Deaths among young people increased in 2014 when compared to the previous year, while the number of deceased middle-aged Maltese residents decreased, a data review shows.

According to the National Statistics Office, deaths of people aged between 20 and 34 increased by 12.5 per cent and mortalities among 35- to 44-year-olds increased by a third.

The increase could be attributed to drops in 2013: there were 32 deaths of young people in 2013 compared to 46 in 2012, and 39 deaths among 35- to 44-year-olds, down from 55 in 2012. At the same time, however, deaths of people aged between 45 and 54 years decreased by 11 per cent in 2014.

Two-fifths of the deceased passed away in winter – namely in December, January, February and March – and most of the deaths were attributed to diseases of the circulatory system (38 per cent) and tumours (28 per cent).

Meanwhile, a sharp increase was also registered for stillbirths, which are deaths of babies with a gestational age of more than 22 weeks. In all, there were 27 – an increase of two-fifths – with most of them weighing more than a kilo. Similar amounts were registered in 2008, 2009 and 2011.

At the same time, cases of infant mortality (during the first year of life) decreased from 27 to 21 between 2014 and 2013.

The review shows that the number of deaths in Malta for 2014 totalled 3,270 – an increase of one per cent over 2013, and the vast majority, 70 per cent, happened in hospital.

Malta’s population has seen a steady increase over the past century

Most of the people who passed away were from the Northern Harbour district, while Gozo and Comino saw the smallest number of deaths.

Despite an increase in deaths, the population at the end of the year stood at 429,344, an increase of nearly one per cent over 2013.

Malta’s population has seen a steady increase over the past century, with 1901 census data showing there was an estimated 184,742 people, shooting up to 305,991 in 1948.

Based on end of 2012 estimates of the total population, and considering the fertility rate, the expectation of life at birth and net migration, it is being projected that there will be more than 480,000 people living in Malta by 2070.

For the first time in over a century of record-keeping, men outnumbered women in Malta in 2014.

The review found that there were 126 more men than women in Malta at the end of 2014, with 214,735 males and 214,609 females making up a total population of 429,344.

The NSO also noted that when it comes to marriages, while religious ceremonies still made up a 51.7 per cent majority of the 2,871 celebrated in 2014, civil ceremonies were close behind at 48.3 per cent.

New arrivals in numbers

▪ 4,191 babies were born to mothers living in Malta
▪ September, March and October were the most popular birth months
▪ 50% of the mothers were aged between 30 and 39
▪ Nearly 4% were born to mothers aged under 20
▪ There were 57 pairs of twins and one set of triplets

Marriage, migration and population

Love… or not?
The number of people tying the knot increased by 11.4%
▪ May and June are the favourite months to say ‘I do’
▪ 15% of registered marriages took place between British couples
▪ 662 separations and 399 divorces were registered
▪ 85% of divorcees had been married for at least 10 years

Who came and who left?
▪ 8,946 headed to Malta – a fifth of whom were returning Maltese migrants
▪ Half of the immigrants were EU nationals
▪ 5,907 people left Malta – a quarter of whom were Maltese
▪ Two thirds of immigrants and emigrants were men
▪ Five boats with 565 migrants reached Maltese shores

Who lives in Malta?
▪ 94% Maltese and 6% foreigners
▪ 18% aged under 18 and 25% aged 60+
▪ 214,735 men and 214,609 women

Where do people live?
▪ A third live in the Northern Harbour while only 7.4% live in Gozo and Comino
▪ The most populated localities are Birkirkara, Mosta and St Paul’s Bay
▪ The smallest population is that of Mdina, with only 233 inhabitants