Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · EU
Data checked 28 Oct 2026 · next scheduled check 1 Jan 2027 · UN World Population Prospects (via World Bank) released 1 Jul 2026 · Eurostat released 21 Oct 2026 · World Bank WDI released 8 Oct 2026
Total spending · 2024
37.3%
-1.7 pts since 1995
Welfare · 2024
9.80%
-2.5 pts since 1995
Healthcare · 2024
5.00%
+1.2 pts since 1995
Defence · 2024
0.50%
-0.4 pts since 1995
Education · 2024
4.70%
-0.3 pts since 1995
Debt interest · 2024
1.30%
-2.5 pts since 2001
Gross debt · 2025
46.2%
of GDP · +1 pts since 1995
Population · 2025
0.6m
53.6% since 1995
Public-sector employment
Not available: no official public-sector employment series is loaded for Malta yet.
Welfare rose from 12.3% to 14.0% of GDP between 1995 and 2009, then fell to 9.8% by 2024.
Healthcare rose from 3.8% to 6.6% of GDP between 1995 and 2020, then fell to 5.0% by 2024.
Defence fell from 0.9% to 0.5% of GDP between 1995 and 2024.
Education rose from 5.0% to 5.9% of GDP between 1995 and 2002, then fell to 4.7% by 2024.
Debt interest fell from 3.8% to 1.3% of GDP between 2001 and 2024.
Total spending rose from 39.0% to 45.2% of GDP between 1995 and 2003, then fell to 37.3% by 2024.
Gross debt rose from 45.3% to 70.4% of GDP between 1995 and 2004, then fell to 46.2% by 2025.
Population grew from 0.4 million in 1995 to 0.6 million in 2025; the UN projects 0.6 million by 2050.