Bulgaria vs Malta development indicators, 2024

Demography and Health

Bulgaria has a crude birth rate of 8.9 per 1,000 people, while Malta's rate is slightly lower at 8.1, placing Bulgaria at a higher rank (45) compared to Malta (59). In terms of death rate, Bulgaria faces a significantly higher figure at 15.7 per 1,000 people, contrasted with Malta's 7.3, making Bulgaria rank 9th and Malta rank 73rd worldwide. Additionally, life expectancy at birth is notably lower in Bulgaria, at 75.7 years, compared to Malta's life expectancy of 83.5 years, reflecting a rank of 69 for Bulgaria against Malta's strong 3rd rank. The mortality rate for children under five years is also indicative of health differences, with Bulgaria at 6.1 per 1,000 live births compared to Malta's 5.5, resulting in ranks of 6 and 12, respectively.

Economy

Bulgaria's GDP per capita stands at $17,412, considerably lower than Malta's $42,347, which indicates a higher economic prosperity in Malta despite Bulgaria's rank of 103 versus Malta's rank of 40. In terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), Bulgaria records $41,086 compared to Malta's $67,364, highlighting a similar trend in economic status. Exports of goods and services as a percentage of GDP are significantly higher in Bulgaria at 55.8%, whereas Malta hugely dominates with an export percentage of 123%, placing them at ranks of 68 and 11 respectively. The inflation rate shows Bulgaria at 2.4%, which is higher than Malta's 1.7%, contributing to Bulgaria's rank of 82 against Malta's 99.

Trade and Investment

When evaluating trade, Bulgaria's imports as a percentage of GDP are 53.5%, yet it ranks lower for foreign direct investment (FDI) net inflows at 3.1% of GDP compared to Malta’s outstanding 175%, resulting in ranks of 56 for Bulgaria and 2 for Malta. The current account balance for Bulgaria is negative at -1.8%, while Malta enjoys a robust surplus at 5.7%, showcasing rankings of 76 and 23 respectively. Bulgaria’s high-technology exports are valued at $3.2 billion, surpassing Malta's $1.2 billion but ranks slightly better overall.

Governance and Institutions

Bulgaria's governance indicators are generally lower than those of Malta. In terms of control of corruption, Bulgaria scores -0.1 while Malta has a positive score of 0.1, ranking Bulgaria at 79 and Malta at 69. The government effectiveness score for Bulgaria is 0, whereas Malta scores 0.4, resulting in ranks of 76 and 68 respectively. In terms of political stability and absence of violence, Bulgaria ranks 74 with a score of 0.3, while Malta's score of 0.9 places it 19th globally. Regulatory quality also reflects this trend, with Bulgaria scoring 0.4 and ranking 75, while Malta scores 0.7 and ranks 61.

Infrastructure and Technology

Regarding infrastructure quality, Bulgaria's logistics performance index is rated at 3.1, which is lower than Malta's 3.7, resulting in rankings of 22 and 11 respectively. Internet usage stands at 80.4% in Bulgaria, showing a digital divide compared to Malta's higher rate of 92.1%, where Bulgaria's rank is 83, and Malta's is 34. Patent applications per resident highlight Bulgaria’s innovative potential with 165 applications compared to Malta's modest 5, resulting in ranks of 18 and 26.

Environment and Sustainability

On environmental metrics, Bulgaria's renewable energy consumption is higher at 20.4% than Malta's 8.6%, but ranks better with Bulgaria at 14 and Malta at 27. Water stress is a significant issue for Malta, with a withdrawal level of 78.3% of available freshwater resources, ranking it 1, compared to Bulgaria's more sustainable rate of 37.5% at rank 4. However, Bulgaria has considerably higher greenhouse gas emissions at 8.3 tons of CO2e per capita compared to Malta's 3.7 tons, reflecting a rank of 33 for Bulgaria against Malta's 81. Ultimately, both countries have their strengths and weaknesses across various dimensions that reflect their differing stages and styles of development.