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Malta vs Palestine
Side-by-side comparison of Malta and Palestine from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Malta
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 62 years
Palestine
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 38 years
In short
Malta scores 72.9 in the NationsTree Index (29th in the world) and Palestine scores 32.5 (156th), a gap of 40.4 points. Their trees are 4.3 m and 2.8 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Palestine has 9.3 times the population of Malta. Palestine is 19 times larger than Malta by land area. The economy of Malta is 55% larger than that of Palestine (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Malta 579,704 and Palestine 5.4 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $72,210 in Malta and $5,000 in Palestine (2025, international dollars). People in Malta live on average 13.7 years longer (83.0 vs 69.2 years).
Of 31 indicators reported by both countries, Malta ranks higher in the world on 28 and Palestine on 3. Malta is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, society & health and economy. Palestine is clearly stronger in science & innovation, main industries and tourism.
As a nation, Malta is the older of the two (statehood since 1964, 62 years), compared with Palestine (since 1988). Over the last five years Malta improved faster (direction score 83 vs 1 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Malta and Palestine.
Maltabetter
2.9%
37th of 187
Palestine
24.4%
183rd of 187
Political stabilityInstitutions & safety
Maltabetter
83.8
39th of 207
Palestine
32.1
198th of 207
High-tech exportsTrade
Maltabetter
45.2%
9th of 168
Palestine
1.8%
133rd of 168
GDP per person (PPP)Economy
Maltabetter
$72,210
27th of 199
Palestine
$5,000
165th of 199
Government effectivenessInstitutions & safety
Maltabetter
68.0
54th of 205
Palestine
25.4
189th of 205
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Malta overtook Palestine in GDP (PPP) in 2021 and has stayed ahead since.
Malta has been ahead of Palestine in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1996.
Malta has been ahead of Palestine in GDP per person (PPP) in every year since 1994.
Malta has been ahead of Palestine in life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Palestine has been ahead of Malta in population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
MaltaPalestine All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Malta | Palestine |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 315199th/216 · 2024 | 6,025167th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 315198th/216 · 2024 | 6,025166th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 579,704170th/217 · 2025 | 5.4 m123rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.89%53rd/217 · 2025 | 2.33%33rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 1,805.07th/216 · 2024 | 877.912th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 95.7%16th/217 · 2025 | 87.4%43rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 12.9%205th/217 · 2025 | 37.6%37th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 20.5%33rd/217 · 2025 | 3.9%170th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $27.77 bn118th/210 · 2025 | $17.17 bn140th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $41.86 bn140th/199 · 2025 | $27.07 bn151st/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $36.90 bn137th/199 · 2025 | $23.13 bn151st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $47,90735th/210 · 2025 | $3,171158th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $72,21027th/199 · 2025 | $5,000165th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $41,44032nd/201 · 2025 | $3,250149th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.0%80th/210 · 2025 | 4.3%71st/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 2.4%73rd/180 · 2025 | 9.8%159th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 2.9%37th/187 · 2025 | 24.4%183rd/187 · 2022 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 30.0%1994 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 46.2%77th/189 · 2025 | — |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.2%84th/192 · 2025 | — |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 0.5%184th/197 · 2025 | 5.5%104th/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 10.1%184th/200 · 2025 | 16.3%156th/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 5.3%148th/192 · 2025 | 11.3%83rd/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 81.3%11th/200 · 2025 | 60.2%81st/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $33.08 bn79th/182 · 2025 | $3.64 bn141st/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $27.75 bn86th/182 · 2025 | $9.19 bn122nd/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 119.1%6th/183 · 2025 | 21.2%143rd/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 99.9%8th/183 · 2025 | 53.5%70th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 219.0%6th/183 · 2025 | 74.8%107th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 8.6%55th/170 · 2025 | 0.1%135th/170 · 2023 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 79.8%20th/171 · 2025 | 63.3%52nd/171 · 2023 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 9.9%116th/171 · 2025 | 21.4%71st/171 · 2023 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.7%145th/171 · 2025 | 14.4%34th/171 · 2023 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 45.2%9th/168 · 2024 | 1.8%133rd/168 · 2023 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 8.6%22nd/191 · 2025 | — |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 51.7%1st/196 · 2025 | 1.9%104th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | — |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 22.2%47th/206 · 2024 | 7.0%121st/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 95171st/183 · 2022 | 165167th/183 · 2021 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 718,000108th/194 · 2020 | 93,000165th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.19 bn2007 | $245.0 m113th/175 · 2018 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 11.5%2007 | 9.4%59th/168 · 2018 |
| Outbound trips departures | 218,00091st/107 · 2020 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 83.025th/217 · 2024 | 69.2160th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.342nd/196 · 2024 | 37.9152nd/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 4.5116th/174 · 2022 | 2.172018 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 4.135th/145 · 2022 | 1.3107th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 88%117th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 93.7%33rd/153 · 2023 | 69.5%83rd/153 · 2022 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 103.0%50th/173 · 2023 | 89.1%108th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | — | 24.4%2016 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 30.9%39th/217 · 2025 | 6.6%166th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 8.8%48th/193 · 2023 | 10.7%21st/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 93.3%2011 | 97.9%20th/98 · 2024 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 80.5%25th/150 · 2023 | 44.5%88th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.92424th/193 · 2023 | 0.674133rd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 31.834th/108 · 2023 | 36.470th/108 · 2023 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.4%27th/108 · 2023 | 2.1%59th/108 · 2023 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 99.8%16th/150 · 2024 | 80.6%75th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 100.0%1st/144 · 2024 | 73.5%62nd/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 93.9%34th/186 · 2024 | 86.6%76th/186 · 2023 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 14237th/210 · 2024 | 77169th/210 · 2023 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 44.516th/208 · 2024 | 8.2125th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.7024th/164 · 2022 | — |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 2.4 m76th/161 · 2023 | — |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 3.18113th/203 · 2024 | — |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 8.6%155th/212 · 2021 | 15.4%120th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 10.851st/200 · 2023 | 22.4131st/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 1.5%192nd/214 · 2024 | 1.8%190th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,37081st/149 · 2024 | — |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 68.054th/205 · 2025 | 25.4189th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 51.681st/207 · 2025 | 36.3141st/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 69.656th/207 · 2025 | 42.8163rd/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 83.839th/207 · 2025 | 32.1198th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 62.562nd/205 · 2025 | 48.5127th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 75.741st/205 · 2025 | 35.9163rd/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.613th/145 · 2023 | 0.618th/145 · 2022 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $124.7 m134th/156 · 2025 | — |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.4%147th/156 · 2025 | — |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 1.3%149th/154 · 2025 | — |
| Armed forces personnel people | 2,000154th/170 · 2020 | 0166th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.73%93rd/168 · 2020 | 0.00%166th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 45.0 m66th/163 · 2023 | 2.0 m144th/163 · 2023 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 5.0 m2015 | — |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.65%54th/110 · 2023 | 0.45%2013 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 9107th/137 · 2024 | — |
| Scientific articles articles | 498100th/197 · 2023 | 86288th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Malta or Palestine?
Palestine has the larger population: 5.4 m (2025) compared with 579,704 for Malta (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Malta or Palestine?
Palestine is larger: 6,025 km² (2024) compared with 315 km² for Malta (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Malta or Palestine?
Malta has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $41.86 bn intl. (2025) compared with $27.07 bn intl. for Palestine (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Malta or Palestine?
Malta has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $72,210 intl. (2025) compared with $5,000 intl. for Palestine (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Malta or Palestine?
Malta has the higher life expectancy at birth: 83.0 years (2024) compared with 69.2 years for Palestine (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Malta or Palestine?
Malta: 72.9 points (29th in the world); Palestine: 32.5 points (156th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Afghanistan
Djibouti
Lebanon
SyriaSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Malta vs Palestine — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/malta-vs-palestine. Data as of 26 October 2026.