However, the same statistics showed that Malta was facing the global phenomenon of an ageing population. In fact, life-expectancy for women was put at 80.43 years and 76.39 years for men.
The median age of the total population is 38 years – 36.6 years for men and 39.5 years for women.
The infant mortality rate was at 5.69 deaths per 1,000 live births. The rate for females was 3.47 per 1,000 but significantly higher for males, at 7.91 deaths per 1,000. The average number of children born per woman was 1.46.
The birth-rate outweighed the death-rate at 10.09 births per 1,000 population compared to a death rate of 7.91 deaths per 1,000 population
The bulk of Malta’s population – 68.7 per cent – was in the 15-64 age group (male 138,755, female 136,105). Those aged 0-14 years accounted for 18.2 per cent (male 37,431, female 35,448) and those aged 65 years and over accounted for 13.1 per cent (male 21,913, female 30,215.
The literacy rate was defined at people aged 10 and over who can read and write. Total population literacy rate was at 92.8 per cent, with 92 per cent of males and 93.6 per cent of females being literate.
World Population Day, which falls tomorrow, was first marked in 1988 by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to mark 11 July 1987, when the world’s population hit five billion.
The day seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, particularly in the context of overall development plans and programmes, and the need to find solutions for these issues. In 2000, the world’s population stood at 6.06 billion, and was growing by 78 million a year. The UN estimates there will be between 7.3 billion and 10.7 billion people in 2050, with 8.9 billion the most likely projection.
During the past decade, governments, including the Maltese, exercised their efforts to address population dynamics and movements, to increase access to education and reproductive health services, and to empower women to participate more fully in society, as is their fundamental human right. The broad results are clear: many people now enjoy increased longevity and broader life choices and opportunities. Yet too many people have yet to experience such gains. Greater commitment and action are urgently needed, especially when it comes to promoting women's rights and increasing investments in education and health, including reproductive health and family planning. Malta, with a population of nearly 0.4 million, has an annual population growth rate of 0.7 per cent and a total fertility rate of 1.46. Like most countries in Europe, Malta will be experiencing an acceleration in ageing in the population. This phenomenon, closely connected with the decline of fertility, is strengthened by the progress obtained in the life expectancy at high ages.
From a demographic point of view, Malta is somewhat different compared to the other new EU member states, as in several aspects it is more similar to the EU-15 than to the central and eastern European countries. Malta’s population is still “young” by European standards. The number of potential workers for each pensioner stands at 5.27, whereas in the year 2050 it will decline to 2.20.