Malta’s population increased by 21,000 last year and now stands at 563,000 people, national statistics have shown.

A record 42,000 people moved to Malta in 2023, the vast majority (around 33,000) of whom were third-country nationals. 7,000 EU nationals also moved to Malta and 2,200 Maltese citizens moved back to the country after spending some time living abroad.

In contrast, 34,964 people moved to Malta in 2022.

The increase in immigration was partially offset by emigration, with around 21,000 people moving out of Malta in 2023 – 13,500 third-country nationals, 6,000 EU citizens, and 1,700 Maltese citizens.

Meanwhile, 4,462 births were registered in 2023, up from 4,309 in 2022, while 4,030 people died, down from 4,230 in 2022.

Is Malta overpopulated?