An extract from a French book called ‘La Demographie Maltaise’ that was uploaded to social media by Alain Blondy, gives us a glimpse of Malta during the year 1912. The extract lists Malta’s villages together with their population number at the time - which do you think was highest?

It looks like Valletta was the most populated area in all of Malta with well over 22,000 residents, while St Paul’s Bay had the lowest number of residents with only 185 residents. This is quite a contrast to today, as St Paul’s Bay is now one of the most populated villages in Malta, with over 32,000 residents, while Mdina has the lowest number of residents - less than 200, according to the 2021 population census.

The extract also lists that in 1912, Malta was home to over 184,000 inhabitants - a number that has since increased fivefold! 

Some of Malta’s residents, a total of 88 to be exact lived at ‘Vapeurs maltais’. This was not a village but instead refers to any people in Malta that strictly resided on steam ships.

A different kind of Malta!