Is Malta's population growing?

Based on the latest Census, NSO indicates that Malta's total population reached 404,346 by 2005, registering a growth of 6.9 per cent since the 1995 Census. This indicates a slowdown in population growth, since between the 1985 and 1995 Census population had grown by 9.5 per cent. The principal reason for this decrease in growth is the decline in the birth rate. This slowdown may decrease pressures on the environment if accompanied by a shift towards more sustainable consumption patterns. Population density currently stands at 1,282 residents per square kilometre. It increased by an average of 82 persons for every square kilometre between 1995 and 2005, and remains one of the highest in the world. NSO projections, concerning only the Maltese population, indicate that it will continue to increase until 2015, after which it will start to decline.

The State Of the Environment Report 2006 is a Mepa publication available on www.mepa.org.mt.