Includes Malta real Gross Domestic Product growth rate, with latest forecasts and historical data, GDP per capita, GDP composition and breakdown by sector.
Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Malta economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of Malta best banks and safest banks are also available.
Basic Information
Government Type: Parliamentary republic
Capital City: Valletta
GDP & Economic Information
Macroeconomy & Sovereign Data
Central Bank |
Central Bank of Malta |
---|---|
Currency |
Euros (EUR) |
International Reserves |
USD 1.0 billion (2018) International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019 |
Gross Domestic Product – GDP | USD 14.5 billion (2018, estimate) |
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) | Intl$ 21.3 billion (2018, estimate) |
GDP Data
Real GDP growth |
2007 4% 2008 3.3% 2009 -2.4% 2010 3.5% 2011 1.4% 2012 2.7% 2013 4.6% 2014 8.6% 2015 10.6% 2016 5.7% 2017 6.7% (Estimate) 2018 6.4% (Estimate) |
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GDP per capita – current prices |
USD 31,058.4 (2018, estimate) |
GDP per capita – PPP |
Intl$ 45,605.9 (2018, estimate) |
GDP (PPP) – share of world total |
1980 N/A 1990 N/A 2000 0.02% 2010 0.01% 2019 0.02% (Estimate) |
GDP – composition by sector |
agriculture: 0.9% industry: 12% services: 75% (2018 estimate) |
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP) | N/A |
Inflation |
2015 1.2% 2016 0.9% 2017 1.3% 2017 1.7% (Estimate) 2018 1.7% (Estimate) |
Malta
Inflation & Debt
Inflation |
2015 1.2% 2016 0.9% 2017 1.3% 2017 1.7% (Estimate) 2018 1.7% (Estimate) |
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Government Bond Ratings |
Standard & Poor’s: A- Moody’s: A2 Standard & Poor’s / Moody’s |
Unemployment rate |
2015 5.4% 2016 4.7% 2017 4% 2018 3.7% (Estimate) 2019 3.8% (Estimate) |
Household saving rates | N/A |
Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP) |
2015 57.8% 2016 55.5% 2017 50.3% 2018 45.2% (Estimate) 2019 42.3% (Estimate) |
Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP) |
2015 -1.1% 2016 0.9% 2017 3.4% 2018 2% (Estimate) 2019 0.5% (Estimate) |
Market value of publicly traded shares |
2016 USD 4.4 billion 2017 USD 5.2 billion 2018 USD 5.1 billion |
Largest Companies | N/A |
Import/Export
Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services) |
144.6% (2018) |
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Shares in world total merchandising export |
0.02% (2018) |
Shares in world total commercial services export |
0.26% (2018) |
Total exports |
USD 18.6 billion (2018 estimate) |
Export commodities |
Machinery and mechanical appliances; mineral fuels, oils and petroleum products; pharmaceutical products; books and newspapers; aircraft/spacecraft and parts; toys, games, and sports equipment |
Total imports |
USD 15.9 billion (2018 estimate) |
Import commodities |
Mineral fuels, oils and products; electrical machinery; aircraft/spacecraft and parts thereof; machinery and mechanical appliances; plastic and other semi-manufactured goods; vehicles and parts |
Exports – major partners |
Germany 17.3%, France 10.2%, Italy 9.4%, Singapore 5.9%, Hong Kong 5.8%, US 5.7%, Japan 4.9%, Libya 4.5% (2017) |
Imports – major partners |
Italy 23%, Germany 7.9%, UK 7.7%, Spain 5%, Canada 4.5%, US 4.3%, France 4.2% (2017) |
Competitiveness & Trade
Current account balance |
USD 1.4 billion (2018 estimate) |
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Current account balance by percentage of GDP |
9.8 % (2018 estimate) |
FDI inflows |
2016 USD 4,246 million 2017 USD 3,566 million 2018 USD 4,061 million |
FDI Outflows |
2016 USD -5,294 million 2017 USD -7,052 million 2018 USD -7,326 million |
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser |
2015 USD 2,699.8 million 2016 USD -1,139.4 million 2017 USD 115.4 million 2018 USD 0.8 million |
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014 | N/A |
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015 | N/A |
Best countries for doing business |
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm. Overall ranking: 88 out of 190 countries Subcategories: Starting a Business: 86 out of 190 countries Dealing with Construction Permits: 57 out of 190 countries Getting Electricity: 73 out of 190 countries Registering Property: 152 out of 190 countries Getting Credit: 144 out of 190 countries Protecting Minority Investors: 51 out of 190 countries Paying Taxes: 78 out of 190 countries Trading across Borders: 48 out of 190 countries Enforcing Contracts: 41 out of 190 countries Resolving Insolvency: 121 out of 190 countries |
Global competitiveness ranking |
38 out of 141 countries (2019) |
Index of Economic Freedom |
Ranking: 41 / Score: 68.6 (Moderately free) (100=totally free 0=totally repressed) |
Population & Geographic Data
Time Zone |
UTC+1 |
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Total Area |
316 sq km |
Total Population |
1990 0.35 million 2000 0.39 million 2010 0.41 million 2015 0.44 million 2020 0.49 million (Estimate) |
Urban population as % of total population |
1960 90.1% 1980 89.8% 2000 92.4% 2018 94.6% |
Population median age |
41.8 years |
Population growth rate |
0.99% (2018 estimate) |
Life expectancy |
82.7 years (2018 estimate) CIA World Factbook / Life expectancy |
% of population living on less than $3.10 a day |
0.2% (last available estimate, 2015) |
Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index) |
29.4 (last available estimate, 2015) |
Freedom House rating |
Free Political Rights: 2 Civil Liberties: 1 (2019) (1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating) |
Total telephone subscribers as % of population |
Fixed: 58.2% Mobile: 140.2% (2018) (fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers) |
Internet users as % of total population |
81.4 % (2018) |
Language & Religon
Languages |
Maltese (official) 90.1%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.9% (2005 est.) |
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Literacy |
Total population: 94.4% Male: 93.1% Female: 95.8% Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.) |
Religions |
Roman Catholic (official) more than 90% (2006 est.) |
World Rankings
Population | 0.49 M |
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Mercer Cost of living index | N/A |
C02 Emissions per capita |
5.4 metric tons per capita (2014) |
Global Finance Rankings & Awards: Malta
Global Finance Magazine holds several conferences and awards ceremonies throughout the year to recognize the winning financial institutions and companies in a host of categories including World’s Best Trade Finance Banks, World's Biggest Banks, World's Safest Banks, World's Best Developed & Emerging Markets Banks, World's Best Internet Banks, and World’s Best Investment Banks.
Data Sources:
IMF World Economic Outlook
UN World Population Prospects
World Inequality Report
S&P Global Ratings
Moody’s
Fitch Ratings
IMF Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS)
UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
CIA The World Factbook
World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution
Forbes Global 2000