Population of Malta 2021

As of 2021, the latest population of Malta is 457,267, based on AllCityPopulation calculation of the current data from UN (United Nations).

Population Distribution

Total population 457,267
Population growth rate 0.87%
Birth rate 10.10 births per 1,000 people
Life expectancy
Overall 79.98 years
Men 77.69 years
Women 82.41 years
Age structure
0-14 years 14.29%
15-64 years 65.20%
65 years and above 20.51%
Median age 41.20 years
Gender ratio (Male to Female) 0.99
Population density 1,447.05 residents per km²
Urbanization 91.70%
Maltese (descendants of the Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong Italian and Mediterranean influences; proportion of foreigners in 2015: 6.4%
Catholics (Roman Catholic) 98%
Human Development Index (HDI) 0.885
HDI ranking 28th out of 194

People in Malta

With a total area of ​​about 316 square kilometers, the state of Malta has quite a few residents. The number of residents is estimated at 433,000. Malta has the fifth highest population density in the world, calculated on the square kilometer.

Out of 100 people living in Malta, 96 are of Maltese nationality. Half of the non-Maltese, two out of four, are British. Today’s Maltese are mostly descendants of the Phoenicians, Arabs, Italians or Normans.

Languages in Malta

The English language has been part of the country since Malta joined the Commonwealth in 1814. Nevertheless, the Maltese are trying to preserve their own language, Maltese. English and Maltese are recognized as state languages. The children mostly grow up with Maltese and learn English as a second language.

The history of the country is reflected in the languages ​​of Malta. When Malta became part of Sicily in the 11th century, Italian was spoken especially among educated people. Today it is spoken mainly because of the proximity to Sicily and the economic connection to Italy.

The Johanniter introduced French. These languages ​​also shaped today’s Maltese. Maltese is a Semitic language that originated from an Arabic dialect, but also has parts of the Italian vocabulary. The Spanish, French and English languages ​​also had an influence, albeit to a lesser extent. So quite a colorful mix!

Religions in Malta

A very large proportion of the population is Roman Catholic, namely 98 percent. Protestants, Orthodox, Jews and Muslims form religious minorities. There are plenty of Catholic churches in Malta. Many residents decorate their houses with images of saints, bishops or pastors to express their faith. It is said that there are 365 Catholic churches in Malta – one for every day of the year! The church influences not only the appearance of the country, but also politics. For example, it is still forbidden to this day that women are “topless” on the beach.

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