Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 40,655; female 38,425)
15-64 years: 68% (male 128,958; female 127,391)
65 years and over: 11% (male 18,629; female 25,505) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.58% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 11.73 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 7.35 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.57 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.6 years
male: 75.3 years
female: 80.05 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese

Ethnic groups: Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians
withstrong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Religions: Roman Catholic 98%

Languages: Maltese (official), English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 88%
male: 88%
female: 88% (1985)