World Population Day: 11 July 2026
- The estimated total population of Malta and Gozo stood at 588,254 at the end of 2025, up by 2.4 per cent when compared to the previous year.
- The population increase in 2025 was driven by a total net migration of 13,906 persons.
- The net migration of non-EU citizens made up 78.1 per cent of the total net migrants in 2025.
- Natural increase dropped by 49.2 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 2025, 53.3 per cent of the total resident population was male. Persons under the age of 18 made up 14.3 per cent of the total population, while 18.4 per cent were aged 65 and over.
World Population Day: 11 July 2026
World Population Day: 11 July 2026
The estimated total population of Malta and Gozo stood at 588,254 at the end of 2025. This is an increase of 2.4 per cent when compared to the previous year. Males accounted for 53.3 per cent of the population (Table 1). Net migration (immigration minus emigration), amounting to 13,906 persons, was the main contributor to population growth in 2025. Non-EU citizens made up 78.1 per cent of total net migrants and males accounted for 62.5 per cent (Table 2). While net migration increased by nearly one third when compared to 2024 (31.0 per cent), both immigration and emigration decreased (Chart 2, Table 3).
Resident live births in 2025 decreased by 0.8 per cent when compared to the previous year (Table 4). Of the parents who gave birth in 2025, 38.2 per cent were aged 30 to 34 at the time of birth (Table 5). Resident deaths in 2025 increased by 1.4 per cent over the previous year (Table 6). Of the 4,240 resident deaths occurring during 2025, 71.5 per cent were persons aged 75 and over at the time of death (Table 7). The decrease in births and increase in deaths led to a drop in natural increase, from 193 in 2024 to 98 in 2025. This is equal to a 49.2 per cent decline when compared to 2024 (Chart 3).
As at the end of 2025, males accounted for 53.3 per cent of the total resident population. An analysis of the population by age and sex shows that males predominated across all broad age groups up to 69 years, while females constituted the majority among those in the broad age groups of 70 years and over. This sex disparity was more pronounced in older age groups, with females outnumbering males nearly two to one among those aged 85 and over. Persons under the age of 18 made up 14.3 per cent of the total population, while persons aged 65 and over accounted for 18.4 per cent. A total of 4,005 persons were aged 90 and over – 2,758 females and 1,247 males (Table 8).
The total resident population was made up of 68.9 per cent Maltese citizens and 31.1 per cent non-Maltese citizens. The distribution by age among the Maltese population was relatively balanced across the 10-year age groups between 30 to 79. By contrast, the non-Maltese population was predominantly working age, with 22.1 per cent aged 20-29, 34.8 per cent aged 30-39, and 18.7 per cent aged 40-49 (Table 9).
The Western district had the highest share of Maltese citizens at 85.4 per cent, followed by the Southern Harbour district (79.3 per cent) and the South Eastern district (79.2 per cent). In contrast, the Northern Harbour and Northern districts recorded the highest share of foreign citizens, at 43.9 per cent and 38.8 per cent, respectively (Tables 10–11).
Population density was highest in central and harbour localities, particularly Tas-Sliema (18,186 persons per km2), Tal-Pietà (16,346 persons per km2), and L-Isla (15,060 persons per km2). Other localities in the inner harbour and surrounding areas recorded high population densities, including Il-Gżira (12,746 persons per km2), Il-Fgura (12,488 persons per km2) and Il-Ħamrun (11,754 persons per km2), reflecting the concentration of residents within this region. By contrast, the lowest population densities were recorded in L-Għasri (104 persons per km2), San Lawrenz (226 persons per km2), and L-Imdina (227 persons per km2) (Table 12, Map 1).
Map 1. Population density by locality (persons per km²) as at 31 December 2025
Tables
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 the 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 stillbirths.
● 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 and Security - 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
11. A detailed news release calendar is available online.
12. References to this news release are to be cited appropriately. For guidance on access and re-use of data please visit our dedicated webpage.
13. For further assistance send your request through our online request form.
