Population and Demographics

Malta is the most densely populated country in the EU and one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with about 1,282 inhabitants per square kilometre. This compares with about 243 per square kilometre for the United Kingdom and 133 per square kilometre for France.

Inhabited since prehistoric times, Malta was first colonized by the Phoenicians. Subsequently, Arabs, Italians, Spanish, French and the British have influenced Maltese life and culture to varying degrees. Most of the foreign community in Malta, predominantly active or retired British nationals and their dependents, is centred on Sliema and surrounding modern suburbs.

Population

The resident population of Malta, which includes foreigners residing in Malta for at least a year, as was estimated in 2007 at 402,000, with a ratio of 0.987 males to females. Of these, 16.7% were aged 14 and under, 69.5% were within the 15-64 age bracket whilst the remaining 13.8% were 65 years and over. Malta's population density of 1,282 per square kilometre (3,322/sq mi) is by far the highest in the EU, and one of the highest in the world. The Maltese-resident population was estimated to make up 97.0% of the total resident population.

The population's age composition is similar to the age structure prevalent in the EU. Since 1967 there was observed a trend indicating an aging population, and is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. Malta's old-age-dependency-ratio rose from 17.2% in 1995 to 19.8% in 2005, reasonably lower than the EU's 24.9% average. In fact, 31.5% of the Maltese population is aged under 25 (compared to the EU's 29.1%); but the 50-64 age group constitutes 20.3% of the population, significantly higher than the EU's 17.9%. In conclusion, Malta's old-age-dependency-ratio is expected to continue rising steadily in the coming years.

Maltese legislation recognises both civil and Canonic marriages. Annulments by the ecclesiastic and civil courts are unrelated and are not necessarily both granted. There is no divorce legislation and abortion within Maltese territory is illegal. A person has to be 16 to marry. The number of brides aged under 25 decreased from 1471 in 1997 to 766 in 2005; while the number of grooms under 25 decreased from 823 to 311. There is a constant trend that females are more likely than males to marry very young. In 2005, brides aged 16 to 19 were 51 while grooms were 8.

Religion

The Constitution of Malta provides for freedom of religion but establishes Roman Catholicism as the state religion. Freedom House and the World Factbook report that 98% of the population is Roman Catholic, making the nation one of the most Catholic countries in the world. However, the Sunday Mass Attendance Census 2005 commissioned by the Church of Malta reports that only 52.6% of the population attends regular religious services. This is still the highest rate of attendance in Europe.

Around 22% of the population is reported to be active in a Church Group, Movement or Community. Malta has the highest concentration of members per capita of the Neocatechumenal Way in the World, since it was introduced in the Islands in 1973.

Migration

Maltese laws for immigration generally follow EU legislation. Therefore EU nationals require neither a visa nor a passport (an ID card or an expired passport are enough) to enter the country. Citizens of a number of other countries are also not required to apply for a visa and require only a valid passport when residing in Malta for up to three months. Visas for other nationalities are valid for one month. Immigrants are required to apply for a work permit. This exception to EU law was agreed upon before accession to safeguard the Maltese labour market, the growth of which is reaching saturation. In practice though, all work permits to EU nationals are granted, and currently this exercise is only used to monitor the labour market for any needed intervention.

The estimated net migration rate in 2007 was 2.04 migrants per 1,000 population.

During 2005, a total of 1,800 immigrants reached Malta illegally. Given Malta's high population density, the impact of this figure on Malta is equivalent to that of an arrival of 369,000 illegal immigrants in Germany and other large EU member states. In the first half of 2006, 967 illegal immigrants arrived in Malta - almost double the 473 who arrived in the same period in 2005. The main factor contributing to the problem is Malta's approximately 250,000 square kilometres of open sea search and rescue region.

Around 45% of illegal immigrants landed in Malta have been granted refugee (5%) or protected humanitarian status (40%), which is the highest rate of acceptance in the EU. A White Paper suggesting the grant of Maltese citizenship to refugees resident in Malta for over ten years was issued in 2005. Historically Malta gave refuge (and assisted in their resettlement) to eight hundred or so East African Asians who had been expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin and to just under a thousand Iraqis fleeing Saddam Hussein's regime.

Presently the problem of illegal immigration has increased, causing real or perceived strains on Malta's health, employment and social services, its internal security and public order, its social fabric and labour market. Detention costs for the first half of 2006 alone cost Lm320,423 (€746,385).

In 2005, Malta sought EU aid in relation to reception of illegal immigrants, repatriation of those denied refugee status, resettlement of refugees into EU countries, and maritime security. In December 2005, the European Council adopted The Global Approach to Migration: Priority Actions focusing on Africa and the Mediterranean; but the deployment of said actions has been limited to the western Mediterranean, thus putting further pressure on the central Mediterranean route for illegal immigration of which Malta forms a part. Political tension started developing as the EU persistently ignored Malta's precarious situation: member states party to the legally-binding Cotonou Agreement continued not to fulfil their obligations and East African countries, from which most central Mediterranean illegal immigration originates, were excluded from the Euro-African Conference on Migration and Development held 10-11 July 2006 in Tripoli).

Facts and Figures

• Population: 402,000
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 34,559/female 32,707)
  • 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 141,265/female 137,951)
  • 65 years and over: 13.8% (male 23,802/female 31,596)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 39 years
  • Male: 37.6 years
  • Female: 40.4 years
• Population Growth Rate: 0.413%
• Birth Rate: 10.28 births/1,000 population
• Death Rate: 8.19 deaths/1,000 population
• Net Migration Rate: 2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.057 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.753 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 0.987 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 3.32 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 79.15 years
  • Male: 76.95 years
  • Female: 81.47 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 1.51 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: 0.2%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500
• Ethnic Groups: Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
• Religions: Roman Catholic 98%
• Languages:
  • Maltese (official)
  • English (official)
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 92.8%
  • Male: 92%
  • Female: 93.6%