Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malta
Malta: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 95.1% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malta, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malta is 95.1%, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malta peaked at 95.1% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 90.2%, in 1950.
That places Malta 14th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malta, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 90.2% | — |
| 1955 | 90.9% | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 91.3% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 91.1% | -0.2% |
| 1970 | 90.9% | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 91.1% | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 92.1% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 91.7% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 92.5% | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 93.6% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 94.1% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 94.1% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 94.1% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 94.3% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 95.1% | +0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 90.6% | 90.2% | 90.9% | 2 |
| 1960s | 91.2% | 91.1% | 91.3% | 2 |
| 1970s | 91.0% | 90.9% | 91.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 91.9% | 91.7% | 92.1% | 2 |
| 1990s | 93.1% | 92.5% | 93.6% | 2 |
| 2000s | 94.1% | 94.1% | 94.1% | 2 |
| 2010s | 94.2% | 94.1% | 94.3% | 2 |
| 2020s | 95.1% | 95.1% | 95.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malta
- 11 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 96.8% compare
- 12 Kuwait 96.2% compare
- 13 Aruba 95.3% compare
- 15 Curaçao 94.6% compare
- 16 Taiwan, China 94.6% compare
- 17 Palestine, State of 94.1% compare
More reference data data for Malta
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0121 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0042 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0205 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0008 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0205 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0404 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0227 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0192 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1009 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0043 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malta?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Malta was 95.1% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 95.1% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 90.2% in 1950.
- How does Malta rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Malta ranks 14th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malta data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.