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Malta vs Syria
Side-by-side comparison of Malta and Syria 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
Syria
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 106 years
In short
Malta scores 72.9 in the NationsTree Index (29th in the world) and Syria scores 24.9 (177th), a gap of 48.0 points. Their trees are 4.3 m and 5.7 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Syria has 44 times the population of Malta. Syria is 588 times larger than Malta by land area. Syria has an economy 2.6 times the size of Malta (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Malta 579,704 and Syria 25.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $72,210 in Malta and $4,905 in Syria (2025, international dollars). People in Malta live on average 10.4 years longer (83.0 vs 72.6 years).
Of 28 indicators reported by both countries, Malta ranks higher in the world on 25 and Syria on 3. Malta is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, infrastructure & digital and trade. Syria is clearly stronger in military, tourism and natural resources.
As a nation, Syria is the older of the two (statehood since 1920, 106 years), compared with Malta (since 1964). Over the last five years Malta improved faster (direction score 83 vs 33 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Malta and Syria.
Maltabetter
83.8
39th of 207
Syria
25.0
205th of 207
GNI per person (Atlas)Economy
Maltabetter
$41,440
32nd of 201
Syria
$720
193rd of 201
GDP per personEconomy
Maltabetter
$47,907
35th of 210
Syria
$1,057
196th of 210
Access to electricityInfrastructure & digital
Maltabetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Syria
89.3%
162nd of 215
Human Development IndexSociety & health
Maltabetter
0.924
24th of 193
Syria
0.564
162nd of 193
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Malta has been ahead of Syria in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1996.
Malta has been ahead of Syria in life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Syria 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
MaltaSyria 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 | Syria |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 315199th/216 · 2024 | 185,18088th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 315198th/216 · 2024 | 183,63088th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 579,704170th/217 · 2025 | 25.6 m57th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.89%53rd/217 · 2025 | 3.77%5th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 1,805.07th/216 · 2024 | 134.484th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 95.7%16th/217 · 2025 | 72.1%81st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 12.9%205th/217 · 2025 | 28.4%78th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 20.5%33rd/217 · 2025 | 4.8%151st/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $27.77 bn118th/210 · 2025 | $23.74 bn125th/210 · 2022 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $41.86 bn140th/199 · 2025 | $110.18 bn99th/199 · 2022 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $36.90 bn137th/199 · 2025 | $102.86 bn96th/199 · 2022 |
| GDP per person USD | $47,90735th/210 · 2025 | $1,057196th/210 · 2022 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $72,21027th/199 · 2025 | $4,905167th/199 · 2022 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $41,44032nd/201 · 2025 | $720193rd/201 · 2022 |
| GDP growth % | 4.0%80th/210 · 2025 | -0.2%195th/210 · 2022 |
| Inflation % | 2.4%73rd/180 · 2025 | 13.4%2019 |
| Unemployment % | 2.9%37th/187 · 2025 | 13.6%168th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 30.0%1994 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 46.2%77th/189 · 2025 | 30.0%2010 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.2%84th/192 · 2025 | -7.8%2010 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 0.5%184th/197 · 2025 | 42.9%2nd/197 · 2022 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 10.1%184th/200 · 2025 | 11.9%175th/200 · 2022 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 5.3%148th/192 · 2025 | — |
| Services % of GDP | 81.3%11th/200 · 2025 | 44.7%170th/200 · 2022 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $33.08 bn79th/182 · 2025 | $1.61 bn153rd/182 · 2022 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $27.75 bn86th/182 · 2025 | $6.80 bn131st/182 · 2022 |
| Exports % of GDP | 119.1%6th/183 · 2025 | 6.8%180th/183 · 2022 |
| Imports % of GDP | 99.9%8th/183 · 2025 | 28.7%139th/183 · 2022 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 219.0%6th/183 · 2025 | 35.4%168th/183 · 2022 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 8.6%55th/170 · 2025 | 49.9%2010 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 79.8%20th/171 · 2025 | 24.7%2010 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 9.9%116th/171 · 2025 | 21.0%2010 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.7%145th/171 · 2025 | 2.7%2010 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 45.2%9th/168 · 2024 | 1.4%2010 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 8.6%22nd/191 · 2025 | -2.8%2010 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 51.7%1st/196 · 2025 | 1.2%2011 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%187th/209 · 2021 | 6.4%65th/209 · 2020 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 4.02%29th/197 · 2020 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 2.33%20th/197 · 2020 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2020 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2020 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 | 0.03%137th/209 · 2020 |
| Arable land % of land area | 22.2%47th/206 · 2024 | 24.0%41st/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 95171st/183 · 2022 | 318160th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 718,000108th/194 · 2020 | 2.4 m59th/194 · 2019 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.19 bn2007 | $1.82 bn2011 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 11.5%2007 | 32.2%2010 |
| Outbound trips departures | 218,00091st/107 · 2020 | 6.3 m2010 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 83.025th/217 · 2024 | 72.6130th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 5.342nd/196 · 2024 | 18.4119th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 4.5116th/174 · 2022 | 1.5293rd/174 · 2021 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 4.135th/145 · 2022 | 1.4102nd/145 · 2021 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 73%162nd/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 93.7%33rd/153 · 2023 | 34.1%2009 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 103.0%50th/173 · 2023 | 38.7%165th/173 · 2024 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | — | 8.2%2003 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 30.9%39th/217 · 2025 | 7.3%158th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 8.8%48th/193 · 2023 | 2.7%184th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 93.3%2011 | 94.4%41st/98 · 2021 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 80.5%25th/150 · 2023 | 43.8%2016 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.92424th/193 · 2023 | 0.564162nd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 31.834th/108 · 2023 | 26.47th/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.4%27th/108 · 2023 | 18.0%89th/108 · 2022 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 89.3%162nd/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 99.8%16th/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 100.0%1st/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 93.9%34th/186 · 2024 | 33.8%2018 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 14237th/210 · 2024 | 71175th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 44.516th/208 · 2024 | 6.9134th/208 · 2023 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.7024th/164 · 2022 | 2.20131st/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | — | 2,1392010 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 2.4 m76th/161 · 2023 | 610,745114th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 3.18113th/203 · 2024 | 1.2771st/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 8.6%155th/212 · 2021 | 1.1%187th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 10.851st/200 · 2023 | 32.1159th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 1.5%192nd/214 · 2024 | 2.9%187th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,37081st/149 · 2024 | 333137th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 68.054th/205 · 2025 | 19.9196th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 51.681st/207 · 2025 | 15.4204th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 69.656th/207 · 2025 | 28.7201st/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 83.839th/207 · 2025 | 25.0205th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 62.562nd/205 · 2025 | 24.3200th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 75.741st/205 · 2025 | 28.0186th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.613th/145 · 2023 | 2.12010 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $124.7 m134th/156 · 2025 | $2.49 bn2011 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 0.4%147th/156 · 2025 | 4.1%2010 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 1.3%149th/154 · 2025 | 13.6%2010 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 2,000154th/170 · 2020 | 269,00026th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.73%93rd/168 · 2020 | 5.44%3rd/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 45.0 m66th/163 · 2023 | 2.0 m144th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 5.0 m2015 | 30.0 m2010 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.65%54th/110 · 2023 | 0.04%107th/110 · 2022 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 9107th/137 · 2024 | 10469th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 498100th/197 · 2023 | 64694th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Malta or Syria?
Syria has the larger population: 25.6 m (2025) compared with 579,704 for Malta (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Malta or Syria?
Syria is larger: 185,180 km² (2024) compared with 315 km² for Malta (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Malta or Syria?
Syria has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $110.18 bn intl. (2022) compared with $41.86 bn intl. for Malta (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Malta or Syria?
Malta has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $72,210 intl. (2025) compared with $4,905 intl. for Syria (2022). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Malta or Syria?
Malta has the higher life expectancy at birth: 83.0 years (2024) compared with 72.6 years for Syria (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Malta or Syria?
Syria spends more on the military: $2.49 bn (2011) compared with $124.7 m for Malta (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Malta or Syria?
Malta: 72.9 points (29th in the world); Syria: 24.9 points (177th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Afghanistan
Djibouti
Lebanon
Palestine
Bahrain
Jordan
LibyaSources
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 Syria — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/malta-vs-syria. Data as of 26 October 2026.