Gozo Population

How many were born overseas ?

Author: M. N. Cauchi

According to the 1995 Census, a considerable proportion of the population of Gozo is born overseas. A total of 2549 persons, or 8.78 per cent of the Gozo population were born o'seas.

The following graph shows that the proportion of the population of persons in a particular locality in Gozo who were born overseas varies from a low of 5.6 % for Ghasri to a high of 12.8 % for Gh'sielem. In fact, 6 of the 14 localities shown , namely, Gh'sielm, Gharb, Nadur, Munxar, Qala and Zebbug, have more than 10 percent of their population born overseas. At the other end of the scale, we find Ghasri, Kercem and Victoria with around 5% of their population born overseas.

Australia has contributed the largest numbers of overseas-born, with the exception of Gh'sielem, Nadur, and Ghasri, where the largest number came from USA, with Australia taking second place.

Place of birth of those born overseas

Note: The number given underneath each country is the percentage of the population born in that locality
Locality
Australia
USA
Canada
UK
Total Number of o'seas born
Fontana
43.1
15.7
21.7
11.8
51
GH'sielem
26.2
32.6
22.2
10.0
279
Gharb
45.2
6.3
12.7
23.8
126
Ghasri
38.9
0.0
0.0
50.0
18
Kercem
54.0
11.5
11.5
18.4
87
Munxar
58.8
2.3
9.4
27.1
85
Nadur
27.6
36.7
17.4
15.7
471
Qala
31.8
29.4
24.3
10.0
160
Victoria
40.3
14.7
26.2
12.3
382
S Lawrenz
52.3
11.9
11.9
21.4
42
Sannat
49.6
11.6
23.7
8.9
135
Xaghra
58.4
11.8
8.3
16.5
339
Xewkija
58.2
20.9
9.8
5.8
225
Zebbug
42.9
10.7
14.1
18.8
149

The age distribution of persons born overseas is not readily available from the Census data. However, it is reasonable to speculate that most of them came over as young members of families. The number of returning migrants reached a peak in the 1970s. For the last several years the number of migrants going in either direction has become a mere trickle. It is therefore unlikely that the proportion of overseas born is likely to increase significantly over the coming years.

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