Introduction
The National Statistics Office came into being in March 1947. Official statistics, however, had been compiled and published for many years. In 1872, an official publication called The Malta Blue Book featured a statistical view of Malta and its Dependencies from 1863 to 1872, covering the relevant time series for population, education, finance, and trade among others. One of the first volumes of The Blue Book of the Colony of Malta was published in 1851 and included a statistical abstract on population emanating from the 1842 Census.
The National Statistics Office (NSO) is the executive arm of the Malta Statistics Authority. It is responsible for the collection, compilation, analysis and publication of a wide range of statistical information and related matters. This does not prevent other government departments or institutions from collecting their own statistical data for internal purposes.
Information provided to the NSO is treated as confidential. This information is used solely in the compilation of statistical reports. No information on individual returns can be given to any external public or private entity.
The NSO and its activities are governed by the Malta Statistics Authority Act, 2000.
Click here to view our Organisation Structure.
Our Mission
Committed to producing independent, high-quality and relevant official statistics.
Our Core Values
Independence: Produce scientific statistics and analysis that are trustworthy.
Objectivity: Provide an impartial representation of socio-economic and environmental spheres through official statistics, and ensure equal access to all users.
Relevance: Produce statistics that meet the needs of all users.
Quality: Ensure that the statistical output is of high quality through sound and harmonised methodologies.
Transparency: Produce and disseminate official statistics, methods, procedures and quality reports to the public through the proper channels which are subject to review.
Confidentiality: Ensure the privacy of respondents and sources through rigorous information security measures.
Collaboration: Cooperate with all national and international stakeholders and strengthen the national statistical system.
25 Years of NSO
On 1 March 2026, the NSO celebrated its 25th Anniversary.
Over the past 25 years, the National Statistics Office (NSO) has charted a remarkable journey — evolving from a traditional statistical institution into a modern, agile, and trusted organization at the heart of Malta’s evidence-based decision-making landscape. This journey began on 1 March 2001, when the Central Office of Statistics (COS) was officially transformed into the NSO under the Malta Statistics Authority (MSA) Act. This Act granted the Office regulatory and executive independence, establishing a clear legal mandate and set the foundations for the modern, professional and trusted national statistical system we know today.
This article highlights the key achievements and developments of the NSO over the past 25 years.
