Malta’s population up by 1.9% to 574,250: NSO

Malta’s population reached an estimated 574,250 by the end of 2024, marking a 1.9% increase from the previous year.

The data was released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) ahead of World Population Day.

The majority of this growth was attributed to net migration, with 10,614 more people entering the country than leaving it. Notably, nearly 77% of net migration involved non-EU nationals. While immigration slowed compared to 2023, emigration increased, resulting in a net migration drop of nearly 50%.

Men made up just over half the population at 53.1%, and a larger proportion (57.7%) of those migrating into the country.

Natural population growth, which refers to the difference between births and deaths, shrank considerably. Births fell slightly, while deaths rose, resulting in a natural increase of only 193 people - down more than 55% from the previous year.

Children under 18 accounted for 14.5% of the population, while 18.4% were aged 65 or older. Women outnumbered men in the older age brackets, particularly among those over 85, where there were nearly twice as many women as men.

Citizenship figures show that 70.6% of residents were Maltese, while 29.4% were foreign nationals. Foreign residents were largely concentrated in the 20–49 age group, suggesting a younger, working-age demographic.

Geographically, the Northern Harbour and Northern districts had the highest shares of foreign nationals. In contrast, the Western, Southern Harbour and South Eastern districts remained predominantly Maltese.

Population density was highest in Sliema, Pietà, and Isla, all with over 14,000 residents per square kilometre (sq.m). By comparison, the least densely populated areas included Għasri, San Lawrenz, and Mdina.