Quick facts
Tawau overview
Tawau (orange) and the other large cities of Malaysia
Tawau lies in Sabah in Malaysia at 4.24°N, 117.89°E, about 0 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Kuching (UTC+8).
It is smaller than Seremban (372,917) and larger than Setapak (353,268). 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 1,802 km away; the nearest large city is Lahad Datu, 99 km from Tawau.
Malaysia as a whole has a live population of 36,505,719 (+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 Tawau
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Lahad Datu Sabah | 99 km | 105,622 |
| Tarakan North Kalimantan ·  Indonesia | 109 km | 255,310 |
| Sandakan Sabah | 179 km | 439,050 |
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 Tawau?
Tawau has about 372,615 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Tawau the capital of Malaysia?
No. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur (1,453,975 people), about 1,802 km away. Tawau is the 28th largest city of the country.
How big is Tawau compared with the rest of Malaysia?
Its 372,615 residents are 1% of the 36,505,719 people living in Malaysia today. Kuala Lumpur is larger with 1,453,975 people.
Where is Tawau?
In Sabah, Malaysia, at latitude 4.24 and longitude 117.89, 0 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Lahad Datu (99 km), Tarakan (109 km), Sandakan (179 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Tawau Population 2026 — Malaysia. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/malaysia/tawau/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/malaysia/tawau/">Tawau 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 2026-10-21. More about our data.