Rural population growth in Malta
Malta: Rural population growth was 1.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Malta, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Malta recorded 1.3% for rural population growth in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 42.6% on the previous year and down 34.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Malta peaked at 3.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, -6.6%, in 2021.
That places Malta 43rd out of 209 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth in Malta, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.8% | — |
| 1962 | 0.9% | +15.3% |
| 1963 | 0.9% | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 0.9% | -6.9% |
| 1965 | 0.3% | -62.3% |
| 1966 | -0.3% | -197.3% |
| 1967 | -0.7% | +131.8% |
| 1968 | -1.1% | +50.8% |
| 1969 | -1.2% | +7.2% |
| 1970 | -0.6% | -50.3% |
| 1971 | -0.1% | -88.1% |
| 1972 | -0.2% | +178.6% |
| 1973 | -0.2% | +12.7% |
| 1974 | -0.2% | +7.2% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | -323.0% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | -47.9% |
| 1977 | 0.1% | -52.3% |
| 1978 | 0.8% | +464.9% |
| 1979 | 0.7% | -7.2% |
| 1980 | 0.7% | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | -48.3% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | +379.1% |
| 1983 | 1.0% | -44.0% |
| 1984 | -0.4% | -145.3% |
| 1985 | 1.3% | -391.4% |
| 1986 | 0.9% | -30.6% |
| 1987 | -1.1% | -221.2% |
| 1988 | -1.9% | +74.4% |
| 1989 | -2.5% | +32.5% |
| 1990 | -3.1% | +23.1% |
| 1991 | -1.8% | -43.2% |
| 1992 | -3.6% | +103.3% |
| 1993 | -3.5% | -2.9% |
| 1994 | -3.1% | -11.9% |
| 1995 | -2.4% | -22.9% |
| 1996 | -1.5% | -36.1% |
| 1997 | -1.0% | -32.2% |
| 1998 | -0.9% | -7.5% |
| 1999 | -0.8% | -10.3% |
| 2000 | -0.7% | -19.0% |
| 2001 | -0.5% | -26.2% |
| 2002 | -0.5% | -4.8% |
| 2003 | -0.6% | +21.4% |
| 2004 | -0.6% | +9.3% |
| 2005 | -0.8% | +22.8% |
| 2006 | -1.2% | +58.6% |
| 2007 | -1.5% | +20.1% |
| 2008 | -1.3% | -12.8% |
| 2009 | -1.2% | -11.1% |
| 2010 | -1.2% | +4.4% |
| 2011 | -0.9% | -27.2% |
| 2012 | 0.1% | -108.2% |
| 2013 | 0.6% | +779.3% |
| 2014 | 1.6% | +158.4% |
| 2015 | 2.0% | +21.0% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | -21.7% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | -28.5% |
| 2018 | 0.6% | -42.4% |
| 2019 | 0.0% | -98.8% |
| 2020 | -2.8% | -35947.3% |
| 2021 | -6.6% | +134.8% |
| 2022 | 0.5% | -108.2% |
| 2023 | 3.4% | +524.9% |
| 2024 | 2.2% | -33.5% |
| 2025 | 1.3% | -42.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.1% | -1.2% | 0.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.1% | -0.6% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0% | -2.5% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | -2.2% | -3.6% | -0.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.9% | -1.5% | -0.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6% | -1.2% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.3% | -6.6% | 3.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malta
- 40 Burkina Faso 1.4% compare
- 41 Egypt 1.4% compare
- 42 Papua New Guinea 1.3% compare
- 44 Burundi 1.3% compare
- 45 Comoros 1.2% compare
- 46 Guinea-Bissau 1.2% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Malta
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 6.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0047 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 224.75 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.0432 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture share gdp 0.4691 (2025)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 0.4691 (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.2% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Malta?
- Rural population growth in Malta was 1.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was -6.6% in 2021.
- How does Malta rank for rural population growth?
- Malta ranks 43rd out of 209 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malta data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.