1.1 Population
This section provides salient statistics on the regional demographic structure of MALTA. The first sub-section comprises demographic aspects related to population size and structure, births, deaths and marriages while the second sub-section considers the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of households. The final section provides a regional analysis of social protection beneficiaries for a selection of benefits.
Salient Points
Population: 2024
… 532,997 and 41,253 persons resided in the Malta and Gozo and Comino regions respectively.
… persons aged between 30 and 39 years accounted for the highest share of the population of both regions.
Change in population: 2019/2024
… the highest percentage increases were observed in the age cohorts of 30 to 39 and 40 to 49 years in both Malta region and Gozo and Comino region.
… the highest increases in the foreign population occurred within the population of 30-39 years of age in both regions.
… natural population change was uninterruptedly positive year-on-year for the Malta region except for the Southern Harbour district while Gozo and Comino region had a negative natural population growth rate for 2021, 2022 and 2024.
… in 2024, old age-dependency ratio in MALTA stood at 26.6 per cent, thus there is approximately four working-age adults for every person aged 65 years or more.
Marriages: 2024
… 2,334 marriages were registered in MALTA. This reflects a decrease of 13 marriages when compared to 2023, with an increase of 18 marriages registered in Malta region. There was a decrease of 31 marriages registered in the region of Gozo and Comino compared to the previous year.
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1.1.1. Distribution of population by age, sex and region (NUTS 3)
Reference year: 2024
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1.1.2. Population by district (LAU 1) and selected years
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1.1.3. Changes in population structures by region, age group and selected
years
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1.1.4. Maltese and foreign population structures by region, age group and selected
years
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1.1.5 Natural change in total population by district (LAU 1) and year
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1.1.6. Distribution of registered marriages by region (NUTS 3) and year
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Tables
Maps
1.1.1 – Percentage change in total population between the years 2019 and 2024, by locality (LAU 2)
Note: Data as at 31 December.
Source: Population and Migration Statistics, NSO
1.1.2 Percentage change in Maltese population between the years 2019 and 2024, by locality (LAU 2)
Note: Data as at 31 December.
Source: Population and Migration Statistics, NSO
1.1.3 Percentage of foreigners to the total population of each locality (LAU 2)
Reference year: 2024
Note: Data as at 31 December.
Source: Population and Migration Statistics, NSO
Methodological Notes
- Population figures are in accordance with the ‘usual residence’ definition.
- Definitions:
Usual residence refers to the place where a person normally spends the daily period of rest, regardless of temporary absences for purposes of recreation, holidays, visits to friends and relatives, business, medical treatment or religious pilgrimage. This definition is in line with the European Regulation (EC) No. 1260/2013. The following persons alone shall be considered to be usual residents of a specific geographical area:those who have lived in their place of usual residence for a continuous period of at least 12 months before the reference time; or
those who arrived in their place of usual residence during the 12 months before the reference time with the intention of staying there for at least one year.
Usually resident population refers to all persons who have their usual residence in a Member State at the reference time. Unless otherwise stated, all figures in this chapter refer to this reference population.
Total population includes both Maltese and foreign residents.
Maltese population includes Maltese residents only.
Live births resident in Malta includes all babies whose parent(s) is(are) resident in Malta at the time of birth. Therefore the definition excludes babies born to mothers who are resident abroad.
Total deaths: all registered resident Maltese and foreign deaths in Malta and Gozo. These counts exclude deaths of tourists, but include Maltese residents who die abroad and whose death is subsequently registered in Malta. This definition excludes still births.
Total registered marriages: all marriages registered in Malta and Gozo and occuring in the reference year. These include marriages between non-resident foreign spouses and same-sex marriages following the amendement to the Marriage Act which came into force as at 1st September 2017.
- All population components are based on definitions provided for in the European Regulation (EU) No. 1260/2013 on European demographic statistics.
- Old Age Dependency Ratio is calculated as follows:
Number of elderly people (aged 65 years or more)
Number of working-age people (aged 15-64 years)
5. This data may be subject to revision.
