Malta's population continued to increase in 2022, with an estimated 542,051 people living on the island.

According to national data, this means that the local population increased by 4.2 per cent over 2021.

The increase was mainly driven by a total net migration (immigration less emigration) of 21,798 people.

Third-country nationals made up 83.1 per cent of the total net migrants in 2022, and men accounted for 65.8 per cent.

In a statement on Monday, when the world marks Population Day, the National Statistics Office said nearly 53 per cent of the total resident population at the end of 2022 was male.

People under the age of 18 made up 15.1 per cent of the total population, while 18.6 per cent were aged 65 and over.

Of these, 3,395 persons – 2,415 women and 980 men – were aged 90 and over.

Live births drop

Resident live births in 2022 decreased by two per cent over the previous year.

Of the parents who gave birth in 2022, 39.7 per cent were aged 30 to 34 at the time.

Resident deaths in 2022 also increased by 1.6 per cent.

Of the 4,230 deaths, 67.4 per cent were aged 75 and over.

Population estimates published in NSO's statement on Monday are based on the 2021 end-of-year estimate, which has been revised as a result of the latest Census of Population and Housing.

The revised estimate for 2021 supersedes the previous estimate published for this reference year. This updated estimate results from the ongoing intercensal revisions of the population time series. Further revisions to the population series from 2012 to 2021 are expected later this year.

Malta has seen a dramatic increase in population in the last decade or so, outpacing by far that of all other EU countries. In 2011, the population was estimated at just over 417,000.