Quick facts
Kuantan overview
Kuantan (orange) and the other large cities of Malaysia
Kuantan lies in Pahang in Malaysia at 3.81°N, 103.33°E, about 12 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Kuala_Lumpur (UTC+8); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Kota Bharu (568,900) and larger than Kota Kuala Muda (544,984). The largest city in Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur with 1,453,975 people and is also the capital.
The national capital, Kuala Lumpur, is about 196 km away; the nearest large city is Maran, 66 km from Kuantan.
Malaysia as a whole has a live population of 36,506,185 (+1.1% a year) and ranks #45 of 238 countries — see the Malaysia population page for the full statistics and the Malaysia atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Kuantan
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Maran Pahang | 66 km | 111,056 |
| Kuala Terengganu Terengganu | 171 km | 426,500 |
| Kuala Kubu Baharu Selangor | 187 km | 194,387 |
| Bandar Mahkota Cheras Selangor | 189 km | 100,000 |
| Setapak Selangor | 190 km | 353,268 |
| Kajang Selangor | 193 km | 236,240 |
| Batu Caves Selangor | 193 km | 254,083 |
| Cheras Selangor | 194 km | 135,823 |
Largest cities in Malaysia
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kuala LumpurCapital | Kuala Lumpur | 1,453,975 |
| 2 | Johor Bahru | Johor | 858,118 |
| 3 | Petaling Jaya | Selangor | 807,879 |
| 4 | Ipoh | Perak | 759,952 |
| 5 | Shah Alam | Selangor | 740,750 |
| 6 | Pelentong | Johor | 583,640 |
| 7 | Malacca | Melaka | 579,000 |
| 8 | Iskandar Puteri | Johor | 575,977 |
| 9 | Kota Bharu | Kelantan | 568,900 |
| 10 | Kuantan | Pahang | 548,014 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kuantan?
Kuantan has about 548,014 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Kuantan the capital of Malaysia?
No. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur (1,453,975 people), about 196 km away. Kuantan is the 10th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Kuantan compared with the rest of Malaysia?
Its 548,014 residents are 1.5% of the 36,506,185 people living in Malaysia today. Kuala Lumpur is larger with 1,453,975 people.
Where is Kuantan?
In Pahang, Malaysia, at latitude 3.81 and longitude 103.33, 12 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Maran (66 km), Kuala Terengganu (171 km), Kuala Kubu Baharu (187 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Kuantan Population 2026 — Malaysia. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/malaysia/kuantan/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/malaysia/kuantan/">Kuantan Population 2026 — Malaysia</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-22. More about our data.