Greece vs Malta development indicators, 2024

Demography and Health

Greece has a total population of approximately 10.4 million, while Malta has a much smaller population of around 574,346. In terms of demographics, Greece's birth rate is lower at 6.8 per 1,000 people compared to Malta's 8.1, placing Greece at a rank of 77 and Malta at 59. On the other hand, Greece has a higher death rate of 12.2 per 1,000 people, ranking 29, while Malta's death rate is much lower at 7.3, placing it at rank 73. Life expectancy at birth also favors Malta, with an average of 83.5 years compared to Greece's 81.5 years, ranking Malta at 3rd. Moreover, Greece's under-5 mortality rate is 3.7 per 1,000 live births, better than Malta's higher rate of 5.5, with ranks of 32 for Greece and 12 for Malta. Both countries have a prevalence of undernourishment at 2.5%, showing a similar standard in food security.

Economy

In economic terms, Malta outpaces Greece with a GDP per capita of $42,347, significantly higher than Greece's $24,752, ranking Malta at 40 and Greece at 76. Additionally, when measured by GDP per capita in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), Malta still leads with $67,364 compared to Greece's $44,074, ranking Malta at 27 while Greece is at 86. The inflation rate in Malta is lower at 1.7% versus Greece's 2.7%, which indicates a more stable economic environment in Malta. Unemployment rates illustrate a stark contrast; Greece faces a high unemployment rate of 11%, while Malta enjoys considerably lower at 3.1%. Lastly, poverty headcount ratios show Greece at 18.8% against Malta’s 16.7%, indicating a slightly higher poverty level in Greece.

Trade and Investment

Trade and foreign investment metrics highlight a notable difference between the two nations. Exports of goods and services as a percentage of GDP underscore Malta's strong performance at 123%, ranking 11th, compared to Greece's 42% at rank 89. Conversely, Greece has an import percentage of GDP at 47.3% while Malta's is considerably higher at 106%. Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows as a percentage of GDP reflect that Malta excels with 175%, ranking 2nd, while Greece trails at 2.5%, ranked at 68. The current account balance also depicts Malta's financial health at 5.7% compared to Greece's negative balance of -6.4%, ranking 23 and 97 respectively.

Governance and Institutions

Analyzing governance, both countries face challenges, but Malta performs relatively better. The government effectiveness score is 0.4 for Malta compared to 0.1 for Greece, with ranks of 68 and 75 respectively. Political stability is more pronounced in Malta, recording a score of 0.9 (ranked 19), while Greece scores 0.2 (ranked 79). The rule of law reflects a similar trend with Malta earning a score of 0.7 (ranked 54) compared to Greece’s 0.2 (ranked 78). Corruption control ratings are equal at 0.1 for both countries, but Malta holds a slight advantage in regulatory quality at 0.7 (ranked 61) versus Greece's 0.6 (ranked 66).

Infrastructure and Technology

When assessing infrastructure and technological factors, both Greece and Malta have the same Logistics Performance Index score of 3.7, ranking them both at 11. Internet usage is higher in Malta, with 92.1% of the population having access compared to Greece’s 85%. Patent applications point towards innovation, where Greece shows considerably more activity with 394 applications compared to Malta’s 5, positioning Greece at rank 16 for patent applications versus Malta at 26.

Environment and Sustainability

Regarding environmental concerns, Greece has a higher renewable energy consumption rate at 21.5%, ranking 12 compared to Malta’s 8.6% at rank 27. The level of water stress caused by freshwater withdrawal proportionately is notably lower in Greece, with 20.7%, compared to Malta's significant 78.3%, reflecting potential sustainability risks in Malta's water resources. Furthermore, Greece has higher total greenhouse gas emissions per capita at 6.7 tons of CO2e, compared to Malta’s 3.7 tons, indicating a greater environmental footprint in Greece.