LGBT+ Rights Index in Malta
Malta: LGBT+ Rights Index was 20.28 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
LGBT+ Rights Index in Malta, 1991–2025
Source: Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, lgbt+ rights index in Malta stood at 20.28. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 29.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lgbt+ rights index in Malta peaked at 20.28 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 2, in 1991.
That places Malta 1st out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
LGBT+ Rights Index in Malta, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2 | — |
| 1992 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4.33 | +116.7% |
| 2005 | 4.58 | +5.8% |
| 2006 | 4.67 | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 4.67 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4.67 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4.67 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 4.67 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 4.67 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 10.17 | +117.9% |
| 2013 | 10.17 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 13.79 | +35.7% |
| 2015 | 15.71 | +13.9% |
| 2016 | 16.48 | +4.9% |
| 2017 | 18.11 | +9.9% |
| 2018 | 20.12 | +11.1% |
| 2019 | 19.95 | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 19.95 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 19.95 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 20.03 | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 20.03 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 20.28 | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 20.28 | +0.0% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 20.28 is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.11, 2.0× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Malta's 20.28 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -1.6. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.56 | 2 | 4.67 | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.38 | 4.67 | 20.12 | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.09 | 19.95 | 20.28 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More social development data for Malta
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 8,306 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 11 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 11 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0143 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lgbt+ rights index in Malta?
- Lgbt+ rights index in Malta was 20.28 in 2025, according to Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 20.28 in 2024.
- What is the lowest lgbt+ rights index recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 2 in 1991.
- How does Malta rank for lgbt+ rights index?
- Malta ranks 1st out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lgbt+ rights index rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malta data come from?
- The figures come from Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of LGBT+ Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Summary measure of a country's LGBTI-related laws, calculated by subtracting the sum of its regressive policy scores from the sum of its progressive policy scores.