Malta has recorded one of the biggest population increases in Europe over the last three decades, with its population growing by more than 40% between 1990 and 2023, according to new data compiled by Our World in Data using UN population estimates.The figures also build on recent National Statistics Office (NSO) data, which showed Malta’s population reached a record 588,254 people by the end of 2025. That report found net migration remained the main driver of growth, with the country adding nearly 14,000 more people through migration in a single year, while natural population growth continued to slow as births declined and the population aged.The figures place Malta among the continent’s fastest-growing countries, behind only Luxembourg (74%), Cyprus (71%) and Türkiye (56%).While Europe’s population grew by an average of 7% over the same period, the data highlights a stark divide across the continent.Countries such as Ireland, Iceland and Malta have seen significant growth, driven largely by migration and comparatively higher birth rates.Meanwhile, several Eastern European countries have experienced sharp population declines. Moldova recorded the biggest drop at 31%, followed by Georgia (30%), while Latvia, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ukraine all lost more than a fifth of their populations.The findings underline the contrasting demographic trends shaping Europe, with some countries facing the challenges of rapid population growth while others grapple with ageing populations and long-term decline.Do you think Malta’s population growth has benefited the country?•