Malta is an independent Mediterranean republic, which is located on several islands. The population of Malta calls their country toy, because only three residential islands of a small area fit so many people, history and the extraordinary beauty of nature.
Briefly about the geography of the islands
The Maltese archipelago is located in the center of the Mediterranean Sea. These are three large and several small islands that make up the territory of the country. The largest of them are Comino, Gozo and, of course, Malta. The latter is the largest island of the entire archipelago, and about 80% of the country's inhabitants are concentrated on it, as well as all major cities: Valletta - the capital of the republic, Zeytun, Sliema and others.
The history of his country leaves a huge imprint on any nation; the population of Malta was no exception.
The history of statehood
The country originates from the epicenter of the origin of world civilizations. Today, historians managed to find out that the first inhabitants of the islands were engaged in weaving, agriculture and animal breeding.
But about 2 thousand years ago, the usual way of life of the ancient Maltese people was completely destroyed: in the 12th century BC, the Phoenicians colonized Malta, and in the sixth century the country obeyed Carthage. Later, the Roman Empire conquered it, and after its fall, Byzantium inherited the land.
Arab culture has had a powerful influence on the life and development of the inhabitants of Malta. But in 1090 the Normans seized the Maltese lands, which turned the country's development into European channels, and after that, in 1282, Spain came to power.
Further, until the 15th century, the island developed: many craft workshops appeared on it, cotton and wheat were grown on the lands. The island has become a major trading center of Europe. But after Malta was in the midst of endless wars of Europe and Africa. The economy and economy of the Maltese lands quickly fell into decay.
Salvation came in 1530, when the Knights Hospitallers built their fortifications on the island. In 1798, the order passed it under the pressure of Napoleon's army. The population of Malta did not accept the French and revolted. Britain provided assistance to the inhabitants, in 1800 deploying its military garrison on the lands.
All historical changes related to the welfare of the population of Malta are clearly reflected in the graph of the growth of its population (changes in the demographic situation), which is presented below in the corresponding section.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the inhabitants rebelled against the colonial regime, but Great Britain crushed it. Nevertheless, already in 1921, residents achieved limited self-government.
The Second World War was not spared, and this small area of the globe.
The Maltese survived all the blows, and in 1942 the king of Great Britain presented the country with the highest award for the heroism and fearlessness - the Order of St. George.
The post-war period also did not allow the inhabitants of the country to rest. An active political struggle erupted over the issue of Malta's independence. And in 1964, the country was recognized as an independent republic.
National composition and languages
The official languages of the country are English and, of course, Maltese. The population of Malta today actively uses both of them on an equal level. A large number of residents are also fluent in French and Spanish.
The composition of the citizens of the island nation is almost uniform: 95% of the whole country are indigenous Maltese, more than 97% of whom preach Catholicism. Also, a small number of Britons live in the state (about 2% of the population), the remaining percentage falls to Spaniards, French, Italians, Arabs and immigrants from some other countries.
Today, many immigrants from Africa come to Malta who, through this small country, dream of moving further to Central Europe. Especially among immigrants, the number of inhabitants of Egypt, Libya and Morocco is increasing.
The indigenous population of Malta is easy to distinguish from tourists and visitors: they are swarthy, of small stature, with distinctive features. These are very smiling and sociable people. Their mixed Maltese and English is difficult to understand for an unusual tourist, but they understand each other well, even speaking a mixture of several languages. Migrants who plan to live on islands for a long time adapt very quickly to the speech of the indigenous population.
Population size
Today's statistics claim that Malta is the country with the smallest number of inhabitants among the entire European Union. Indeed, what else can be expected from the three islands of such a small state as Malta? The population according to 2015 was about 419 thousand inhabitants. This is comparable to the population of Orenburg, while the area of the Russian city is only 50 km 2 less than Malta.
According to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the population of Malta for 2016 is 420, 792. Of these, 208, 794 men and 211, 998 women, which is approximately equal to 1: 1. Natural growth over forty years amounted to about 100 thousand people. Although the average annual population increases by only 0.5%. The bulk of people live in the largest cities of the country:
- Birkirkara (approximately 21 thousand inhabitants);
- Valletta (about 19 thousand citizens);
- Kvormi (approximately 19, 000 people).
The age distribution at the beginning of 2016 was noted by 15.7% of people under 15 years old, the main part of 68.5% is the working population from 15 to 65 years old, and 15.8% of residents over 65 years old.
Despite its small population, the country has a high density.
Population density
According to 2015 data, the population density of Malta is 1, 432 people per square kilometer. Moreover, the state has a small area, and therefore is one of the five most populous countries in the world. Monaco (almost 18.7 thousand inhabitants per square kilometer), Singapore (more than 7 thousand people), Vatican (1.9 thousand) and Bahrain (1.7 thousand people) occupy the leading positions in this list.
The bulk of the inhabitants are concentrated in the eastern part of the main island - Malta. The island of Comino is practically not populated, officially registered residents of the island are no more than 15 people. It mainly houses farms. Gozo is home to just over 31, 000 people, most of whom are urban and live in Victoria.
Demographic situation
Today's statistics indicate the rapid aging of the inhabitants of Malta. In 2016, the retirement rate in Malta was 23%. This is an indicator of the number of persons of retirement age for the number of inhabitants of working age. It is able-bodied people that so far relieve the burden on the economy and society, and the aging of the population is not so evident. The working population of Malta in 2016 is fifty-four percent.
Malta's overall demographic situation is shown below in the graph. So, it is clear that the population as a whole began to increase actively after 1975, at the moment, a positive trend also remains. But now the percentage of residents in middle and old age has significantly increased. The situation is typical for most developed countries: the USA, European Union countries, Australia, Japan.
The average life expectancy of the Maltese is about 80 years, which is 9 years higher than global statistics. At the same time, women live longer, their average life expectancy is 82 years, and for men the figure is at the level of 77.5 years.
Literacy
Residents of the country are literate, 94 percent of the working population can read and write. This corresponds to the general literacy rate in developed countries, which is Malta. About 92% of educated men on the islands and 95% of women. If we talk exclusively about the modern youth of Malta - their literacy rate is 99% and covers residents from 15 to 24 years old. However, given the aging of the nation, young people are mainly made up of visiting students from other EU countries.
How tourists affect population
Tourism accounts for more than 70% of Malta's economy. The number of people who want to visit the country is steadily increasing year by year. The islands are especially popular with English and European retired tourists. Students also come here, as the country has long won the right to bear the title of one of the largest centers for learning English in the world.
Malta also attracts labor, as there are several important technical enterprises in the country (from microchip development to aircraft designs). Beautiful landscapes attract photographers, cameramen and just those who want to enjoy the nature of the republic.
Many tourists come to the country, and in the summer the number of people in Malta increases by an average of one million.
An interesting fact about the citizenship of Malta
Malta is interesting not only for its attractions and beaches. First of all, of course, the country is notable for its inhabitants and its unique culture, as well as its magnificent nature. Residents of the republic are given the right to receive high-quality higher education and highly professional medical care free of charge. Corruption in the country is not developed. All this attracts an additional number of migrants who wish to stay in Malta for a long time.
Recently, the islands have the opportunity to acquire citizenship. The cost of the service is about 650 thousand euros. Moreover, all the rights of EU citizens remain unchanged, even if they bought citizenship.
In addition, a foreigner can obtain the citizenship of calm and safe Malta with a high level of education (according to the English system) and medical services under the investment development program: by making a contribution to the National Development Fund of the state.
