Brief historical review of population censuses

November 27, 2005 was the census day of the 16th population census in a series of decennial censuses first taken in March,1842. This series was, however, interrupted by World War II and in the period 1977-1985 when no censuses were taken. Censuses were carried out on a de facto basis and included the British servicemen families stationed in Malta as forming part of the population.

Before 1842, there is historical evidence of a number of early counts or estimates of the population of Malta and Gozo based on sources that are sometimes doubtful and misleading. Reference had been made to the visit of the Bishop of Strasbourg around 1175 and that of Abbot Gilibertus in circa 1241 who reported on the local population. These texts were, however, subjected to successive copying and recopying and are often disregarded today.

Other historians made use of the militia lists to make population estimates including average family size and spatial distribution. Reliable documentation on Malta's medieval history is, however, scanty and often unreliable.

In the year 1530, the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem took possession of the islands and the number of inhabitants was stated to be about 15,000. During the Order's rule, the population increased significantly notwithstanding the loss of lives during the Great Siege and as a result of famine and disease.

It was also during this period that several population counts were taken in connection with the importation of grain from Sicily. Malta then enjoyed the privilege of importing grain from Sicily free of export duties. Whenever the Maltese insisted on an increase in the grain quota, these requests had to be substantiated by population counts that, at times, were even supervised by Sicilian officials.

An important development in the area of demographic statistics in many European countries and in Malta followed the Council of Trent (1545-1563) directives to parish priests to keep a set of registers referred to as the status animarum (state of souls) to record the births, deaths, marriages and other religious obligations of their parishioners.

In Malta, these registers were already in use in several localities around 1563. One may refer to the Medina baptismal registers and those kept at Naxxar, Vittoriosa, Bir Miftuh and in Gozo, to mention a few.

Such registers were extensively used up to the beginning of the 19th century to compile population estimates. The censuses taken in 1590, 1614, 1617 and 1632 were based on these registers. The last census showed the population of each locality divided into families, sex and some age groups.

At the time of the French invasion in 1798, the total population of Malta and Gozo was estimated at over 100,000. A report on the 1813 plague by W.H. Burrell, Principal Medical Officer of the British Army in Malta, put the total population at 111,000.

The 1842 census enumerated 100,157 persons living in Malta and 14,342 residing in Gozo. At that time, both the fertility rate and the death rate were very high. The latter was, to a large extent, determined by the frequent epidemics of smallpox, cholera and gastro-enteritis that had claimed some 2,900 persons during 1852-1857.

Population growth up to the 1911 census exhibited an accelerated trend. From 141,775 in 1871, it went up to 211,564 in 1911. During the next decade, population growth was virtually arrested as a result of emigration that, however, came to a complete halt during the economic depression of the early 1930s.

Taken after World War II, the 1948 census was of particular significance in that it demonstrated how the "way of life" of the population had changed. Moreover, it provided the government with valuable information for its post-war reconstruction programmes and other socio-economic statistics relating to fertility, emigration, education and health. The enumerated population that included the wives and children of British servicemen stood at 305,911, of whom, 27,680 lived in Gozo.

The census taken in 1967 demonstrated the success of the government's policy of mass emigration to stem population growth. The migration movement coincided with the diffusion of family planning methods, a growing standard of education, the availability of contraceptives and the changing role of women in Maltese society. For the first time since 1842, there was a decline of 5,400 in the population in the period 1957-1967.

The demographic transition started very late in Malta but it was completed within a relatively short period of one generation. By the end of the 1970s, the fertility and mortality rates had dropped to the same levels as those of other European countries that had completed their demographic transitions many years before.

The 1985 census was held after a lapse of 17 years. It was an essential exercise and pointed out the discrepancies that existed in our demographic statistics. It corrected our age pyramid and triggered discussions on the elderly portion of the population that had been substantially underestimated. Soon after, in 1987, the government appointed a Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly.

The census taken in 1995 provided a detailed socio-economic profile of the population. Fertility continued on a downward trend, the infant mortality index remained at a new low level and confirmed a growing elderly sector that was projected 10 years earlier. Living conditions continued to improve while the proportion of owner-occupied houses stood at over 70 per cent. For the first time, a migration module was included in the questionnaire.

For the past months the NSO has mounted an extensive information campaign. The excellent relations that we have with the media were fully exploited. Still, in all censuses, there is usually some under enumeration. If you have still some difficulty, simply dial 300.

Population censuses (1842-1995)

Mr Camilleri is chairman of the Malta Statistics Authority.