Population density

Contrary to what Charles Camilleri stated in his letter of July 27, on the issue of Maltese emigration, our country does not have the highest population density in the world. At approximately 17,700 people per square kilometre, Macau has a density 14 times greater than we do. Around 32,400 people live in Monaco, a country 160 times smaller than Malta. This means a density 13 times as large as ours.

Now, let us compare Malta's population per square kilometre (c. 1,250) with some urban cities abroad for the sake of general knowledge. Manhattan, an island almost as long as Malta but much narrower, has a population density in the neighbourhood of 19,000. Cairo's population density is around 15,500 and is expected to double within the next 25 years. The above information can be easily found from countless sources from the internet.

Let us take comfort in knowing there are various places with more than 10 or 15 times as many people around.