Quick facts
Kuching overview
Kuching (orange) and the other large cities of Malaysia
Kuching lies in Sarawak in Malaysia at 1.55°N, 110.33°E, about 8 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Kuching (UTC+8); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Kampung Kangkar Teberau (412,373) and larger than Puchong (375,181). The largest city in Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur with 1,453,975 people; the capital, Kuala Lumpur, has 1,453,975.
The national capital, Kuala Lumpur, is about 977 km away; the nearest large city is Sibu, 185 km from Kuching.
Malaysia as a whole has a live population of 36,503,986 (+1.1% a year) and ranks #44 of 238 countries — see the Malaysia population page for the full statistics and the Malaysia atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Kuching
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Sibu Sarawak | 185 km | 198,239 |
Largest cities in Malaysia
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kuala LumpurCapital | Kuala Lumpur | 1,453,975 |
| 2 | Johor Bahru | Johor | 858,118 |
| 3 | Kampung Baru Subang | Selangor | 833,571 |
| 4 | Petaling Jaya | Selangor | 807,879 |
| 5 | Ipoh | Perak | 759,952 |
| 6 | Shah Alam | Selangor | 740,750 |
| 7 | Bukit Rahman Putra | Selangor | 607,000 |
| 8 | Pelentong | Johor | 583,640 |
| 9 | Malacca | Melaka | 579,000 |
| 10 | Iskandar Puteri | Johor | 575,977 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kuching?
Kuching has about 402,738 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Kuching the capital of Malaysia?
No. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur (1,453,975 people), about 977 km away. Kuching is the 25th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Kuching compared with the rest of Malaysia?
Its 402,738 residents are 1.1% of the 36,503,986 people living in Malaysia today. Kuala Lumpur is larger with 1,453,975 people.
Where is Kuching?
In Sarawak, Malaysia, at latitude 1.55 and longitude 110.33, 8 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Sibu (185 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Kuching Population 2026 — Malaysia. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/malaysia/kuching/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/malaysia/kuching/">Kuching 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 2026-10-20. More about our data.