Turns out Malaysians are in no rush when it comes to ‘doing the deed’, with a recent study showing that Malaysia ranks first in the world for the oldest average age.
According to data from the World Population Review, nine out of the top 10 countries where people wait the longest to have sex are located in Asia.
Average age 23.7yo in M’sia
The report shows that the average age for first sexual intercourse in Malaysia is 23.7 years, followed closely by Indonesia at 23.6 years.
Other countries rounding out the top positions include India (22.5), South Korea (22.1), Singapore (22.0), Taiwan (21.9), Turkey (21.3), China (21.2), and Hong Kong (20.8). The only non-Asian country to break into the top ten is Nigeria, with an average of 20.6 years.
In contrast, South American nations lead in the earliest average age of first sexual experience, with Brazil topping that list with an average of 17.3 years, followed by Colombia at 17.4 years.
Other early-starter countries also include New Zealand (17.5), Austria (17.5), and the Czech Republic (17.6).
Cultural and social influences
The report notes that while these figures represent national averages, individual experiences vary widely.
In countries like China, for instance, the average age is 22—suggesting that many young people may not engage in sexual activity even after graduating from university.
Factors such as culture, religion, education, and personal values play a significant role in determining when individuals choose to become sexually active.
In Asia, where traditional values often emphasise abstinence before marriage, these factors likely contributed to the higher average ages reported in the study.
Difficult to verify, but trends are consistent
The report cautions that while these figures can be difficult to verify with complete accuracy, multiple surveys tend to show consistent patterns across regions.
Western and Northern European countries, along with North America, generally report earlier ages of sexual initiation compared to Asia.
Supporting the new findings, a 2016 study by Durex, as published by the statistical website ChartsBin, placed Malaysia at the top of the global list for the latest average age of first sexual experience (23 years), followed by India (22.9) and Singapore (22.8).
