Malta at its true size
Malta covers 316 km², number 186 of 194 countries by area. Home to 579,704 people (2025). A Mercator map draws it about 1.52× too large.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 316 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 579,704 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 1,835 per km² |
| Capital | Valletta |
| Local time in Valletta | |
| Time zone | UTC+1, summer time UTC+2 IANA |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) Wikidata |
| Languages | English, Maltese |
| Traffic | On the left |
| Region | Southern Europe, Europe |
| Status | Independent state |
| Member of | EUEuro areaSchengen Area |
| Coast | Has a coastline |
| Calling code | +356 |
| Codes | MT · MLT · 470 |
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Where Malta ranks
Among the independent states, in 44 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#166 of 194579,704 people#38 of 44 in Europe
- Population density#4 of 1941,835 people per km²#2 of 44 in Europe
- Urban population#9 of 19296% urban#4 of 43 in Europe
- Fertility rate#188 of 1921.01 births per woman#42 of 43 in Europe
- Population growth#51 of 192+1.89% a year#2 of 43 in Europe
- Birth rate#174 of 1927.7 births per 1,000 people#29 of 43 in Europe
- Death rate#93 of 1927.3 deaths per 1,000 people#39 of 43 in Europe
- Children under 15#182 of 19212.9% under 15#36 of 43 in Europe
- People over 65#28 of 19220.5% aged 65 and over#27 of 43 in Europe
- Net migration#9 of 192+8.9 per 1,000 people#3 of 43 in Europe
- Refugees abroad#145 of 1900.02 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#23 of 41 in Europe
Health & education
- Life expectancy#18 of 19283.0 years#11 of 43 in Europe
- Infant mortality#144 of 1914.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births#7 of 42 in Europe
- Doctors#16 of 1784.51 doctors per 1,000 people#11 of 41 in Europe
- University enrolment#23 of 14580.5% gross enrolment#14 of 43 in Europe
- Human Development Index#23 of 190an index of 0.924#15 of 42 in Europe
Economy
- GNI per capita#26 of 185$41,440 a person#18 of 41 in Europe
- Internet users#33 of 18494% online#18 of 43 in Europe
- GDP per capita (PPP)#21 of 184$72,210 a person#14 of 41 in Europe
- GDP growth#69 of 187+4.0% a year#3 of 42 in Europe
- Inflation#103 of 176+2.4% a year#27 of 40 in Europe
- Unemployment#144 of 1782.9% of the labour force#36 of 39 in Europe
- Extreme poverty#107 of 1490.4% under $3.00 a day#15 of 39 in Europe
- Income inequality (Gini)#104 of 149a Gini index of 31.8#16 of 39 in Europe
- Jobs in agriculture#172 of 1780.9% of jobs#37 of 39 in Europe
- Jobs in industry#110 of 17817.7% of jobs#33 of 39 in Europe
- Jobs in services#10 of 17881.4% of jobs#4 of 39 in Europe
- Foreign investment#1 of 184170.1% of GDP#1 of 41 in Europe
- Exports#5 of 168119.1% of GDP#4 of 40 in Europe
- Military spending#146 of 1550.5% of GDP#37 of 39 in Europe
- Mobile subscriptions#32 of 191142 subscriptions per 100 people#6 of 43 in Europe
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#81 of 1853.18 tonnes a person#35 of 37 in Europe
- Forest area#174 of 1922% forest#41 of 43 in Europe
- Renewable energy#150 of 1908.6% renewable#39 of 41 in Europe
- Access to electricity#1 of 192100.0% with electricity#1 of 43 in Europe
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#149 of 19110.8 µg/m³#23 of 42 in Europe
- Protected land#37 of 19129.0% of the land protected#11 of 42 in Europe
- Arable land#46 of 19022.2% of the land arable#22 of 42 in Europe
- Water stress#24 of 17672.6% of its available fresh water#1 of 38 in Europe
- Precipitation#137 of 180560 mm a year#34 of 37 in Europe
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of Malta’s area, lit up on the map →
- Maldives1.06×Malta is 6% larger than Maldives.
- Grenada0.91×Malta is 9% smaller than Grenada.
- Saint Kitts and Nevis1.17×Malta is 17% larger than Saint Kitts and Nevis.
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines0.81×Malta is 19% smaller than Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
- Barbados0.72×Malta is 28% smaller than Barbados.
- Antigua and Barbuda0.72×Malta is 28% smaller than Antigua and Barbuda.
How many times does Malta fit into…
- Russia: about 54036 times
- Canada: about 31597 times
- United States: about 31097 times
Questions about Malta
- How big is Malta?
- Malta covers 316 km², which makes it number 186 of 194 countries by area. About 579,704 people live there (2025), 1,835 per km².
- Is Malta bigger than Maldives?
- Malta is 6% larger than Maldives. Malta: 316 km²; Maldives: 298 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Malta?
- At about 36° latitude, Mercator stretches Malta to roughly 1.52× its true area relative to a country on the equator. Kartavera draws it in the Equal Earth projection, where areas are exact.
- Does Malta have land borders?
- No. Malta has no land neighbours; every border is a coastline.