Country profile

Malta

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & PakistanHigh income569K inhabitants

Last updated December 22, 2025

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Composite GEFRI Score

Progressing readiness

Malta shows progressing readiness (79th 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.

64.34Composite score
Global percentile
79th
Global rank
#39
Regional rank
#3
Viewing data for
Infrastructure
69.91
72nd percentileGlobal avg. 56.42
Human Capital
60.04
83rd percentileGlobal avg. 46.98
Innovation
36.84
44th percentileGlobal avg. 42.60
Governance
62.80
76th percentileGlobal avg. 47.71
Access & Parity
92.09
91st percentileGlobal avg. 50.60

Country profile

Malta shows strong future-readiness momentum, with clear strengths in School Access and Gender Parity (92, 91st 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, 44th percentile). These dimensions sit close to global norms and could accelerate quickly with targeted investment.

Note: Most indicators rely on observed data, offering a dependable evidence base for decisions.

Key insights

  • Sits above the global median at the 79th percentile.
  • Places 39th worldwide.
  • Holds a regional position of 3rd within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan.
  • Scores range from Access & Parity (92.1) 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
171Israel74.24
322United Arab Emirates70.10
393Malta64.34
414Saudi Arabia63.68
565Qatar59.67
626Kuwait57.82
647Bahrain57.41
658Jordan57.41
819Oman53.74
8210Morocco53.24
8611Tunisia52.02
8712Algeria51.24
9013Iran, Islamic Rep.50.79
9914Egypt, Arab Rep.48.93
10515West Bank and GazaFCS45.80
11616LibyaFCS38.62
11817IraqFCS38.08
12518Djibouti35.55
12619LebanonFCS35.37
13920Pakistan29.77
14921Syrian Arab RepublicFCS26.62
16322Yemen, Rep.FCS22.34
17323AfghanistanFCS16.59