Malaysia - Malay (official); English, Chinese dialects, Tamil; Sabah--English,
Sabah - English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin and Hakka
dialects predominate among Chinese; Sarawak--English, Sarawak - English, Malay, Mandarin,
numerous tribal languages
- Peninsular Malaysia:
- Malay (official) English,
- Chinese dialects,
- Tamil
- State of Sabah:
- English Malay,
- numerous tribal dialects,
- Chinese (Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate)
- State of Sarawak:
- English Malay,
- Mandarin,
- numerous tribal languages,
Peninsular Malaysia - Malaysia:
Malay (official); (official)
English, Chinese dialects, Tamil; TamilSabah - English, State of Sabah:
English
Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Mandarin Chinese (Mandarin and Hakkapredominate among Chinese; Sarawak - English,
predominate)
State of Sarawak:
English
Malay, Mandarin,languages languages,
The entry for Malaysia did not include Languages.
- Peninsular Malaysia - Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects, Tamil;
- Sabah - English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Chinese (Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate);
- Sarawak - English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages
Peninsular Malaysia:Malaysia - Malay (official)(official), English, Chinese dialects, TamilState of Sabah:dialects, Tamil; Sabah - English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects,
English
Chinese (Mandarin and Hakka dialects
predominate)
State of Sarawak:
English
Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages, languages
- Peninsular Malaysia-Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects, Tamil;
- Sabah-English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects, Chinese (Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate);
- Sarawak-English, Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages
Peninsular Malaysia - Malay Malaysia-Malay (official), English, Chinese
dialects, Tamil; Sabah - English, Sabah-English, Malay, numerous tribal dialects,
Chinese (Mandarin and Hakka dialects predominate); Sarawak - English, Sarawak-English,
Malay, Mandarin, numerous tribal languages
- Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malalalam, Panjabi, Thai;
- note--in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are Iban and Kadazan
Rewritten: too little of the 1998 text remains to mark the changes.
Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects
(Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil,
Telugu, Malalalam, Panjabi, Thai; note--in addition, in East Malaysia
several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are
Iban and Kadazan
The same text in 3 editions, 2000 to 2002.
- Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai;
- note - in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are Iban and Kadazan
Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialectsMalalalam, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note--in note - in addition, in East Malaysia
The same text in 2003 and 2004.
- Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai;
- note - in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban and Kadazan
Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are Iban and Kadazan
- Bahasa Melayu (official),
- English,
- Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow),
- Tamil,
- Telugu,
- Malayalam,
- Panjabi,
- Thai
note: in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban and Kadazan
Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - Thai
note: in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban and Kadazan
- Bahasa Melayu (official),
- English,
- Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow),
- Tamil,
- Telugu,
- Malayalam,
- Panjabi,
- Thai
note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
note: in addition, in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
The same text in 2007 and 2008.
- Bahasa Malaysia (official),
- English,
- Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow),
- Tamil,
- Telugu,
- Malayalam,
- Panjabi,
- Thai
note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Bahasa Melayu Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
The same text in 6 editions, 2009 to 2014.
- Bahasa Malaysia (official),
- English,
- Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow),
- Tamil,
- Telugu,
- Malayalam,
- Panjabi,
- Thai
note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
note:
in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
The same text in 2015 and 2016.
- Bahasa Malaysia (official),
- English,
- Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow),
- Tamil,
- Telugu,
- Malayalam,
- Panjabi,
- Thai
note: in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
note:
The same text in 2017 and 2018.
- Bahasa Malaysia (official),
- English,
- Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow),
- Tamil,
- Telugu,
- Malayalam,
- Panjabi,
- Thai
note: Malaysia has 134 living languages - 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages; in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
note: Malaysia has 134 living languages - 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages; in East Malaysia there are several indigenous languages; most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
The same text in 2019 and 2020.
- Bahasa Malaysia (official),
- English,
- Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow),
- Tamil,
- Telugu,
- Malayalam,
- Panjabi,
- Thai
note: Malaysia has 134 living languages - 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages; in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages; the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
note: Malaysia has 134 living languages - 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages; in East Malaysia Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages; the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
The same text in 3 editions, 2021 to 2023.
- Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai;
- note - Malaysia has 134 living languages - 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages;
- in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages;
- the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
- major-language sample(s):
Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Bahasa Malaysia)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai Thai; note - Malaysia has 134 living languages - 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages; in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages; the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
note:
major-language sample(s):
Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Bahasa Malaysia)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
The same text in 2024 and 2025.
- Bahasa Malaysia (official),
- English,
- Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow),
- Tamil,
- Telugu,
- Malayalam,
- Panjabi,
- Thai
- major-language sample(s):
Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Bahasa Malaysia)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
note: Malaysia has 134 languages (112 indigenous and 22 non-indigenous); in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages, and the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - Malaysia has 134 living languages - 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages; in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages; the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan Thai
major-language sample(s):
Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Bahasa Malaysia)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
note: Malaysia has 134 languages (112 indigenous and 22 non-indigenous); in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages, and the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan
No edition has those words. Try a shorter word.
Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Malaysia: Languages.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/malaysia/languages.