Country profile

Malta

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanHigh income569K inhabitants

Last updated April 1, 2026

FacebookTwitter/XLinkedInReddit

Composite GEFRI Score

Progressing readiness

Malta shows progressing readiness (78th percentile worldwide). Reforms are translating into broader capability, though uneven performance continues to slow system-wide alignment. Higher scores indicate a system that is better prepared to anticipate and shape the future of learning.

64.28Composite score
Global percentile
78th
Global rank
#40
Regional rank
#4
Viewing data for
Infrastructure
74.51
84th percentileGlobal avg. 59.93
Human Capital
60.04
83rd percentileGlobal avg. 47.03
Innovation
36.84
43rd percentileGlobal avg. 42.53
Governance
62.80
76th percentileGlobal avg. 47.71
Access & Parity
87.23
90th percentileGlobal avg. 43.89

Country profile

Malta shows strong future-readiness momentum, with clear strengths in School Access and Gender Parity (87, 90th percentile).

Uneven scores across dimensions highlight areas that need targeted coordination. High internet adoption enables broad participation in digital learning and innovation. Strong tertiary enrollment expands future talent pipelines and strengthens national innovation potential.

R&D investment remains modest, affecting long-term innovation potential. Gender parity across secondary pathways reflects sustained commitment to equitable participation.

Innovation presents a near-term leapfrog opportunity: performance is just below the global average, backed by enough observed data to support forward planning. Regionally, Malta leads most clearly in School Access and Gender Parity, sitting well above the peer average.

Areas with room to grow: Innovation (37, 43rd percentile). These dimensions sit close to global norms and could accelerate quickly with targeted investment.

Note: Several indicators use imputed values. Policymakers and planners should validate results further before committing to major initiatives.

Key insights

  • Sits above the global median at the 78th percentile.
  • Places 40th worldwide.
  • Holds a regional position of 4th within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan.
  • Scores range from Access & Parity (87.2) to Innovation (36.8), reflecting variation across dimensions.
  • Leads regional peers most clearly in Access & Parity.

Regional peers: Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

Composite GEFRI score

Global rankRegional rankCountryScore
131Israel73.92
262United Arab Emirates70.36
393Saudi Arabia65.52
404Malta64.28
575Kuwait59.77
596Qatar58.36
607Jordan58.06
648Bahrain57.37
769Oman54.61
7810Morocco53.83
9211Iran, Islamic Rep.50.45
9512Egypt, Arab Rep.49.67
9713Tunisia49.07
9914West Bank and GazaFCS47.12
11415Algeria38.86
12216Djibouti36.23
12417LebanonFCS35.78
12818IraqFCS34.68
12919LibyaFCS34.45
14120Pakistan29.51
14921Syrian Arab RepublicFCS27.28
15822Yemen, Rep.FCS23.14
17023AfghanistanFCS18.18