Malta vs Poland development indicators, 2024

Indicator	Malta, Value	Poland, Value	Malta, Rank	Poland, Rank	Malta as % of Poland
Current account balance (% of GDP)	5.69	0.196	19	52	2,907 %
Exports of goods and services (% of GDP)	123	52.3	6	37	236 %
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP)	175	2.02	1	53	8,665 %
GDP per capita (current US$)	42,347	25,023	27	48	169 %
GDP per capita, PPP (current international US$)	67,364	50,378	24	42	134 %
Imports of goods and services (% of GDP)	106	48.3	6	58	220 %
Inflation, consumer prices (annual %)	1.65	3.79	123	56	43.5 %
Net migration	6,323	-238,062	52	207
Population, total	574,346	36,554,707	170	42	1.57 %

Demography and Health

Malta has a crude birth rate of 8.1 per 1,000 people, slightly higher than Poland's 7.4, positioning Malta at a rank of 59 compared to Poland's 72. In terms of death rate, Malta's figure stands at 7.3 per 1,000 people, significantly lower than Poland's 11.1, where Malta ranks 73 and Poland ranks 40. Life expectancy at birth in Malta is notably high at 83.5 years, ranking it 3rd globally, whereas Poland is at 78.5 years, ranking 54th. The mortality rate for children under five is also lower in Malta at 5.5 per 1,000 live births compared to Poland's 4.4, with Malta ranking 12th and Poland 16th. The healthcare system in Malta is more efficient, demonstrated by a higher number of physicians per 1,000 people (4.3 in Malta vs. 3.4 in Poland), and an expenditure on health per capita (PPP) of $3,859 in Malta compared to $2,179 in Poland. Despite the higher level of healthcare expenditure, both countries exhibit a similar prevalence of undernourishment at 2.5% of the population. Suicide mortality rates reveal a more serious concern in Poland (13.7 per 100,000) compared to Malta (6.5), ranking Malta 25th and Poland 12th.

Economy

Malta boasts a GDP per capita of $42,347 (current US$), much higher than Poland's $25,023, ranking it 40th versus Poland's 75th position. When considering GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP), Malta again leads with $67,364, while Poland stands at $50,378, with ranks of 27 and 64 respectively. Malta's exports of goods and services constitute an impressive 123% of GDP, significantly overshadowing Poland's 52.3%, where Malta ranks 11th globally while Poland is 73rd. The country also excels in foreign direct investment inflows, which are 175% of GDP, compared to Poland's mere 2%, indicating a more favorable investment climate. However, Malta's inflation rate is substantially lower at 1.7% versus Poland's 3.8%, reflecting a stronger economic stability. Net migration trends favor Malta with 6,323 new arrivals, while Poland experiences negative migration with -238,062.

Trade and Investment

Malta's high-technology exports amount to $1.2 billion, which, although lower than Poland's $29.6 billion, showcases a strong focus on niche markets, with Poland ranked 24th globally and Malta at 75th. While Malta leads in both the percentage of exports and imports as a proportion of GDP (123% and 106% respectively), Poland's figures stand considerably lower with 52.3% and 48.3%. The current account balance favors Malta at 5.7% of GDP compared to Poland's 0.2%, indicating a more favorable trade position.

Governance and Institutions

Both countries display challenges in governance, with Malta's rankings in control of corruption (0.1, rank 69) and government effectiveness (0.4, rank 68) reflecting issues in political transparency and institutional functionality. Poland performs slightly better with a control of corruption score of 0.6 and the same effectiveness score of 0.4 but ranks 52 and 66 respectively. Political stability and absence of violence depict a brighter picture for Malta with a score of 0.9 (rank 19), while Poland stands at 0.6 (rank 57) which shows susceptibility to political unrest. Regulatory quality indicates marginal differences, with Malta at 0.7 and Poland at 0.8, ranking both countries somewhat low at 61st and 51st respectively. The rule of law indicates a stronger framework in Malta (0.7, rank 54) compared to Poland (0.5, rank 62).

Infrastructure and Technology

Malta scores impressively in the logistics performance index, with a score of 3.7 (rank 11), overtaking Poland which has a score of 3.5 (rank 16). The penetration of the Internet is significantly higher in Malta, with 92.1% of the population using the Internet compared to Poland’s 86.4%, indicating a more connected society. Research and development expenditure as a percentage of GDP in Malta stands at 0.6% versus Poland's 1.5%, which may highlight Poland's more robust investment in innovation and technology sectors. However, Malta has a noteworthy advantage in patent applications, with 5 applications per resident versus Poland's staggering 3,377, signifying a difference in innovation output.

Environment and Sustainability

On environmental metrics, Malta faces water stress challenges with a level of 78.3% for freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available resources, ranking 1st globally, while Poland's level is more sustainable at 32.1% with the 7th rank. In terms of renewable energy consumption, Malta's reliance stands at 8.6%, compared to Poland’s 15.2%, ranking 27th and 23rd respectively. However, Malta's total greenhouse gas emissions per capita are significantly lower at 3.7 tons of CO2e compared to Poland's 9.9 tons, showcasing a noteworthy commitment to lower emissions despite its industrial development pressures.