Malta vs Slovakia development indicators, 2024

Demography and Health

In terms of demography, Malta has a population of approximately 574,346, while Slovakia’s population stands at about 5.4 million. Both countries display unique demographic characteristics, with Malta having a crude birth rate of 8.1 per 1,000 people compared to Slovakia's 9. Despite Malta's lower birth rate, its crude death rate is more favorable at 7.3 per 1,000 compared to Slovakia's 10. Malta boasts a higher life expectancy at birth, reaching 83.5 years, which ranks third globally, whereas Slovakia’s life expectancy is 78 years, placing it at the 57th rank. Furthermore, Malta's under-5 mortality rate is relatively lower, standing at 5.5 per 1,000 live births compared to Slovakia's 6.1. The prevalence of undernourishment in Malta is also lower at 2.5% compared to Slovakia’s 3.6%. Overall, Malta exhibits better health indicators, likely due to its robust healthcare system.

Economy

Malta's economy displays remarkable indicators, particularly in GDP per capita, which amounts to $42,347, significantly higher than Slovakia's $26,148. The GDP per capita in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP) similarly reflects Malta's economic strength at $67,364 versus Slovakia’s $47,181. Furthermore, Malta maintains a strong export sector, with exports of goods and services constituting 123% of its GDP, contrasting with Slovakia’s 85.2%. However, Malta has a higher import dependency, with imports comprising 106% of its GDP. Its inflation rate is low at 1.7%, compared to Slovakia at 2.8%. This economic environment suggests that Malta maintains a competitive edge in economic performance due to higher individual wealth and lower inflation rates, while Slovakia's economy is growing but at a slower pace.

Trade and Investment

Malta excels significantly in foreign direct investment (FDI), with net inflows amounting to 175% of GDP, a stark contrast to Slovakia’s mere 2.5%. This indicates Malta’s attractiveness to foreign investors, possibly driven by its strategic location and favorable business environment. In terms of current account balance, Malta is also in a positive position at 5.7% of GDP, while Slovakia faces a deficit of -2.7%. However, Slovakia demonstrates notable strength in high-technology exports, amounting to $10.1 billion, compared to Malta's $1.2 billion. This indicates that while Malta leads in attracting investments, Slovakia may have developed a more substantial technological export base.

Governance and Institutions

In governance, Malta shows mixed results. The control of corruption is slightly lower in Malta at 0.1 compared to Slovakia’s 0.3, indicating stronger perceived governance in Slovakia. However, Malta performs better in government effectiveness with a score of 0.4 compared to Slovakia’s 0.2, suggesting more efficient governmental operations in Malta. Additionally, Malta scores higher in political stability, exhibiting a score of 0.9 against Slovakia's 0.6. Regulatory quality also favors Malta at 0.7 compared to Slovakia’s 0.6. Both countries appear to have challenges in governance, with Slovakia's corruption perceptions affecting its rankings more severely than Malta's perceived governance issues.

Infrastructure and Technology

Malta has shown advancements in logistics performance, scoring 3.7 in quality of trade and transport-related infrastructure, while Slovakia ranks lower at 3.3. Furthermore, Malta's investment in research and development is lower at 0.6% of GDP, compared to Slovakia's 1%. However, Malta's number of patent applications stands at 5, which is notably lower than Slovakia’s 146. This suggests that while Malta may have superior infrastructure quality, Slovakia is ahead in innovation and research development capabilities, crucial for long-term technological advancement.

Environment and Sustainability

Both countries face environmental challenges, yet they approach sustainability differently. Malta has a concerning level of water stress, with 78.3% of available freshwater resources being withdrawn, whereas Slovakia shows much lower levels at 2.4%. In renewable energy consumption, Malta's figure stands at 8.6%, significantly lower than Slovakia's 17.9%, highlighting Slovakia’s commitment to sustainable energy practices. Regarding greenhouse gas emissions, Malta has a per capita emission of 3.7 tons of CO2e, while Slovakia's is higher at 8.3 tons, indicating Malta’s comparatively better performance in mitigating climate impacts. Overall, Slovakia appears to be more proactive in renewable energy consumption, while Malta is in a challenging position concerning water resource sustainability.