Malta’s population has increased by 25% since 2011, amounting to an average rise of 10,000 people per year, according the preliminary report of the 2021 Census of Population and Housing.
The country’s headcount now stands at 519,562 after the highest change ever recorded to date between two censuses, the report showed.
Increases in the population count were recorded in every district since 2011, with the most being in the Northern District, recording a 47% increase, or 30,000 persons. The Southern Harbour District recorded the lowest increase, with 8.3%.
The largest three localities are St Paul’s Bay, Birkirkara and Mosta, accounting for 15.7% of the total population. The population in St Paul’s Bay almost doubled since 2011, exceeding 32,000 inhabitants.
Sliema is the most densely populated locality with 15,167 persons per square kilometre, while Għasri in Gozo is the least populated with 104 persons per square kilometre.
More males than females were recorded for the first time in a Census, standing at 52%. More than one in five persons is a foreigner, with foreigners being predominantly males and younger in age compared to their Maltese counterparts.
Almost a third of all foreigners reside in St Paul’s Bay, Sliema or Msida, the report showed.
The report also recorded the average age of the population, which was 41.7 years, with Gozitan residents being slightly older than the Maltese. The locality with the oldest residents was Mdina with an average age of 53.8 years. Xgħajra had the youngest average residing population, that of 37 years.
9,545 persons reside in institutions, with more than half (57.2%) residing in homes for the elderly.
The report affirmed that Malta is the most densely populated country in the European Union, with 1,649 persons per square kilometre compared to almost 100 persons per square kilometre for the EU.
Malta’s population is still relatively young compared to the EU, it showed.