Geo Factbook Logo
Geo Factbook

Malta vs South Africa: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 168 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

Malta
mlt
Leads on 89 of 168 metrics
South Africa
zaf
Leads on 67 of 168 metrics

Summary

South Africa has 119 times as many people as Malta (65.49 million vs 551,203). South Africa's economy is 14.9 times the size of Malta's ($424.75 billion vs $28.53 billion GDP).

Comparing Malta and South Africa: Malta leads on Televisions (280,000) against South Africa (6); South Africa leads on Annual Forest Area Change Rate (87,566 %) against Malta (2.00 %); Malta leads on Major Urban Areas Population (213,000 people) against South Africa (10.32 people). Across 168 compared metrics, Malta wins on 89 and South Africa wins on 67.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 64 metrics compared
  • Environment: 10 metrics compared
  • Geography: 6 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 38 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 4 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇹 Malta🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration44.51 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★5.35 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)93.86 %★78.36 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)92.07 %★75.66 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 92% (2023 est.)percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed44.51 Mbps★5.35 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score62.96 points75.71 points★
Radios255,000★17
Televisions280,000★6
WaterwaysnoneNA

Economy

64 metrics
Metric🇲🇹 Malta🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country257.52M $14.21B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars28.53B $424.75B $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)18.97 %★14.07 %
Apple Import Volume4.88M tonnes★48,832 tonnes
Bank Account Ownership Rate96.56 %★81.13 %
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)-0.35 %5.75 %★
Coal Revenue02.4★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)3.7 %10.38 %★
Corporate Tax Rate Trends35 %★28 %
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Ease of Doing Business Index88.2★59.6
Electricity Consumption2.12207.1★
Electricity Exports016.55★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels8185★
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants01★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels04★
Electricity from Other Renewables19★10
Electricity Imports1.5310.56★
Electricity Installed Capacity575,100★50.02
Electricity Production813★234.5
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)234.7 USD per capita★86.2 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate74.57 %★55.4 %
Gini Index Coefficient31.463★
Gross Fixed Investment15.819.5★
Gross National Saving33.5★16.1
High-Tech Export Percentage70.87 %★45.27 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries63,655.52 USD★13,592.05 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)5.6 %★-0.4 %
Inflation Rate2.36 %★3.21 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)1.7 %★4.4 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)0.5 % of GDP0.7 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption283.2★5.07
Natural Gas Exports00
Natural Gas Imports311.5★4.16
Natural Gas Production0906.1★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves00
Oil Consumption19,000553,000★
Oil Exports054,930★
Oil Imports18,420521,400★
Oil Production0192,100★
Oil Proved Reserves015★
Population Below Poverty Line16.7 people★55.5 people
Public Debt50.7★76.2
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)0.57 %0.61 %★
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)6 USD★0.6 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends2.4 %2.51 %★
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption45,000621,000★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports10,400105,600★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports52,290195,200★
Refined Petroleum Products Production0487,100★
Remittances0.10.2★
Researchers in R&D per Million2,313.68 researchers★444.16 researchers
Robotics Research Funding0.57 USD0.61 USD★
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0★31.21
Tax Burden (% of GDP)24.08 %★25.88 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)24.08 % of GDP25.88 % of GDP★
Taxes and Other Revenues21.926★
Top Exporting Countries29.59B USD127.53B USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)170.05 %★0.58 %
Tourism Contribution to GDP5.9 %★2.93 %
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)5.9 %★2.93 %
Unemployment Rate2.8 %★33.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate63.98 %55.58 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate8.43 %★59.93 %

Environment

10 metrics
Metric🇲🇹 Malta🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-39,236★3.23M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate2 %87,566.02 %★
Carbon Dioxide Emissions8.97★446.7
Continental Shelf200200
Population Distributionmost of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islandsthe population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map
Protected Land Area for Adaptation28.47 sq km★9.88 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage29 %★9.6 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country0.05 Cubic meters per year4.8 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources50.551.35★
Total Threatened Mammal Species3 species★33 species

Geography

6 metrics
Metric🇲🇹 Malta🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization50.9 %★1.94 %
Agricultural land65.4 sq. km963,410 sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km3201.21M★
Coastline Length (km)196.8 km2,798 km★
Dam capacity per capita0 cubic meters per inhabitant464.7 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land3916,700★

Government

9 metrics
Metric🇲🇹 Malta🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Rule of Law Index by Country72.82 %★61.59 %
Administrative Divisions68★9
Corruption Perception Index46 index41 index★
Corruption Perceptions Index Score46 index★41 index
Independence2131★
LGBT Rights Index Score13★10.94
Prison Population Rate167 per 100,000★259 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception4641★
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇲🇹 Malta🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water99.83 %★68.01 %
Average BMI for Adults27.7 kg/m²★25 kg/m²
Change in Measles Immunization Rate88 %★76 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)22.27★102.05
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)10★7.2
Female Life Expectancy Leaders82.96 years★66.31 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.28 per 1,000 births★1.87 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita6,498.91 USD★1,541.18 USD
Health Coverage Index Score82 score★74 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)10.6 % of GDP★8.3 % of GDP
Highest Male Life Expectancy82.96 years★66.31 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNA18.3 %
Hospital Bed Density4.5 people/sq km★2.3 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita4.43 beds per 1,000★2.25 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence7.18 %★16.64 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)8 %★118 %
Mean Age at First Birth26.9★22.5
Nurses and Midwives Density8.34 per 1,000 people★6.39 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)28.9 %28.3 %★
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending30.93 %6.69 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDS<500 (2016 est.)7.8
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)5.73 %★4.08 %
Total Number of Doctors4.51★0.79
Underweight Children Under 50.7★4.9

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇲🇹 Malta🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Active Military Personnel2,000 personnel74,000 personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)0.45 %★0.74 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)2,00089,000★

People and Society

38 metrics
Metric🇲🇹 Malta🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Currently married (Percent)52.5 %★33.25 %
Human Capital Index0.73★0.42
Life expectancy at birth86.08 years★71.98 years
Median age of population41.58 years★29 years
Population Change6,467.4 persons673,269.7 persons★
Population density1,746.5 per sq. km53.74 per sq. km★
Total population551,203 persons65.49M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.87★0.83
Beer Consumption per Capita2.45 liters3.65 liters★
Birth Rate (%)7.67 %17.21 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence RateNA54.6 %
Crude Birth Rate7.7 per 1,000 people18.48 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)8.65 %6.56 %★
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)4.7 % of GDP6 % of GDP★
Female population of reproductive age123,049.1 persons18.20M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)101.42 %★29.84 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate44.51 %★5.35 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth107.19 male/female★103.52 male/female
Human Development Index0.74★0.48
Labor Force Participation Rate318,200★27.77
Learning-adjusted years of school10.54 years★4.88 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother0 days0 days
Major Urban Areas Population213,000 people★10.32 people
Mean Male Height (cm)173.32★166.68
Mean Years of Schooling12.09 years★10.47 years
Military Service Age and Obligation1818
Old-Age Dependency Ratio29.48 %9.65 %★
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization95.59 %★79.63 %
Physician Density7.86 people/sq km★0.79 people/sq km
Population Growth Rate0.65 %1.06 %★
Population living in slums0.04 %23.64 %★
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio13.49★30.33
Total deaths4,202.1 persons★540,582.7 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)56.98 %62.02 %★
Total fertility rate1.11 per woman2.17 per woman★
Total net-migration6,505.3 persons39,599.6 persons★
Under-five mortality rate5.95 per live births★28.89 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate1.92 %★1.34 %

Transportation

4 metrics
Metric🇲🇹 Malta🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)9.29★0.37
Airports1573★
Civil Air Travel790★
Heliports249★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇲🇹 Malta🇿🇦 South AfricaShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita6.58B USD6.72B USD★

Frequently Asked Questions About Malta vs South Africa

Which has a larger population, Malta or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa has 119 times as many people as Malta (65.49 million vs 551,203). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, Malta or South Africa?▾

South Africa. South Africa's economy is 14.9 times the size of Malta's ($424.75 billion vs $28.53 billion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, Malta or South Africa?▾

Malta is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $51,765 in Malta vs $6,486 in South Africa (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

Related comparisons

More Malta comparisons

More South Africa comparisons