The latest “Census of Population and Housing” for Malta, conducted in 2021 and published earlier this year by Malta’s National Statistics Office, offers a revealing glimpse into the demographics of the island.

A Century of Evolution: Malta’s Population Growth

The population has surged to just shy of 520,000, which is more than double the count recorded by the 1921 Census, underscoring Malta’s significant transformation over the past century. Remarkably, over the past decade since 2011, the population has seen a consistent annual increase of 10,000 individuals leading to a 25% growth recorded over the past ten years.

A Global Gathering: The Growing Non-Maltese Population

In this diverse population, a notable segment comprises non-Maltese nationals, constituting 22.2% of the total. This segment now exceeds 115,000 individuals, of which approximately one-third are European Union citizens, an additional 7% are European citizens hailing from non-EU member states, with the rest coming from a wide range of nations across the globe.

The most significant non-Maltese communities identified by country of birth, in terms of population size, are respectively those from the United Kingdom, Italy, India, the Philippines, and Serbia.

The past decade has witnessed a striking transformation in Malta’s demographic landscape. In 2011, non-Maltese nationals accounted for less than 5% of the population, totalling just over 20,000. However, the ensuing ten years witnessed an extraordinary surge of 95,000 foreigners choosing Malta as their place of residence.

Gender Dynamics: Malta’s Changing Male-Female Ratio

An intriguing shift has also taken place in the gender balance, with the male population now surpassing the female population for the first time, with 52 males per 100 residents. This change can be attributed to the faster growth rate of the male population over the past decade, compared to the female population’s rate of growth. Incidentally, Malta now has the highest male-to-female ratio across the European Union and is one of just four EU nations where the male population supersedes the number of females.

Age Across the Island: A Closer Look

The average age among foreigners in Malta stood at 34.9 years, while the average age of the Maltese was 43.6 years, resulting in the average age of Malta’s overall population standing at 41.7 years. While this is an increase over the 40.5 years recorded in the 2011 census, suggesting a trend towards an aging population, Malta still remains relatively youthful in comparison to the European Union average, which stands at 44.1 years.

Shades of Diversity: Malta’s Racial Composition

In terms of racial makeup, Malta’s population is predominantly Caucasian, with just under 90% of residents identify as such. 5.2% of residents are Asian, while over 6,000 individuals, roughly 1.2% of the population, possess a multi-racial heritage.

Faith in Malta: A Look at Religious Identity

Religion plays a significant role in the lives of Maltese residents. When queried about their religious affiliation, a substantial majority of 82.6%, or more than 370,000 individuals aged 15 and over identify as Roman Catholic. Almost 17,500 respondents adhere to the Islamic faith, while just short of 16,500 associate themselves with the Orthodox religion. A sizeable cohort of more than 23,000 individuals profess no religious affiliation, indicative of a growing secular trend.

The 2021 Census offers a comprehensive portrait of Malta’s population dynamics, showcasing its remarkable growth, cultural diversity, religious affiliations, and shifting gender demographics. As Malta continues to evolve, these insights provide valuable context for understanding the island nation’s vibrant and ever-changing society.

Delve deeper into the National Statistics Office – Malta’s Census of Population and Housing 2021 for a detailed breakdown of related figures

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Image by Frank Vincentz – Own work. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Written by: Stephen Pace-Bonello – Head of Operations