Malta's population expected to grow by 27.1% by 2050

Malta is expected to have one of the largest population increases in the European Union over the next few decades, in contrast to an overall decrease being projected for the EU as a whole up to 2050.

According to figures released by the EU's statistical arm, Eurostat, Malta's population is expected to reach over 508,000 by 2050, one of the largest overall increases of the 25 current member states.

The dramatic increase of over 100,000 inhabitants in the Maltese Islands will evidently increase pressures over many aspects of the island's economy and social structures, including, housing, social security and pensions, employment and health services.

According to the EU figures, Malta currently has a population of 400,000. However this is expected to rise by 39,000 people in just 11 years' time. In 2025, Malta's population is expected to surpass the 450,000 mark, soaring further to 508,000 by 2050.

Malta, together with Luxembourg, Ireland and Cyprus, will buck the general trend, as across the rest of the EU, a declining population is forecast.

Eurostat explained that over the next two decades, until 2025, the total EU population is expected to rise by more than 13 million, from 456.8 million on January 1, 2004 to 470.1 million on January 1, 2025. However this growth will be mainly due to immigration, since total deaths will outnumber total births from 2010 onwards.

The effect of net migration will no longer outweigh the natural decrease after 2025, when the population will start to decline gradually.

The population will reach 449.8 million on January 1, 2050, a drop of over 20 million compared to 2025. Over the whole projection period the EU25 population will decrease by 1.5%.

In contrast with Malta and Cyprus, the largest declines in populations are expected to occur in most of the new member states.

Between 2004 and 2050, one expects to see the largest declines in Latvia (-19.2%), Estonia (-16.6%), Lithuania (-16.4%), the Czech Republic (-12.9%), Hungary and Slovakia (both -11.9%), and Poland (-11.8%).

In contrast, the strongest increases will be recorded in some of the smallest member states including Luxembourg (+42.3%), Ireland (+36%), Cyprus (+33.5%) and Malta (+27.1%).