Spain vs Malta development indicators, 2024

Indicator	Spain, Value	Malta, Value	Spain, Rank	Malta, Rank	Spain as % of Malta
Current account balance (% of GDP)	3.03	5.69	32	19	53.3 %
Exports of goods and services (% of GDP)	37.3	123	66	6	30.2 %
Foreign direct investment, net inflows (% of GDP)	1.89	175	58	1	1.08 %
GDP per capita (current US$)	35,297	42,347	34	27	83.4 %
GDP per capita, PPP (current international US$)	56,926	67,364	32	24	84.5 %
Imports of goods and services (% of GDP)	33	106	87	6	31.1 %
Inflation, consumer prices (annual %)	2.77	1.65	90	123	168 %
Net migration	111,674	6,323	18	52	1,766 %
Population, total	48,807,137	574,346	32	170	8,498 %

Demography and Health

Spain and Malta exhibit some notable differences in demographics and health indicators. The crude birth rate in Spain stands at 6.7 per 1,000 people compared to Malta's higher rate of 8.1, reflecting a more youthful population in Malta. Conversely, Spain's crude death rate is higher at 9 per 1,000 compared to Malta's 7.3, indicating differing mortality circumstances. In terms of life expectancy, Spain leads slightly with 83.9 years over Malta's 83.5 years. Moreover, Spain has a lower under-five mortality rate at 3.1 per 1,000 live births than Malta's 5.5, highlighting better child health conditions. Both countries report a prevalence of undernourishment at 2.5%, showing a commendable level of food security. Spain's net migration is significantly higher, with 111,674 compared to Malta's 6,323, suggesting robust immigration patterns that could influence both cultural dynamics and labor markets.

Economy

Spain's economy, characterized by a GDP per capita of $35,297, lags behind Malta's $42,347. However, when adjusted for purchasing power parity, Spain's GDP per capita ($56,926) again falls short of Malta's ($67,364). Such figures might indicate higher living costs in Malta or a stronger focus on high-value industries. The consumer price inflation in Spain is recorded at 2.8%, surpassing Malta’s low rate of 1.7%, suggesting a more stable price environment in Malta. Regarding unemployment, Spain faces higher challenges with a rate of 12.2% compared to Malta's low 3.1%, reflecting a more robust job market in the smaller nation.

Trade and Investment

When examining trade and investment, Malta shows a staggering export figure, with exports of goods and services constituting 123% of its GDP, significantly higher than Spain's 37.3%. This indicates a highly export-oriented economy in Malta, likely bolstered by its strategic geographic location and business-friendly policies. Conversely, Spain's imports also account for a substantial 33% of GDP, while Malta’s imports dominate at an impressive 106%, pointing to an economy reliant on foreign goods. Malta's incoming foreign direct investment is remarkable at 175% of its GDP, a rate exceeding Spain's 1.9%, marking it as an attractive destination for foreign investors.

Governance and Institutions

In the realm of governance, Spain exhibits a relatively better performance in terms of control of corruption (0.6 versus Malta's 0.1) and government effectiveness (0.8 versus 0.4). Spain's rule of law also scores slightly higher at 0.8, compared to 0.7 in Malta, representing a more robust legal framework. Notably, Malta performs considerably better on the Political Stability Indices, scoring 0.9 against Spain's 0.3, suggesting a more stable political environment. Regulatory quality is closely matched between the two, both indicating effective governance. Interestingly, Spain has a much larger military expenditure at $23.7 billion compared to Malta's modest $112.6 million, reflecting Spain's larger geopolitical status and military obligations.

Infrastructure and Technology

The logistics performance index indicates Spain's stronger performance with a score of 3.8 compared to Malta's 3.7, showing the quality of trade and transport infrastructure is marginally better in Spain. The proportion of individuals using the Internet in Spain is also higher at 95.4%, compared to Malta’s 92.1%, signaling greater digital accessibility in Spain. In terms of innovation, Spain leads with 1,308 patent applications compared to Malta's 5, reflecting a stronger emphasis on research and development, supported by its higher R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP (1.4% in Spain versus 0.6% in Malta).

Environment and Sustainability

Both nations face environmental challenges, but their approaches differ. Spain shows higher renewable energy consumption at 19% compared to 8.6% in Malta, reflecting a more substantial investment in green energy. Notably, water stress levels in Spain are estimated at 43.3%, significantly lower than Malta's critical level of 78.3%, indicating severe pressures on water resources in Malta. Moreover, Spain's total greenhouse gas emissions per capita are 5.9 tons while Malta's are 3.7 tons, suggesting Malta may be more successful in implementing sustainability practices, even as it struggles with other environmental pressures.