01
Physical geography
Mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs.
Local timeValletta ·
Europe / Southern Europe · Card 032
Malta
Malta is a country in Southern Europe. Its capital is Valletta.
Find Malta
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Valletta
- Languages
- English & Maltese
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Population
- 579,7042025 · World Bank
- Area
- 316 km²122.01 square miles
- Independence
- 1964from the UK
Malta in context
Europe and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Valletta; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include English, Maltese.
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Location
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy).
Flag
Two equal vertical bands of white (left side) and red; in the upper-left corner is the George Cross, edged in red
History & independence
Malta became independent from the UK in 1964 through a negotiated constitutional transition. It became a republic in 1974, and the final British forces left in 1979. EU membership followed in 2004.
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Malta becomes independent
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Malta becomes a republic
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Malta joins the European Union
Economy
Main activities
Tourism, financial and business services, shipping and manufacturing support the economy. Electronics and pharmaceuticals are notable industries. The small island state relies on imports for many goods and energy needs.
Industry and production
tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, aviation services, financial services, information technology services
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Thousands of people579.72025 · thousands of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 302,650 | 302.650 |
| 1980 | 316,645 | 316.645 |
| 1990 | 354,170 | 354.170 |
| 2000 | 390,087 | 390.087 |
| 2010 | 414,508 | 414.508 |
| 2020 | 515,490 | 515.490 |
| 2025 | 579,704 | 579.704 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars20.42025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3,565,694,066 | 3.566 |
| 1991 | 3,788,781,496 | 3.789 |
| 1992 | 3,966,510,657 | 3.967 |
| 1993 | 4,144,240,019 | 4.144 |
| 1994 | 4,378,435,382 | 4.378 |
| 1995 | 4,656,137,253 | 4.656 |
| 1996 | 4,832,015,201 | 4.832 |
| 1997 | 5,086,033,305 | 5.086 |
| 1998 | 5,346,723,155 | 5.347 |
| 1999 | 5,599,087,147 | 5.599 |
| 2000 | 6,701,058,569 | 6.701 |
| 2001 | 6,650,317,909 | 6.650 |
| 2002 | 6,832,612,103 | 6.833 |
| 2003 | 7,084,961,695 | 7.085 |
| 2004 | 7,113,822,599 | 7.114 |
| 2005 | 7,318,788,654 | 7.319 |
| 2006 | 7,489,769,368 | 7.490 |
| 2007 | 7,866,984,246 | 7.867 |
| 2008 | 8,213,965,209 | 8.214 |
| 2009 | 8,099,359,896 | 8.099 |
| 2010 | 8,601,305,559 | 8.601 |
| 2011 | 8,686,647,865 | 8.687 |
| 2012 | 9,042,945,894 | 9.043 |
| 2013 | 9,611,958,233 | 9.612 |
| 2014 | 10,345,481,640 | 10.345 |
| 2015 | 11,340,789,706 | 11.341 |
| 2016 | 11,803,267,589 | 11.803 |
| 2017 | 13,334,309,857 | 13.334 |
| 2018 | 14,292,941,962 | 14.293 |
| 2019 | 14,876,816,607 | 14.877 |
| 2020 | 14,362,483,056 | 14.362 |
| 2021 | 16,280,015,568 | 16.280 |
| 2022 | 16,702,118,565 | 16.702 |
| 2023 | 18,478,231,173 | 18.478 |
| 2024 | 19,626,239,322 | 19.626 |
| 2025 | 20,403,744,842 | 20.404 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.924Very High human developmentRank 24 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.735
20000.790
20100.867
20200.903
20230.924
83.3 yearsLife expectancy at birth
12.4 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Parliamentary republic. House of Representatives (Il-Kamra Tad-Deputati) has one chamber (a unicameral legislature).
Knowledge check
Three questions about Malta.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Malta gained independence from which country?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.