Quick facts
Shah Alam overview
Shah Alam (orange) and the other large cities of Malaysia
Shah Alam lies in Selangor in Malaysia at 3.09°N, 101.53°E, about 53 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Kuala_Lumpur (UTC+8).
It is smaller than Ipoh (759,952) and larger than Bukit Rahman Putra (607,000). 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 18 km away; the nearest large city is Kampung Baru Subang, 7 km from Shah Alam.
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 Shah Alam
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Kampung Baru Subang Selangor | 7 km | 833,571 |
| Petaling Jaya Selangor | 9 km | 807,879 |
| Setia Alam Selangor | 9 km | 150,000 |
| Kota Damansara Selangor | 9 km | 500,000 |
| Bandar Bukit Raja Selangor | 11 km | 146,534 |
| Klang Selangor | 11 km | 240,016 |
| Puchong Selangor | 13 km | 375,181 |
| Sungai Buloh Selangor | 14 km | 222,858 |
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 Shah Alam?
Shah Alam has about 740,750 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Shah Alam the capital of Malaysia?
No. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur (1,453,975 people), about 18 km away. Shah Alam is the 6th largest city of the country.
How big is Shah Alam compared with the rest of Malaysia?
Its 740,750 residents are 2% of the 36,503,986 people living in Malaysia today. Kuala Lumpur is larger with 1,453,975 people.
Where is Shah Alam?
In Selangor, Malaysia, at latitude 3.09 and longitude 101.53, 53 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Kampung Baru Subang (7 km), Petaling Jaya (9 km), Setia Alam (9 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Shah Alam Population 2026 — Malaysia. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/malaysia/shah-alam/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/malaysia/shah-alam/">Shah Alam 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.