If you lived in Malta instead of Vanuatu, you would:

Health

live 11.3 years longer

In Vanuatu, the average life expectancy is 72 years (70 years for men, 74 years for women) as of 2024. In Malta, that number is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 40.4 times more spent on your healthcare

Vanuatu spends $141 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Malta spends $5,706 as of 2023.

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have 27.5 times more doctors per person

Vanuatu has 1.6 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2019. Malta has 45.1 as of 2022.

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have 80.9% more access to essential health services

Vanuatu scores 47 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Malta scores 85 as of 2021.

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be 58.9% less likely to die by suicide

Vanuatu has a suicide rate of 15.7 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Malta, it is 6.5 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 35.7% more likely to be obese

In Vanuatu, 22.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Malta, that number is 30.6% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 42.8% less likely to be unemployed

In Vanuatu, 5.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Malta, that number is 2.9% as of 2025.

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make 11.9 times more money

Vanuatu has a GDP per capita of $4,039 as of 2025, while in Malta, the GDP per capita is $47,907 as of 2025.

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Life

be 92.0% less likely to die during childbirth

In Vanuatu, approximately 100.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Malta, 8.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 67.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Vanuatu, approximately 14.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Malta, on the other hand, 4.7 children do as of 2024.

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have 72.2% fewer children

In Vanuatu, there are approximately 27.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Malta, there are 7.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 62.3% more likely to have access to electricity

In Vanuatu, approximately 62% of people have electricity access (88% in urban areas, and 54% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Malta, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 34.3% more likely to have internet access

In Vanuatu, approximately 69.9% of the population has internet access as of 2022. In Malta, about 93.9% do as of 2024.

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be 14.8% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Vanuatu, approximately 87% of people have access to drinking water (97% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Malta, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 38.4% less on education

Vanuatu spends 7.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2024. Malta spends 4.7% of total GDP on education as of 2022.

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spend 2.1 times more on healthcare

Vanuatu spends 4.1% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Malta, that number is 8.8% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 92.2% less coastline

Vanuatu has a total of 2,528 km of coastline. In Malta, that number is 197 km.

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Safety

be 84.8% less likely to die in a road accident

In Vanuatu, road accidents kill 12.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Malta, they kill 1.9 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 69.7% more likely to be murdered

Vanuatu has a homicide rate of 0.3 per 100,000 people as of 2020. In Malta, that number is 0.6 per 100,000 as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 38.4 times more home broadband

Vanuatu has 1.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Malta has 44.5 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 63.2% less likely to die from air pollution

In Vanuatu, air pollution causes 57.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Malta, it causes 21.0 as of 2019.

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emit 3.7 times more CO2

Vanuatu emits 0.9 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Malta emits 3.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Malta: At a glance

Malta is a sovereign country in Europe, with a total land area of approximately 316 sq km. Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964; a decade later it declared itself a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.
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How big is Malta compared to Vanuatu? See an in-depth size comparison.

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