The estimated total population of Malta and Gozo at the end of 2022 stood at 542,051, up by 4.2 per cent when compared to the previous year, the NSO said Monday.

Population estimates published in this news release are based on the end of year 2021 estimate which has been revised as a result of the latest Census of Population and Housing. The revised estimate for 2021 supersedes the previous estimate published for this reference year.  This updated estimate results from the ongoing intercensal revisions of the population time series. Further revisions to the population series from 2012 to 2021 will be disseminated later in the year, the NSO said.

Due to the revision of the 2021 population estimate there is now a temporary break in series. It is therefore currently not possible to compare the estimates on population and migration in this news release with the currently published time series.

The population increase in 2022 was mainly driven by a total net migration (immigration less emigration) of 21,798 persons. Third country nationals made up 83.1 per cent of the total net migrants in 2022. Males accounted for 65.8 per cent.

Nearly 53 per cent of the total resident population at the end of 2022 was male. Persons under the age of 18 made up 15.1 per cent of the total population, while 18.6 per cent were aged 65 and over. Of these, 3,395 persons – 2,415 females and 980 males – were aged 90 and over.

Resident live births in 2022 decreased by 2 per cent when compared to the previous year. Of the parents who gave birth in 2022, 39.7 per cent were aged 30 to 34 at the time of birth. Resident deaths in 2022 increased by 1.6 per cent over the previous year. Of the 4,230 resident deaths occurring during 2022, 67.4 per cent were persons aged 75 and over at the time of death. Natural increase continued to decline in 2022, reaching the lowest value recorded over the past fifteen years, at 79.