Demographics of Malta

This article is about the demographic features of the population of Malta, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Demographics of Malta, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

Characteristics

Malta is the most densely populated country in the EU and one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with about 1,265 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,000 per square mile). This compares with about 32 per square kilometre (85 per square mile) for the United States. A census (held every 10 years) was held in November 2005.

Inhabited since prehistoric times, Malta was first colonized by Sicilians. Subsequently, Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs in 870 CE who may have completely depopulated the islands. Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, French and the British have influenced Maltese life and culture to varying degrees. Most of the foreign community in Malta, predominantly active or retired British nationals and their dependents, is centred on Sliema and surrounding modern suburbs. Other smaller foreign groups include Italians, French, and Lebanese, many of whom have assimilated into the Maltese nation over the decades.

Mass emigration picked up in the 19th century, reaching its peak in the decades after World War II. Migration was initially to north African countries (particularly Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt); later Maltese migrants headed towards the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia. There is little trace left of the Maltese communities in north Africa, most of them having been displaced, after the rise of independence movements, to places like Marseille, the United Kingdom or Australia. Although migration has ceased to be a social phenomenon of significance there are still important Maltese communities in Australia, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. Since Malta joined the EU in 2004 expatriate communities emerged in a number of European countries particularly in Belgium and Luxembourg.

Roman Catholicism is established by law as the religion of Malta with 98%; however, full liberty of conscience and freedom of worship is guaranteed, and a number of faiths have places of worship on the island (rather small groups, a combined total of 2% of the people are Protestants, Eastern Orthodox, Muslims and Jews).

Malta has two official languages--Maltese (a Semitic language derived from Siculo-Arabic and heavily influenced by Sicilian and Italian), and English. Both languages are compulsory subjects in Maltese primary and secondary schools. A large portion of the population is also fluent in Italian, which was, until 1936, the national language of Malta. The literacy rate has reached 93%, compared to 63% in 1946. Schooling is compulsory until age 16.

Vital statistics

	Average population (x 1000)	Live births	Deaths	Natural change	Crude birth rate (per 1000)	Crude death rate (per 1000)	Natural change (per 1000)
1932	246	8 000	5 150	2 850	32.5	20.9	11.6
1933	250	8 300	5 100	3 200	33.2	20.4	12.8
1934	254	8 544	5 702	2 842	33.6	22.4	11.2
1935	256	8 701	6 018	2 683	34.0	23.5	10.5
1936	259	8 875	4 617	4 258	34.3	17.8	16.4
1937	263	8 879	5 304	3 575	33.8	20.2	13.6
1938	267	8 704	5 399	3 305	32.6	20.2	12.4
1939	269	8 930	5 385	3 545	33.2	20.0	13.2
1940	270	8 808	6 144	2 664	32.6	22.8	9.9
1941	271	7 352	6 444	908	27.1	23.8	3.4
1942	270	6 768	8 603	-1 835	25.1	31.9	-6.8
1943	271	8 452	5 578	2 874	31.2	20.6	10.6
1944	276	10 963	3 700	7 263	39.7	13.4	26.3
1945	283	10 998	4 016	6 982	38.9	14.2	24.7
1946	291	11 304	4 050	7 254	38.8	13.9	24.9
1947	300	11 612	3 838	7 774	38.7	12.8	25.9
1948	306	11 029	3 737	7 292	36.0	12.2	23.8
1949	311	10 590	3 326	7 264	34.1	10.7	23.4
1950	312	10 281	3 224	7 057	33.0	10.3	22.6
1951	313	9 511	3 476	6 035	30.4	11.1	19.3
1952	317	9 226	3 365	5 861	29.1	10.6	18.5
1953	317	8 977	2 848	6 129	28.3	9.0	19.3
1954	320	8 991	3 071	5 920	28.1	9.6	18.5
1955	314	8 560	2 683	5 877	27.3	8.5	18.7
1956	314	8 418	2 918	5 500	26.8	9.3	17.5
1957	319	8 794	2 955	5 839	27.6	9.3	18.3
1958	322	8 528	2 657	5 871	26.5	8.3	18.2
1959	325	8 499	2 836	5 663	26.2	8.7	17.4
1960	329	8 565	2 819	5 746	26.0	8.6	17.5
1961	329	7 674	2 937	4 737	23.3	8.9	14.4
1962	329	7 513	2 840	4 673	22.8	8.6	14.2
1963	328	6 672	2 981	3 691	20.3	9.1	11.3
1964	324	6 394	2 756	3 638	19.7	8.5	11.2
1965	319	5 628	3 001	2 627	17.6	9.4	8.2
1966	317	5 340	2 865	2 475	16.8	9.0	7.8
1967	319	5 309	2 985	2 324	16.6	9.4	7.3
1968	319	5 145	2 883	2 262	16.1	9.0	7.1
1969	323	5 096	3 024	2 072	15.8	9.4	6.4
1970	303	5 314	3 070	2 244	17.5	10.1	7.4
1971	303	5 562	3 090	2 472	18.4	10.2	8.2
1972	303	5 385	2 891	2 494	17.8	9.5	8.2
1973	303	5 631	2 935	2 696	18.6	9.7	8.9
1974	303	5 691	2 747	2 944	18.8	9.1	9.7
1975	304	6 007	2 900	3 107	19.8	9.5	10.2
1976	307	5 927	2 967	2 960	19.3	9.7	9.6
1977	310	5 937	2 872	3 065	19.2	9.3	9.9
1978	319	5 641	3 263	2 378	17.7	10.2	7.5
1979	320	5 823	2 968	2 855	18.2	9.3	8.9
1980	324	5 602	3 215	2 387	17.3	9.9	7.4
1981	327	5 592	3 062	2 530	17.1	9.4	7.7
1982	330	5 912	3 050	2 862	17.9	9.2	8.7
1983	334	5 651	3 137	2 514	16.9	9.4	7.5
1984	337	5 571	2 903	2 668	16.5	8.6	7.9
1985	340	5 430	2 837	2 593	16.0	8.4	7.6
1986	347	5 245	2 824	2 421	15.1	8.1	7.0
1987	350	5 314	2 908	2 406	15.2	8.3	6.9
1988	353	5 533	2 708	2 825	15.7	7.7	8.0
1989	356	5 584	2 610	2 974	15.7	7.3	8.3
1990	360	5 368	2 745	2 623	14.9	7.6	7.3
1991	364	5 302	2 875	2 427	14.6	7.9	6.7
1992	368	5 474	2 900	2 574	14.9	7.9	7.0
1993	371	5 147	2 692	2 455	13.9	7.2	6.6
1994	375	4 826	2 698	2 128	12.9	7.2	5.7
1995	377	4 613	2 708	1 905	12.2	7.2	5.0
1996	380	5 038	2 765	2 273	13.3	7.3	6.0
1997	383	4 848	2 888	1 960	12.7	7.5	5.1
1998	385	4 670	3 044	1 626	12.1	7.9	4.2
1999	388	4 403	3 097	1 306	11.4	8.0	3.4
2000	390	4 392	2 957	1 435	11.3	7.6	3.7
2001	393	3 957	2 935	1 022	10.1	7.5	2.6
2002	396	3 918	3 031	887	9.9	7.7	2.2
2003	399	4 050	3 164	886	10.2	7.9	2.2
2004	401	3 887	2 999	888	9.7	7.5	2.2
2005	404	3 858	3 130	728	9.6	7.8	1.8
2006	406	3 885	3 216	669	9.6	7.9	1.6
2007	409	3 871	3 111	760	9.5	7.6	1.9
2008	412	4 126	3 243	883	10.0	7.9	2.1
2009	413	4 143	3 221	922	10.0	7.8	2.2
2010	416	4 008	3 010	998	9.6	7.2	2.4

CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

Largest Cities:

• Birkirkara
• Mosta
• Qormi
• Żabbar
• San Pawl il-Baħar
• Sliema
• San Ġwann
• Rabat
• Żejtun
• Naxxar

Age structure:
0–14 years: 17.1% (male 35,264; female 33,368)
15–64 years: 69.1% (male 139,890; female 136,767)
65 years and over: 13.7% (male 23,554; female 31,371) (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.01 years
male: 76.83 years
female: 81.31 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese

Ethnic groups:

• Maltese - 95.3%
• British - 1.6%
• Others - 3.1%

Religions: Roman Catholic Church in Malta 98%

Languages: Maltese (official), English (official), Italian language (widely understood)

Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8%
male: 92%
female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Sexuality

Crimes 2010:

• Pornography - Adult related 7
• Prostitution in Malta 102
  • Loitering 92
  • Inducing person in prostitution 7
  • Inducing person under age in prostitution 3
• Sexual offence 123
• Violent indecent assault 43
• Defilement of minors 37
• Indecent exposure 32
• Rape 11

See also

• Malta
• Culture of Malta
• Maltese people
• Aging of Europe