Maltese are still considered to be among the staunchest supporters of marriage, according to the latest official European data.

Demographic statistics published by Eurostat yesterday show that in 2011, Malta had the EU’s third highest marriage rate, surpassed only by Cyprus and Lithuania.

While the average rate of marriage per 1,000 people, known as the crude rate, fell to 4.4 across the EU, in Malta it stood at 6.1 per 1,000. The highest crude marriage rate in 2011 was reported in Cyprus, 7.3 per 1,000, followed by Lithuania’s 6.3.

While marriage is on the decline across the 27 member states, Slovenians seem to be the least interested, with a rate of just 3.1 per 1,000.

Malta’s rate for births outside marriage was still much lower than the EU average, despite more than doubling over the past decade.

In 2011, more than a fifth of births (22.7 per cent) in Malta were delivered by unmarried mothers.

However, the EU average rate of such births is almost twice as high and stood at 39.5 per cent in 2011.

Estonia (60 per cent), Slovenia (57 per cent), Bulgaria and France (both at 56 per cent) had the highest rates of children born out of wedlock.

The lowest rates reported were in Greece (seven per cent) and Cyprus (17 per cent).

According to the EU’s statistics arm, the overall situation is characterised by continuing population growth as well as an ageing population.

At the beginning of 2012, the EU’s population was estimated at 503.7 million, a growth of six per cent compared with 1992.

Over the same decade, the share of those aged over 65 increased from 14 to 18 per cent.