Malta (Republic of Malta)

Malta Republic of Malta
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	33rd best
Capital	Valletta
Land Area	320km21
Location	Europe, The Mediterranean
Groupings	Small Islands
Population	0.4m2
Life Expectancy	83.78yrs (2017)3
GNI	$38 884 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	MT, MLT, 4705
Internet Domain	.mt6
Currency	Euro (EUR)7
Telephone	+3568

1. Overview
2. Malta National and Social Development
3. Malta's Demographics and Migration
4. Malta's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
   1. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets
   2. Gender Equality Datasets
   3. Prejudice Datasets
5. Malta's Health
   1. Health Datasets
   2. Children's Health Datasets
6. Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Malta's Modernity and Learning
   1. Modernity Datasets
   2. Education Datasets
   3. Technology and Information Datasets
8. Malta's Culture, Peace and Inequality
   1. National Culture Datasets
   2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets
   3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

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1. Overview

#malta #UK

“Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Malta is like nowhere else. Here you´ll find great prehistoric temples, fossil-studded cliffs, glittering hidden coves, thrilling diving opportunities and a history of remarkable intensity. Despite being made up of three tiny islands on the southern edge of Europe, Malta groans under the weight of its rich history and fascinating cultural influences. As a melting pot of Mediterranean culture, Malta merits far deeper exploration than is often given to it by the package crowds whose first priority is hitting the beach.From ancient stone temples and historic Arabic connections (listen carefully to the local language) to Sicilian-inspired cuisine and an oddly 1950s British atmosphere, Malta will almost certainly surprise you. Valletta and the Three Cities are famed for their grand churches, elegant palaces and honey-coloured limestone fortifications, while nearby Sliema and St Julian are packed with restaurants and bars. And don´t forget little Gozo to the northwest - a pretty, rural island where the pace of life is that much slower. It´s the perfect chill-out spot with the dramatic Dwejra coastline.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

Malta is also infamous as a Tax Haven, allowing the rich, global corporations, and criminal syndicates, to hide vast sums of money from authorities₁₁.

2. Malta National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)12
Pos.		Higher is better Value12
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
21	USA	0.921
22	Israel	0.919
23=	Slovenia	0.918
23=	Malta	0.918
25	Austria	0.916
26	UAE	0.911
27	Spain	0.905
28	France	0.903
	Europe Avg	0.87
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)12
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $12
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
32	Israel	$41 524
33	Slovenia	$39 746
34	Bahrain	$39 497
35	Malta	$38 884
36	Czechia	$38 745
37	Spain	$38 354
38	Cyprus	$38 188
39	Estonia	$38 048
	Europe Avg	$40 512
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index13
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank13
1	Denmark	27.2
2	Norway	29.2
3	Sweden	30.2
	...
30	Poland	54.5
31	Singapore	54.6
32	Uruguay	55.0
33	Malta	55.1
34	Slovakia	55.6
35	Greece	55.7
36	Costa Rica	55.9
37	San Marino	56.8
	Europe Avg	57.3
	World Avg	89.2
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Malta's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

Malta's population is predicted to fall to 431 000 by 2030. Developed countries with falling populations face a pension's crises, whereby an increasingly ageing population must be cared for by fewer and fewer workers. Economic stability can be maintained by increasing foreign workers from younger countries. This country has a fertility rate of 1.15. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₄. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₅

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
166	Suriname	0.6m
167	Cape Verde	0.5m
168	Maldives	0.5m
169	Malta	0.4m
170	Brunei	0.4m
171	Bahamas	0.4m
172	Belize	0.4m
173	Iceland	0.3m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better12
Pos.		2021 Years12
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
6	Malta	83.8
7	S. Korea	83.7
8	Liechtenstein	83.3
9	Norway	83.2
10	Spain	83.0
11	Sweden	83.0
12	Italy	82.9
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best16
Pos.		202216
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
140	China	1.18
141	Algeria	2.83
142	Spain	1.16
143	Malta	1.15
144	Egypt	2.88
145	Israel	2.89
146	Singapore	1.04
147	Lesotho	2.98
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better17
Pos.		2016 Per 10017
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
170	Switzerland	38.3
171	Canada	38.5
172	Croatia	39.7
173	Malta	39.9
174=	France	40.5
174=	Austria	40.5
176	Greece	41.3
177	Spain	41.4
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants18
Pos.		2017 %18
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
55	Ukraine	11.2%
56	Belgium	11.1%
57	Greece	10.9%
58	Malta	10.6%
59	Italy	10.0%
60	Gambia	9.8%
61	Dominica	9.2%
62	Serbia	9.1%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants19
Pos.		2010 %19
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
17	Jamaica	36.1%
18	Armenia	28.2%
19	Trinidad & Tobago	26.7%
20	Malta	26.2%
21	Georgia	25.1%
22	Kazakhstan	23.6%
23	St Lucia	23.3%
24	Macedonia	21.9%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Malta's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Compared to Europe (2025)20
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank20
1	Sweden	7.5
2	Netherlands	8.6
3	Denmark	9.0
	...
17	Slovenia	30.5
18	Portugal	36.4
19	Czechia	38.8
20	Malta	38.9
21	Estonia	41.0
22	Slovakia	47.1
23	Poland	47.8
24	Cyprus	49.2
25	Andorra	50.2
	Europe Avg	52.39
q=49.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)20
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank20
1	Sweden	7.5
2	Netherlands	8.6
3	Denmark	9.0
	...
23	Portugal	36.4
24	Czechia	38.8
25	Costa Rica	38.8
26	Malta	38.9
27	Estonia	41.0
28	Taiwan	42.2
29	S. Korea	45.2
30	Slovakia	47.1
	World Avg	90.04
q=198.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, The Netherlands and Denmark₂₁. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, Eritrea and Saudi Arabia₂₁.

30 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, combatting modern slavery, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₂₁, whereas the worst are The Middle East, Africa and Asia₂₁.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

4.1. Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets

#freedom #human_rights #international_law #malta #mass_media #politics

Press Freedom Higher is better22
Pos.		202522
1	Norway	92.31
2	Estonia	89.46
3	Netherlands	88.64
	...
63	Ivory Coast	63.69
64	Andorra	63.30
65	Japan	63.14
66	Malta	62.96
67	Hungary	62.82
68	Chile	62.25
69	Bulgaria	60.78
70	Congo, (Brazzaville)	60.58
	Europe Avg	70.63
	World Avg	54.65
q=179. Also scored for 2000s-2010s.

Malta only had Press Freedomdata for 2009 in the 2000s, making its 'average' for that decade potentially skewed.

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
62=	Bulgaria	2.0
62=	S. Africa	2.0
62=	S. Korea	2.0
62=	Malta	2.0
62=	Croatia	2.0
62=	Panama	2.0
62=	Tonga	2.0
62=	Samoa	2.0
	Europe Avg	2.2
	World Avg	3.7
q=205. Also scored for 1970s-2010s.

Human Rights Watch Comments Higher is better23
Pos.		2017 Score23
1=	UK	9
1=	France	9
1=	Germany	9
	...
17=	Portugal	5
17=	Bulgaria	5
17=	Spain	5
17=	Malta	5
17=	Italy	5
17=	Slovenia	5
17=	Austria	5
17=	Slovakia	5
	Europe Avg	3.5
	World Avg	-1.9
q=123.

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better24
Pos.		2009 Treaties24
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
68=	Kyrgyzstan	18
68=	Philippines	18
68=	Algeria	18
68=	Malta	18
68=	Tunisia	18
68=	Niger	18
68=	El Salvador	18
75=	Mongolia	17
	Europe Avg	19.5
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better25
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty25
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
82	Lesotho	9.44
83	Gabon	9.47
84	Turkey	9.48
85	Malta	9.60
86	Luxembourg	9.67
87	Nigeria	9.71
88	Vietnam	9.72
89	Nepal	9.76
	Europe Avg	9.09
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Amnesty International's 2023-23 summary on human rights in Malta stated:

“Recommendations of the public inquiry into the killing of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia were not fully implemented. A total ban on abortion remained in place, while parliament discussed a proposal to decriminalize abortion when needed to protect the life or health of a woman from grave jeopardy. Delays in coordinating sea rescue operations of refugees and migrants persisted. The unlawful detention of asylum seekers, including children, continued. Three asylum seekers were still waiting to know whether they would face trial on terrorism-related and other charges for opposing their unlawful pushback to Libya. ”

"The State of the World's Human Rights 2022/23" by Amnesty International (2023)₂₆

4.2. Gender Equality Datasets

#gender #gender_equality #human_rights #misogyny #politics #women

Malta is on the way towards ending gender inequality.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

Gender Inequality Lower is better27
Pos.		202227
1	Denmark	0.01
2	Norway	0.01
3	Switzerland	0.02
	...
37	Macedonia	0.14
38	Bosnia & Herzegovina	0.14
39	Latvia	0.15
40	Malta	0.15
41	Moldova	0.17
42	Kazakhstan	0.18
43	Slovakia	0.18
44	Russia	0.18
	Europe Avg	0.12
	World Avg	0.34
q=166. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Year Women Can Vote Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
67=	Trinidad & Tobago	1946
68=	Singapore	1947
68=	Pakistan	1947
68=	Malta	1947
68=	Argentina	1947
72=	S. Korea	1948
72=	Israel	1948
72=	Belgium	1948
	Europe Avg	1895
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

4.3. Prejudice Datasets

#2020s #freethought #homosexuality #religious_tolerance

LGBT Equality in the 2020s Higher is better28
Pos.		LGBT Equality in the 2020s Score28
1=	Germany	4.88
1=	Spain	4.88
3	Portugal	4.81
	...
22	S. Africa	3.60
23	Czechia	3.52
24	Switzerland	3.17
25	Malta	2.88
26=	Canada	2.83
26=	Iceland	2.83
28	New Zealand	2.73
29	Ireland	2.63
	Europe Avg	1.77
	World Avg	-1.21
q=215. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Homosexuality was criminalized under laws inherited from British colonial rule, but an independent Malta annulled these in 1973. It kept an unequal age of consent until 2004, and made another big step towards tolerance in 2014, when it granted the ability to form civil unions, allowing sameâ€`sex couples nearly all of the rights of marriage, including adoption. In 2016 it becamse the first European country to ban the unscientific and psychologically damaging conversion therapy. ILGA researchers in 2017 found that Malta had constitutional and legal protections against anti-LGBT employment discrimination, hate crime, incitement and other protections, and in that year, Malta granted same-sex couples full access to marriage.

Actions taken at the United Nations:

•  ⇡  Supported the 2006 Norway Joint Statement on sexual orientation and gender identity at the UN.
•  ⇡  Supported the 2008 Declaration at the UN General Assemly affirming LGBTQ rights, tabled by Argentina.
•  ⇡  In 2025, signed the UN Human Rights Council Joint statement on ending acts of violence and human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better29
Pos.		202129
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
82=	Montenegro	2.8
82=	Argentina	2.8
82=	UK	2.8
82=	Malta	2.8
82=	Denmark	2.8
82=	Venezuela	2.8
88=	Uganda	3.0
88=	Belize	3.0
	Europe Avg	2.6
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Malta's Health

#health

Compared to Europe (2025)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	San Marino	42.3
	...
25	Ireland	68.9
26	Albania	71.0
27	Poland	71.1
28	Malta	71.3
29	Hungary	72.0
30	Slovakia	72.8
31	Montenegro	73.5
32	Croatia	76.3
33	Macedonia	78.5
	Europe Avg	68.59
q=48.

Health (2025)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	40.8
	...
47	Albania	71.0
48	Bahrain	71.0
49	Poland	71.1
50	Malta	71.3
51	Hungary	72.0
52	Mauritius	72.2
53	Greenland	72.3
54	Slovakia	72.8
	World Avg	97.39
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₃₁. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₃₁.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₃₁, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Melanesia₃₁.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#2010s #alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #malta #mental_health #obesity #overpopulation #smoking #suicide

Malta does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Malta comes in the best 20 for its average life expectancy₁₂ (one of the best in Europe) and in delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₃₂. It does better than average when it comes to childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₃, its adolescent birth rate₃₄ (but bad for Europe), delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₃₅, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₆ (but bad for Europe) and in its suicide rate₃₇. But, things could still be better. Malta does worse than average in its smoking rate₃₈, its alcohol consumption rate₃₉ (still good for Europe) and in its fertility rate₁₆ (the highest in Europe). And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in the prevalence of overweight adults₄₀ (the worst in Europe). The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Malta in 2015 was the fourth-best in the world, at 83yrs. It achieved this after improving by +7.2yrs in the 30 years from 1990, which was on par with the global average of +7.9yrs. Malta's peak fertility rate was 3.62 in 1960.

Life Expectancy Higher is better12
Pos.		2021 Years12
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
6	Malta	83.8
7	S. Korea	83.7
8	Liechtenstein	83.3
9	Norway	83.2
10	Spain	83.0
11	Sweden	83.0
12	Italy	82.9
	Europe Avg	78.36
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better39
Pos.		2016 Per Capita39
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
117	Panama	7.9
118=	Japan	8.0
118=	Montenegro	8.0
120=	Malta	8.1
120=	Macedonia	8.1
122=	Burkina Faso	8.2
122=	St Vincent & Grenadines	8.2
122=	Dominica	8.2
	Europe Avg	10.3
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best16
Pos.		202216
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
140	China	1.18
141	Algeria	2.83
142	Spain	1.16
143	Malta	1.15
144	Egypt	2.88
145	Israel	2.89
146	Singapore	1.04
147	Lesotho	2.98
	Europe Avg	1.53
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better38
Pos.		Smoking in the 2020s %38
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
111	India	24.4%
112	USA	24.4%
113	Lesotho	24.5%
114	Malta	24.8%
115	Egypt	24.8%
116	Austria	24.9%
117	Ukraine	25.0%
118	Armenia	25.0%
	Europe Avg	27.0%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Suicide Rate in the 2010s Lower is better37
Pos.		Suicide Rate in the 2010s Per 100k37
1=	Jordan	1.00
1=	Sao Tome & Principe	1.00
1=	Antigua & Barbuda	1.00
	...
79=	Pakistan	6.26
79=	Comoros	6.26
81	Puerto Rico	6.33
82	Malta	6.42
83	Costa Rica	6.44
84	Malawi	6.68
85	Angola	6.83
86	Equatorial Guinea	6.89
	Europe Avg	12.94
	World Avg	9.24
q=185. Also scored for 2000s-2010s.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better36
Pos.		2017 Rank36
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
73	Egypt	73
74=	Burundi	74
74=	Cameroon	74
76	Malta	76
77	Guatemala	77
78	Sri Lanka	78
79	Poland	79
80	Uruguay	80
	Europe Avg	47.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better40
Pos.		1976 %40
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
177	Andorra	47.0
178	Czechia	47.1
179	Qatar	49.0
180	Malta	49.6
181	Kiribati	50.0
182=	Micronesia	51.4
182=	Tuvalu	51.4
184	Niue	51.7
	Europe Avg	38.2
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better41
Pos.		2022 %41
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
160	Jamaica	34.2%
161	New Zealand	34.2%
162	Turkey	34.3%
163	Malta	34.6%
164	Uruguay	34.7%
165	Jordan	35.6%
166	Croatia	35.7%
167	Argentina	36.0%
	Europe Avg	25.9%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better34
Pos.		2022 Per 100034
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
50	Latvia	10.5
51	China	11.1
52	Belarus	11.2
53	Malta	11.5
54	Algeria	11.6
55	Saudi Arabia	11.6
56	New Zealand	11.8
57	Serbia	14.4
	Europe Avg	11.4
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better32
Pos.		Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Avg %32
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
12	N. Korea	98.7
13	Iran	98.6
14=	Israel	98.5
14=	Malta	98.5
14=	Nauru	98.5
14=	Guyana	98.5
14=	New Caledonia	98.5
19=	Turkmenistan	98.4
	Europe Avg	93.2
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better35
Pos.		2015 Avg %35
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
58	Uruguay	95.6
59	Bhutan	95.6
60	Turkey	95.5
61	Malta	95.5
62	Botswana	95.4
63	Gambia	95.4
64	Cyprus	95.3
65	Switzerland	95.3
	Europe Avg	92.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better33
Pos.		Infant Mortality (2020s) Per 100033
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
40	Cuba	6.25
41	Slovakia	6.31
42	Serbia	6.52
43	Malta	6.58
44	Bosnia & Herzegovina	6.75
45	USA	6.83
46	Turks & Caicos Islands	6.89
47	UAE	7.69
	Europe Avg	6.30
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

6. Responsibility Towards The Environment

#climate_change #Malta #malta_and_the_environment #Malta_environment #the_environment

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)42
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank42
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
127=	Monaco	92.1
127=	Moldova	92.1
129	S. Africa	92.2
130	Malta	92.2
131	Sao Tome & Principe	92.7
132	Palestine	92.7
	Europe Avg	82.54
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

Malta comes 130th in the world regarding its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is computed from 21 data sets. Malta comes in the best 20 in its environmental performance₄₃ and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₄. It does better than average in terms of the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₅ (one of the highest in Europe). Malta still has work to do. Malta does worse than average in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment and in reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₆ (still good for Europe). And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 when it comes to energy to GDP efficiency₄₇ (one of the worst in Europe).

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

• Malta's Responsibility Towards The Environment

7. Malta's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Europe (2025)48
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank48
1	Finland	6.1
2	Iceland	8.1
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
27	Greece	37.4
28	Romania	38.7
29	San Marino	40.9
30	Malta	41.0
31	Croatia	43.9
32	Ireland	44.4
33	Cyprus	45.4
34	Bulgaria	45.4
35	Serbia	45.8
	Europe Avg	34.74
q=48.

Modernity & Learning (2025)48
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank48
1	Finland	6.1
2	Iceland	8.1
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
37	Romania	38.7
38	Argentina	39.3
39	San Marino	40.9
40	Malta	41.0
41	Russia	42.7
42	Chile	43.4
43	Croatia	43.9
44	Ireland	44.4
	World Avg	84.96
q=197.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Iceland and Denmark₄₉. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₄₉. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₅₀.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₅₁

27 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₄₉, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₄₉.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

#metric #research #science

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.2952
2	Israel	4.1152
3	Japan	3.5852
	...
35	Lithuania	0.9553
36	Poland	0.9452
37=	Slovakia	0.8952
37=	Malta	0.8953
39	Greece	0.8452
40	India	0.8254
41	Croatia	0.8153
42	Kenya	0.7955
	Europe Avg	1.32
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better36
Pos.		2017 Rank36
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
59	Kenya	59
60	Egypt	60
61	Japan	61
62	Malta	62
63	Ghana	63
64	Samoa	64
65	Jordan	65
66	Namibia	66
	Europe Avg	31.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better56
Pos.		2025 %56
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
	...
82=	Malaysia	95
82=	Morocco	95
82=	Montenegro	95
82=	Malta	95
82=	Moldova	95
82=	Mexico	95
82=	Philippines	95
82=	Tajikistan	95
	Europe Avg	97
	World Avg	92
q=187. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Malta officially adopted metric in 1920₅₇. Progression:

• 1960 (60%): British legacy; metric in science/administration.
• 1970 (80%): Metrication accelerates; commerce standardizes.
• 1980 (95%): Metric dominant; minor legacy remains.
• 2000 (95%).
• 2025 (95%).

7.2. Education Datasets

#education #english #maths #science

Secondary Education Higher is better58
Pos.		201858
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
63	Chile	79.3%
64	China	78.6%
65	Belize	78.6%
66	Malta	78.2%
67	Fiji	76.9%
68	S. Africa	76.5%
69	Spain	75.8%
70	Samoa	74.5%
	Europe Avg	88.3%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better59
Pos.		2021 Years59
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
18	Hong Kong	17.3
19	Germany	17.0
20	Portugal	16.9
21	Malta	16.8
22	Uruguay	16.8
23	Chile	16.7
24	Costa Rica	16.5
25	Singapore	16.5
	Europe Avg	16.1
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Maths, Science & Reading Higher is better60
Pos.		2015 Score60
1	Singapore	1655
2	Hong Kong	1598
3	Japan	1586
	...
38	Hungary	1424
39	Israel	1416
40	Argentina	140661
41	Malta	1391
42	Slovakia	1389
43	Greece	1376
44	Chile	1329
45	Bulgaria	1319
	Europe Avg	1417
	World Avg	1389
q=70.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#modernity #technology #the_internet

Internet Users (2020s) Higher is better
Pos.		Internet Users (2020s)
1=	Iceland	99%
1=	Kuwait	99%
1=	UAE	99%
	...
39	Russia	90%
40	Hungary	90%
41	Israel	89%
42	Malta	89%
43	Belarus	89%
44	Slovenia	89%
45	Slovakia	89%
46	Uruguay	89%
	Europe Avg	88.3%
	World Avg	67.8%
q=188. Also scored for 1990s-2020s.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better62
Pos.		2017 Ratio62
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
103=	Ghana	0.0
103=	Yemen	0.0
103=	Laos	0.0
103=	Malta	0.0
103=	Turkmenistan	0.0
103=	Bangladesh	0.0
103=	Qatar	0.0
103=	Kuwait	0.0
	Europe Avg	8.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better63
Pos.		202463
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
31	Cyprus	61.6%
32	New Zealand	61.1%
33	Croatia	61.1%
34	Malta	61.0%
35	Slovakia	60.7%
36	Hungary	60.2%
37	Australia	59.7%
38	Greece	58.9%
	Europe Avg	61.0%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. Malta's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#charitability #culture #equality #human_development #inequality #peace

Compared to Europe (2025)64
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank64
1	Denmark	10.4
2	Netherlands	11.8
3	Finland	12.2
	...
13	UK	25.3
14	Slovenia	29.0
15	France	30.3
16	Malta	31.8
17	Czechia	36.5
18	Spain	36.9
19	Portugal	38.1
20	Hungary	38.3
21	Italy	39.3
	Europe Avg	46.24
q=44.

Culture, Peace & Inequality (2025)64
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank64
1	Denmark	10.4
2	Netherlands	11.8
3	Finland	12.2
	...
18	Hong Kong	28.6
19	Slovenia	29.0
20	France	30.3
21	Malta	31.8
22	Japan	33.2
23	Czechia	36.5
24	Spain	36.9
25	Portugal	38.1
	World Avg	80.47
q=183.

This is the final pillar of the Social and Moral Development Index; it has 39 datasets, including multiple decades of data on resisting corruption, Creativity and Culture, overall happiness, Open Trading, Aid and Development, passport utility (so far), personal financial stability, World Giving Index, its Global Peace Index rating, Peacekeeping and Security, Refugees and UN Treaties, the impact of terrorism, poverty (so far), life expectancy inequality, Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) and Multidimensional Poverty.

For more, see:

• "Which are the Countries for International Contributions, Creativity, Peace and Inequality?" by Vexen Crabtree (2026).

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#charity #corruption #freedom #happiness #internationalism #malta #morals #politics

Corruption Higher is better65
Pos.		2022 Points65
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
52=	Cyprus	52.0
52=	Greece	52.0
54=	Rwanda	51.0
54=	Malta	51.0
54=	Saudi Arabia	51.0
57=	Croatia	50.0
57=	Mauritius	50.0
59	Namibia	49.0
	Europe Avg	57.61
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Throughout the 2000s, Malta's score on the Corruption Perception Index declined terribly; it was amongst the 10 countries with the worse rise in perceived corruption that decade.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better36
Pos.		2017 Rank36
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
25	Canada	25
26	Italy	26
27	Mauritius	27
28	Malta	28
29	Singapore	29
30	Spain	30
31	Romania	31
32	Costa Rica	32
	Europe Avg	35.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Happiness Higher is better66
Pos.		2024 Score66
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
45	Chile	6.4
46	Vietnam	6.4
47	Nicaragua	6.3
48	Malta	6.3
49	Thailand	6.2
50	Slovakia	6.2
51	Latvia	6.2
52	Oman	6.2
	Europe Avg	6.37
	World Avg	5.58
q=147. Also scored for 2010s.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better36
Pos.		2017 Rank36
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
39	Bulgaria	39
40	Turkey	40
41	Marshall Islands	41
42	Malta	42
43	Morocco	43
44	Fiji	44
45	Bosnia & Herzegovina	45
46	Poland	46
	Europe Avg	42.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better67
Pos.		Passport Reach (2020s) Q67
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
20	New Zealand	186.7
21	Greece	186.0
22=	Czechia	185.7
22=	Malta	185.7
22=	Australia	185.7
22=	USA	185.7
26	Canada	185.2
27	Hungary	184.3
	Europe Avg	160.7
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Personal Financial Stability in the 2020s Higher is better68
Pos.		Personal Financial Stability in the 2020s Score68
1	Denmark	9.06
2	Switzerland	9.00
3	Finland	8.96
	...
24	S. Korea	8.21
25	Czechia	8.19
26	France	8.17
27	Malta	8.15
28	Costa Rica	8.00
29	Cyprus	7.97
30	Estonia	7.94
31	Italy	7.86
	Europe Avg	7.65
	World Avg	6.46
q=165.

World Giving Index Higher is better69
Pos.		2022 %69
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
29=	Denmark	46.0
29=	Uganda	46.0
31=	Bahrain	45.0
31=	Malta	45.0
31=	Singapore	45.0
31=	Macedonia	45.0
31=	Venezuela	45.0
31=	Norway	45.0
	Europe Avg	39.0
	World Avg	39.6
q=125. Also scored for 2010s.

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better36
Pos.		2017 Rank36
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
121	Kyrgyzstan	121
122	Guinea	122
123	Israel	123
124	Malta	124
125	Burundi	125
126	Barbados	126
127	Chad	127
128	Montenegro	128
	Europe Avg	84.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better36
Pos.		2017 Rank36
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
4	Sweden	4
5	Malta	5
6	Australia	6
7	Norway	7
8	Finland	8
9	Denmark	9
10	Switzerland	10
11	Canada	11
12	UK	12
	Europe Avg	37.8
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development

Poverty (2020s) Lower is better70
Pos.		Poverty (2020s) %70
1	Malaysia	0.01%
2	Bhutan	0.01%
3	Cyprus	0.02%
	...
15	Switzerland	0.11%
16	Ireland	0.15%
17	Uruguay	0.20%
18	Malta	0.21%
19	Poland	0.22%
20	Denmark	0.23%
21	Norway	0.24%
22	Germany	0.24%
	Europe Avg	1.20%
	World Avg	11.40%
q=106. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better71
Pos.		201971
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
33=	New Zealand	4.30
34	Belarus	4.40
35=	Canada	4.60
35=	Malta	4.60
37	Serbia	4.90
38	Slovakia	5.00
39	Cuba	5.10
40	UAE	5.20
	Europe Avg	4.86
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better72
Pos.		2023 %72
1	Slovakia	24.1%73
2	Slovenia	24.3%73
3	Belarus	24.4%74
	...
39	Uzbekistan	31.2%75
40	Cyprus	31.3%73
41=	Mongolia	31.4%75
41=	Malta	31.4%74
43	France	31.5%73
44	Taiwan	31.6%73
45	Canada	31.7%76
46=	Lebanon	31.8%77
	Europe Avg	30.7%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167. Also scored for 1980s-2010s.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#blasphemy #buddhism #catholicism #christianity #eu #hinduism #human_rights #islam #judaism #luxembourg #malta

Between 2010 and 2020, only five countries saw increases in the percent of the population identifying as Jewish; Malta and Luxembourg had the highest rate, both at +0.3%.

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₇₈:

	2010	2020
Christian	97.1%	88.6%
Unaffiliated	2.54%	5.24%
Muslim	0.159%	3.64%
Hindu	<0.1%	1.42%
Buddhist	<0.1%	0.607%
Jewish	<0.1%	0.287%
Other	<0.1%	0.203%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states simply: Roman Catholic (official) 98%₇₉.

Thankfully, Malta repealed its biased blasphemy laws in 2016 July with Bill 133, although the Catholic Church in Malta campaigned heavily to retain it. Archbishop Charles Sciculna in particular took to Twitter, worried that people would now be free to analyse Catholic beliefs and make fun of them without legal repurcusions. This was a step forwards, but, the Catholic Church is still far too entwined in national infrastructure, and much work still has to be done to allow freedom of belief in a neutral public sphere.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₈₀, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Malta states:

“The constitution and other laws protect freedom of religion or belief. However, Article 2 of the Maltese Constitution states: (1) The religion of Malta is the Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion. (2) The authorities of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church have the duty and the right to teach which principles are right and which are wrong. (3) Religious teaching of the Roman Catholic Apostolic Faith shall be provided in all state schools as part of compulsory education.

As a result of this state endorsement of a particular religion, one third of all primary and secondary students attend Catholic schools, which the state fully funds as per a 1993 concordat between Malta and the Vatican. Owing to certain historical factors, church schools have over the past thirty years obtained a reputation of being educationally better than state schools. This has led to a reinforcing cycle as more educationally-motivated parents send their children to church schools, leading to these schools obtaining better results (and therefore more funding) than state schools. The number of students attending church schools is increasing as the church embarks on a school building program aided by government funds.

Religion in secondary schools is taught by teachers dedicated to that subject. These teachers have to be given a "Certificate of Suitability" by the local church and there have been instances where these certificates have been revoked due to a teacher not living an "exemplary" life based upon Catholic values. In primary schools, teachers have to teach religion along with other subjects and the church can still object to a teacher regarding suitability though no certificate needs to be given prior to a teacherbeing engaged in teaching primary school.

Although teachers in church schools are paid by the State, they are selected and employed by the church school management. There have been reported instances of teachers not being hired, or else even being fired by church schools, owing to disapproval over their lifestyle. Unfortunately, it is difficult to gain concrete evidence of such instances.”

"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₈₁

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems

The EU has acted on behalf of its member states on many occasions to support, foster, fund and encourage human rights protections in every region of the world, with agreement of its member states through the European Parliament. The protections of workers' rights and their harmonisations (which stops companies moving staff to countries with the weakest laws) has had great effect in stopping workforce abuse₈₂. According to Human Rights Watch's comprehensive review for the year 2017, in addition to vocal and public pronouncements on poor human rights records of many countries, the EU has also acted through economic sanctions, political pressure and used other means to incentivize the adoption of human rights protections, even if these measures harm EU trading₈₃. It is to Malta's credit that it supports the EU in these actions.