Malta’s population could more than halve by the end of the century if migration were to stop, according to a Central Bank of Malta analysis of Eurostat’s latest long-term population projections.Under a zero-migration scenario, the population would fall to around 530,000 by 2050 before dropping to approximately 252,000 by 2100, a 56% decline from the 2025 starting point used in the projections.The demographic impact would go beyond Malta simply having fewer residents. By 2100, the number of people aged 65 and over could exceed the entire working-age population, with the old-age dependency ratio rising from 26.6% in 2025 to 104%.Malta’s exceptionally low fertility rate is another major factor. The latest projections put it at just 1.01 children per woman, the lowest among EU member states and below the EU average of 1.31.However, the zero-migration figure is an alternative scenario rather than a forecast of what is expected to happen. Under Eurostat’s baseline projections, which assume continued positive net migration, Malta’s population is projected to rise to 766,348 in 2073 before declining to around 723,710 by 2100.The analysis therefore highlights just how significant migration is expected to remain to Malta’s demographics, particularly as the population ages and annual deaths are projected to more than double from around 4,300 in 2025 to roughly 10,000 by 2100.What do you make of Malta’s long-term population outlook?•