World Population Day: 11 July 2025
- The estimated total population of Malta and Gozo at the end of 2024 stood at 574,250, up by 1.9 per cent when compared to the previous year.
- The population increase in 2024 was driven by a total net migration of 10,614 persons.
- The net of non-EU citizens made up 76.6 per cent of the total net migrants in 2024.
- Natural increase dropped by 55.3 per cent when compared to the previous year, the result of a decline in resident live births and an increase in resident deaths.
- As at end 2024, 53.1 per cent of the total resident population was male. Persons under the age of 18 made up 14.5 per cent of the total population, while 18.4 per cent were aged 65 and over.
World Population Day: 11 July 2025
World Population Day: 11 July 2025
The estimated total population of Malta and Gozo at the end of 2024 stood at 574,250, up by 1.9 per cent when compared to the previous year. Male accounted for 53.1 per cent of the population (Table 1). The population increase in 2024 was mainly dependent on the total net migration (immigration less emigration) of 10,614 persons. The net of non-EU citizens made up 76.6 per cent of the total net migrants in 2024. Males accounted for 57.7 per cent of the total net migration (Table 2). While net migration decreased by nearly half when compared to 2023 (49.4 per cent), emigration increased whereas immigration decreased in 2024 (Chart 2, Table 3).
Natural increase dropped by 55.3 per cent when compared to the previous year, from 432 in 2023 to 193 in 2024. This decrease was due to a decline in resident live births and an increase in resident deaths (Chart 3).
Resident live births in 2024 decreased by 2.0 per cent when compared to the previous year (Table 4). Of the parents who gave birth in 2024, 38.5 per cent were aged 30 to 34 at the time of birth (Table 5). Resident deaths in 2024 increased by 3.7 per cent over the previous year (Table 6). Of the 4,181 resident deaths occurring during 2024, 71.1 per cent were persons aged 75 and over at the time of death (Table 7).
Chart 3. Natural increase
As at end 2024, 53.1 per cent of the total resident population was male. An analysis of the population by age and sex reveals that the working-age groups (15-64 year olds) are predominantly male, whereas the population aged 65 and over is predominantly female. For persons aged 85 and above, females outnumbered males by a ratio of nearly two to one. Persons under the age of 18 made up 14.5 per cent of the total population, while 18.4 per cent were aged 65 and over. Of these, 3,773 persons – 2,645 females and 1,128 males – were aged 90 and over (Chart 4, Table 8).
Chart 4. Total population by age group and sex as at 31 December 2024
The total resident population, was made up of 70.6 per cent Maltese citizens and 29.4 per cent non-Maltese citizens. Regarding age structure, the distribution among Maltese nationals was relatively even across the main age groups: 13.5 per cent were aged 30-39, 14.3 per cent were aged 40-49, 12.1 per cent were aged 50-59, 13.5 per cent were aged 60-69, and 12.0 per cent were aged 70-79. In contrast, the non-Maltese population was more heavily concentrated in younger working-age cohorts, with 22.9 per cent aged 20-29, 34.3 per cent aged 30-39, and 18.3 per cent aged 40-49 (Table 9).
The overall population comprised 70.6 per cent Maltese citizens and 29.4 per cent foreign citizens. The Western district had the highest concentration of Maltese citizens at 86.5 per cent, followed by the Southern Harbour district (81.0 per cent) and South Eastern district (80.7 per cent). The Northern Harbour and Northern districts show higher shares of foreign citizens, at 42.3 per cent and 36.9 per cent respectively, with corresponding lower shares of Maltese citizens at 57.7 per cent and 63.1 per cent respectively (Tables 10-11).
The highest densities were recorded in central and harbour localities, notably Sliema (17,539 persons per km2), Pietà (15,691 persons per km2), and Isla (14,948 persons per km2). Other densely populated areas include Gżira (12,398 persons per km2), Fgura (12,239 persons per km2) and Ħal Tarxien (11,457 persons per km2), indicating a concentration of population in the inner harbour and surrounding zones. In contrast, the localities of Għasri, San Lawrenz, and Mdina showed the lowest densities with 103, 223 and 227 persons per km2 respectively (Table 12, Map 1).
Map 1
Additional Tables and Charts
Tables
Methodological Notes
1. All population components are based on definitions provided for in the European Regulation (EU) No. 1260/2013 on European demographic statistics.
2. All migration components are based on definitions provided for in the European Regulation (EU) No. 862/2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection.
3. Statistics in this release reflect the enactment of the Marriage Act and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2017. All provisions of this Act came into force on 1st September 2017 through Legal Notice 212/2017.
4. Population base:
The population estimate is based on the Census of Population and Housing, which provides a detailed population count by age, sex, and other characteristics at a specific reference date (most recently, 21 November 2021). This count serves as the base for annual population estimates.
Between censuses, estimates are updated using the cohort-component method: starting from the last census base, births and net migration are added, and deaths are subtracted. Migration is calculated using administrative records and/or surveys (see also Definitions: Total population). When a new census is held, intercensal estimates are reviewed and adjusted to correct for any error of closure, ensuring consistency over time.
5. Definitions:
● Emigration: the action by which a natural person leaves his or her usual residence in the territory of the Member State for a period that is, or is expected to last, a minimum of 12 months. This figure is measured by summing up the counts of all employment termination forms which ended during the reference year and residence permit holders who fail to extend their permits during the reference year, together with their dependants; resettled or repatriated asylum seekers who were previously given protection and other Maltese emigrants.
● Immigration: the action by which a natural person establishes his or her usual residence in a territory of a State for a period that is, or is expected to last, a minimum of 12 months. This figure is measured by summing up the count of all new employment engagement forms and residence permit holders, their dependants, asylum seekers granted protection, returned Maltese migrants and adoptions of children from foreign countries.
● Natural increase: the difference between the number of live births and the number of deaths during a reference year.
● Total population: all persons residing in Maltese Islands. The total population at the end of year t, is computed using the equation Pt = Pt-1 + Bt – Dt + It – Et , where:
i. Pt is the total resident population at the end of year t,
ii. Pt-1 is the total resident population at the end of year t-1,
iii. Bt is the total number of babies whose birth parent was resident in Malta during year t,
iv. Dt is the total number of registered deaths of persons resident in Malta during year t,
v. It is the total immigration of both Maltese and foreign nationals registered during year t who immigrated with the intention to live in Malta for a period of at least 12 months,
vi. Et is the total emigration of both Maltese and foreign nationals resident in Malta registered during year t who leave the country for a period of at least 12 months.
● Resident live births: all babies whose parent(s) is(are) resident in Malta at the time of birth. Therefore the definition excludes babies born to parents who are resident abroad.
● Resident 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.
● Non-EU citizen: any person who is not a citizen of the European Union. As of reference year 2020, this also includes citizens of the United Kingdom.
● 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. Usual residents of a specific geographical area are:
i. those who have lived in their place of usual residence for a continuous period of at least 12 months before the reference time; or
ii. 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.
6. Sources:
● Demographic data in this release is based on records held by the Public Registry and the Directorate of Health Information and Research.
● Migration data is estimated based on a number of administrative records. These registers are not designed for direct compilation of population statistics in line with the required definitions, therefore complex estimation techniques are used to derive meaningful population statistics from these sources. Moreover, when no appropriate sources are available, auxiliary sources like surveys are used to address data gaps. A list of relevant data sources is provided below:
| Entity | Data flows | Data records |
| National Statistics Office (NSO) | Immigration of Maltese citizens | Decennial Census of Population and Housing |
| Ongoing frontier survey: TOURSTAT | ||
| Emigration of Maltese citizens | Ongoing frontier survey: TOURSTAT | |
| Jobsplus | Migration flows of European Union and United Kingdom citizens | Employment engagement and termination forms |
| International Protection Agency | Migration flows of Non-European Union Citizens excluding the United Kingdom | Asylum records |
| International Protection Appeals Tribunal | ||
| Ministry for Home Affairs, Security and Employment - Migration Directorate | Resettlements, repatriations and relocations | |
| Identita' - Expatriates Unit | Residence permits database | |
| Identita' - Public Registry | Foreign adoptions | Registration of adoptions |
7. Geographical information:
The European Union (EU27) includes Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden.
8. Further data availability:
Additional data, statistics, and time series related to population statistics are available in the Selected Indicators section.
9. Timely population estimates are published in order to meet user needs. These estimates are subject to further quality assurance processes and may be subject to revision in subsequent demographic publications.
10. More information relating to this news release may be accessed at:
Statistical concepts
Metadata (Demography)
Metadata (Migration)
Past releases
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