We all know Malta has undergone vast social and economic changes since 1964. But what does that change look like in simple terms? Ivan Martin digs out the figures to expose the contrasts between Malta 50 years ago and today.

Population

1964 - 320,620
2014 - 425,484

In 1964, the government had a skewed idea of how the population would change in the future. Basing its projections on heavy emigration and unimproved death rates, the government thought the population would actually decrease in the decades that followed 1964.

It thought that by 1985 the population would be 242,000, 103,000 less than what it turned out to be.

“These population projections are based on the assumption that during the next 25 years there will be a continuation of the death rates and age specific fertility. As well as increased emigration.”

Marriages

1964 - 2,756
2014 - 3,236

Life expectancy

1964 - 70
Males - 68
Females - 71

2014 - 81
Males- 79
Females - 83

Child mortality

1964 - 38
2014 - 15

Deaths

1964 - 2,756
2014 - 3,236

Total births

1964 - 6,394
2014 - 4,127

Emigrants

1964 - 8,987
2014 - 1,343

“Australia is the country most attractive to the Maltese emigrant. No less than 57,000, or 57 per cent, of all those to leave Malta since 1946 chose that country for their intended permanent residence. The UK absorbed 23,000 and Canada received 11,000; 7,000 went to the US.”

Emigration was introduced as an economic policy after World War II, the success of the programme reached its highest levels between the late 1950 and mid-1960s. By the 1970s the outward flow had decreased significantly.

Births outside marriage

1964 - 11 per 1,000
2014 - 252 per 1,000

“In Malta it does not appear that illegitimacy was ever a problem. The illegitimacy rate has changed little from 1901,” the 1964 Demographic Review said, adding that the figures were particularly useful for “programmes aimed at dealing with the problem of single mothers”.

“A fair proportion of births to teenage girls were out of wedlock in 1964. In fact, the illegitimacy ration among those aged under 20 was 58 per 1,000, compared to seven per 1,000 for those aged between 20 and 25.”

Data: National Statistics Office. Demographic Review 1964.