St Paul’s Bay and Sliema, both home to a sizeable community of expats, saw their population grow by 10 per cent between 2015 and 2016, according to official figures.

The increase, four times the national average, coincides with an influx of foreign workers who, according to unofficial estimates, now total about 40,000.

Details on population variations within the Maltese islands as on January 1, 2015, and 2016, respectively, were recently published in the Malta Government Gazette by the Finance Ministry in line with the Local Councils Act.

The data is based on population estimates compiled by the National Statistics Office.

The figures are based on the number of live births to mothers resident in Malta, net immigration in the period under review from both EU member states and third countries as well as on deaths of Malta residents.

It transpires that, at the start of 2016, St Paul's Bay leapfrogged Mosta as the second most populated locality with 21,198 inhabitants. Compared to 12 months earlier, this meant an increase of 1,882 residents.

If this pattern were to be sustained, the northern seaside locality might soon overtake Birkirkara, which has the largest population at 22,658. In Sliema, NSO figures show that, by the start of 2016, the number of residents reached 18,764, up 1,655 over the previous year.

A closer look at the statistics indicates that all localities with above-average population in-creases were scattered around the main touristic zones. The third highest increase in both absolute and percentage terms was Swieqi, whose population in 2016 was of 11,731.

This represented a rise of 834 residents, or eight per cent.

Next in line, in terms of percentage growth, were Msida, St Julian’s, Gżira, Mellieħa, Marsascala and San Ġwann, which had rates above the national average of 2.4 per cent.

The only localities that registered a marginal drop in the number of residents were Santa Luċija, Żejtun, Cospicua, Nadur, Senglea, Għarb, Għasri and Qormi. However, the decline was practically insignificant in statistical terms.

The Maltese population grew by 10,724 in the period under review, reaching 450,415 as of January 1, 2016. NSO data published last month showed that, by the end of 2016, the population continued to grow to 460,297.

Judging by recent declarations made by employers, the upward trend is set to continue as they estimate Malta needs to attract more foreign workers to sustain its robust economic growth.

This newspaper reported last November that a number of agreements with countries such as Serbia and Montenegro were in the pipeline with the aim of facilitating the importation of workers from the non-EU Member States.

Population trends in 2016*

*As of January 1, 2016
Source: NSO