The estimated total population of Malta and Gozo at the end of 2019 stood at 514,564, up by 4 per cent when compared to 2018, the NSO said on Friday.

Persons under the age of 18 made up 16 per cent of the total population, while a further 18 per cent were aged 65 years and over. Of these, 3,049 persons – 2,132 females and 917 males – were aged 90 years and over.

The population increase in 2019 was driven by a net migration (immigration less emigration) of 20,343 persons. The largest proportion of net migrants was men, reaching 13,535 against 6,808 female counterparts.

Excluding adoptions, the largest share of migrants were third-country nationals at 12,355 followed by other EU nationals at 7,489. Net migration of Maltese nationals was estimated at 446.

Resident live births registered during 2019 amounted to 4,350, a decrease of 2 per cent over the previous year. There were approximately nine births for every 1,000 persons in 2019. Over the past ten years the total fertility rate has decreased from 1.42 to 1.14, while the average age of parents who gave birth has increased from 28.6 years to 30.6 years.

This was largely due to a sharper increase in population figures when compared to the slight decrease in the number of live births. Total resident deaths remained constant compared to last year and rose by 14 per cent over the past ten years.

Of the 3,688 registered resident deaths during 2019, 65 per cent were persons aged 75 and over. The average life expectancy for those born in 2019 was 83 years, an increase of 2.6 years when compared to ten years ago.