The number of illiterate people has decreased by more than 10,000 people and the literacy rate now stood at 92.8 per cent.

According to data in the 2005 Census, the literacy rate in Malta rose from 88.7 per cent to 92.8 per cent in 10 years. In figures, in 2005 there were 26,121 illiterate people compared to the 36,444 in 1995.

In the 2005 Census, the male literacy rate stood at 91.7 cent and the female literacy rate stood at 93.9 per cent. In 1995, the literacy rate for males stood at 87.4 per cent while that for females stood at 90 per cent.

On a district by district basis, the lowest literacy rate – 89.8 per cent - can be found in the Southern Harbour district, followed by the South Eastern district with 92 per cent. In Gozo and Comino, the literacy rate stood at 93.2 per cent in 2005.

The highest literacy rate was recorded in the Northern District with 95.5 per cent of the residents aged 10 years and over being literate.

In the 2005 Census, information on the language most spoken at home was collected. It resulted that for 90.2 per cent of the population aged 10 years and over, the main language of verbal communication at home was Maltese. For six per cent of the population in this age bracket, it was English.

A small fraction indicated that their main speaking language at home was a language other than Maltese or English, while three per cent used more than one language.

Across the different Maltese districts, significant variations resulted with regard to this proportion, from 84.3 per cent in the Northern Harbour and Northern Districts to 97.1 per cent in the Southern Harbour District.

At the same time, 10.7 per cent of the 10+ population residing in the Northern District used English as their main spoken language at home. This proportion, in respect of the Southern Harbour District, stood at 1.4 per cent.

The 2005 census also collected information on the lingual capabilities of the population aged 10 years and over. While the proportion of people who can speak Maltese has remained on a par with the 1995 figures, increases in people’s capabilities in other languages have been recorded. For instance, the percentage of those who can speak English increased by 12 percentage points over 1995, while the Italian- and French-speaking proportions increased by 20.3 and 11.1 percentage points respectively.

With regard to education, the census revealed that the majority of people aged 15 years and over have at least a secondary level of education. In the 2005 census, the proportion that indicated this as their highest completed educational level was 45.3 per cent. A fraction of 13.8 per cent went on to finish post-secondary education, while 9.6 per cent indicated a completed tertiary level.

On a district level, the proportion of people with a tertiary level of education varied from 12.1 per cent in the Western District to 8.8 per cent in Gozo and Comino and to 5.7 per cent in the Southern Harbour District.

Well over half the population in this age bracket has not attained any qualification although this segment has decreased in 2005 in comparison with 10 years earlier. In line with the picture recorded in respect of the highest level of education completed, 9.6 per cent have attained a tertiary qualification or a qualification of a similar level. The largest proportion of people who responded that they had no qualifications was recorded in the Southern Harbour District.

In the 2005 census, 153,483 people, or 45.8 per cent of the population aged 15 years and over, were employed, 11,183 people, or 3.3 per cent, were unemployed, and the remaining 170,810 persons, or 50.9 per cent, were inactive.

The unemployment rate stood at 6.8 per cent.

In 2005, the male employment rate was 63 per cent, compared to a female employment rate of 29 per cent. On the other hand, 4.3 per cent of males and 2.4 per cent of females were unemployed. The inactivity rate for females was 68.6 per cent while that for males stood at 32.7 per cent.

The lowest employment rate was recorded in Gozo and Comino, with 40.6 per cent. Conversely, the highest was recorded in the Northern District where 49.6 per cent of people in this age bracket were employed.

On unemployment, the Southern Harbour District registered the highest rate – 9.9 per cent – while the lowest was recorded in the Northern District – 4.6 per cent. Gozo and Comino had the highest proportion of inactive persons, with 55.7 per cent of residents aged 15 years and over falling in this category. The inactivity rate was lowest in the Northern District – 48.0 per cent.

On a basis of age, the highest employment rate was registered among the younger segment of the population, those between 20 and 29 years old. In this age group, 73 per cent of persons resulted as employed, 5.7 per cent, unemployed and 21.3 per cent, inactive.

Significant differences resulted between the sexes in terms of occupation and economic activity. Most females worked as clerks, with 10,675 females, or 21.6 per cent of employed females, stating that they were employed as such.

Most males were employed as craft and related trade workers with 20,434 males, or 19.6 per cent of employed males, stating that they worked in these occupations. The manufacturing sector and the wholesale and retail trade sector respectively employed 17.1 per cent and 15.9 per cent of the working population with most workers in both sectors being men. Female workers were concentrated in the education sector, with 17.0 per cent of the total female working population.

On average, people in employment worked 40 hours per week in their main occupation, with males reporting an average of 42.1 hours and females an average of 35.5 hours. Males employed as skilled agricultural and fishery workers worked the maximum number of hours on average, a weekly 47.2 hours. On average, the least number of hours worked were recorded among females engaged in elementary occupations – 32.9 hours per week.

With regard to illness, health problems and disability, 72,258 people, or 17.8 per cent, reported having a long-term illness and/or health problems. Long-term disability was prevalent among 5.9 per cent of the population.

Long-term illness and/or health problems were recorded among 6.5 per cent of people less than 20 years old, while long-term disability was recorded among 1.9 per cent of the same age bracket. A considerably higher fraction of people aged 80 years and over had long-term illnesses and/or health problems, 54.7 per cent, while 32.3 per cent stated that they have a long-term disability.