Maltese still 'young' by European standards

Malta, with a population of nearly 400,000, had an annual population growth rate of 0.7 per cent and a total fertility rate of 1.46, according to figures released by the National Office of Statistics.

Malta, like the rest of Europe, was experiencing an acceleration of aging in the population. This phenomenon, closely connected to the decline of fertility, was strengthened by the progress obtained in life expectancy at high ages.

The number of potential workers for each pensioner presently stands at 5.27, while in the year 2050 it will decline to 2.20.

From a demographic point of view, Malta was somewhat different when compared with the new EU member states and had more similarities to the former EU-15 than to the central and eastern European countries.

In comparisons made by the NSO, Malta's population was deemed still "young" by European standards. The age group from 0-14 represented 18.2 per cent of the population while those aged 65 years and over stood at 13.1 per cent.

The NSO released the statistics to coincide with World Population Day, being celebrated today, which was established in 1987 by the United Nations Population Fund when the world's population hit the five billion mark.

This day is intended to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, particularly in the context of overall development plans and programmes and the need to find solutions.

In 2000, the world population stood at 6.06 billion and was growing by 78 million a year. The United Nations estimates that there will be between 7.3 billion and 10.7 billion people in 2050, with 8.9 billion the most likely projection.

In the past decade, governments, including Malta's, exercised their efforts to address population dynamics and movements, to increase access to education and reproductive health services and to empower women to participate more fully in society, as is their fundamental human right.

The results are clear - many people now enjoy increased longevity, reduced mortality and broader life choices and opportunities. Yet, too many people have yet to experience such gains.

Greater commitment and action are urgently needed, especially when it comes to promoting women's rights and increasing investment in education and health, including reproductive health and family planning.