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Economy of Cuba vs Malta compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

Cuba has a GDP of $107B compared to $25B for Malta, ranking 69/197 and 119/197 by economy size, respectively.

The chart below compares the two countries' GDP growth in both current (nominal) and constant dollars, accounting for inflation over time.

Cuba
GDP, current $

GDP, constant 2015 $
Malta
GDP, current $

GDP, constant 2015 $
Year GDP
Cuba Malta
Current $ Constant $ Current $ Constant $
1970 $5,693,005,200 $23,120,654,813 $250,728,796 $948,276,539
1971 $6,914,658,400 $25,105,299,225 $264,578,485 $971,547,185
1972 $8,135,150,892 $26,317,053,149 $295,106,628 $1,028,269,286
1973 $9,987,709,650 $27,220,909,322 $345,616,106 $1,070,902,754
1974 $11,405,957,317 $27,488,896,946 $376,081,124 $1,178,382,880
1975 $13,027,415,244 $30,093,861,943 $474,618,321 $1,408,875,524
1976 $13,789,579,903 $31,727,344,869 $527,936,989 $1,648,625,134
1977 $14,206,158,675 $34,490,638,879 $625,563,171 $1,849,496,420
1978 $17,844,705,325 $36,765,640,924 $793,673,402 $2,055,921,641
1979 $19,584,443,288 $37,165,718,489 $1,001,288,847 $2,271,603,717
1980 $19,912,889,861 $35,363,388,174 $1,250,198,601 $2,431,745,219
1981 $20,150,254,096 $42,325,850,269 $1,243,509,394 $2,512,278,835
1982 $20,953,510,235 $46,100,569,047 $1,234,474,404 $2,569,670,647
1983 $22,204,940,512 $48,595,287,844 $1,165,729,707 $2,553,934,238
1984 $24,039,383,608 $52,448,756,410 $1,101,807,023 $2,578,001,772
1985 $22,920,490,774 $53,286,192,381 $1,117,797,439 $2,644,650,327
1986 $24,226,574,634 $53,336,975,926 $1,435,038,441 $2,747,400,018
1987 $25,213,935,012 $52,055,729,738 $1,751,293,461 $2,860,332,292
1988 $27,458,999,472 $53,984,675,578 $2,019,503,068 $3,101,007,410
1989 $27,023,468,666 $54,351,816,305 $2,118,655,677 $3,354,642,080
1990 $28,645,436,569 $52,749,217,703 $2,547,328,748 $3,565,695,729
1991 $24,316,556,026 $47,108,903,627 $2,750,216,747 $3,788,783,235
1992 $22,085,858,243 $41,653,408,482 $3,021,942,759 $3,966,512,487
1993 $22,367,254,865 $35,456,139,102 $2,709,193,538 $4,144,241,960
1994 $28,448,326,757 $35,710,334,910 $2,998,505,428 $4,378,437,387
1995 $30,429,803,651 $36,587,809,679 $3,709,396,045 $4,656,139,454
1996 $25,017,368,700 $39,455,836,485 $3,822,547,197 $4,832,017,470
1997 $25,365,908,100 $40,554,060,118 $3,787,023,707 $5,086,035,707
1998 $25,736,331,200 $40,618,600,304 $4,010,111,688 $5,346,725,602
1999 $28,364,615,200 $43,132,386,084 $4,111,857,809 $5,599,089,765
2000 $30,565,400,000 $45,683,563,279 $4,036,809,815 $6,701,061,697
2001 $31,682,400,000 $47,138,598,430 $4,070,867,133 $6,650,321,052
2002 $33,590,500,000 $47,810,239,203 $4,455,127,414 $6,832,615,340
2003 $35,901,200,000 $49,623,557,376 $5,418,315,224 $7,084,965,037
2004 $38,203,000,000 $52,487,103,646 $6,104,141,520 $7,113,825,959
2005 $42,643,836,100 $58,366,528,663 $6,393,234,993 $7,318,792,019
2006 $48,835,925,926 $65,408,954,115 $6,749,838,806 $7,489,772,866
2007 $54,262,870,370 $70,159,041,951 $7,908,412,306 $7,866,987,912
2008 $56,302,129,630 $73,047,369,064 $9,135,419,465 $8,213,969,014
2009 $57,481,481,481 $74,107,509,498 $8,734,745,698 $8,099,363,633
2010 $59,562,962,963 $75,878,940,053 $9,097,044,159 $8,601,309,579
2011 $68,990,000,000 $78,005,296,225 $9,789,361,703 $8,686,651,937
2012 $73,141,000,000 $80,357,078,126 $9,609,532,089 $9,042,950,074
2013 $77,148,000,000 $82,564,971,264 $10,796,782,636 $9,611,962,674
2014 $80,656,100,000 $83,429,902,609 $11,888,032,874 $10,345,486,496
2015 $87,132,800,000 $87,132,800,000 $11,340,795,042 $11,340,795,042
2016 $91,370,407,900 $87,579,654,549 $12,025,782,834 $11,803,273,068
2017 $96,850,649,700 $89,164,663,941 $14,161,366,724 $13,334,316,043
2018 $100,050,036,100 $91,169,039,693 $16,153,779,511 $14,292,948,665
2019 $103,427,600,000 $91,020,354,637 $16,337,793,531 $14,876,823,596
2020 $107,352,000,000 $81,054,139,247 $16,404,663,226 $14,362,489,738
2021 - $82,070,953,176 $19,739,875,611 $16,288,744,391
2022 - $83,527,427,216 $18,928,276,162 $16,693,210,193
2023 - $81,915,873,064 $22,610,561,526 $18,466,282,603
2024 - $81,046,145,427 $24,971,574,502 $19,721,971,908

Economic indicators

Cuba Malta
Gross domestic product
$107B
2020
$25B
2024
GDP rank
69/197
2020
119/197
2024
GDP growth
3.79%
2019-2020
10.4%
2023-2024
GDP per capita
$9,605
2020
$43,899
2024
GDP per capita rank
86/197
2020
28/197
2024
GDP per capita, PPP
$12,300
2016
$69,832
2024
Government debt n/a
$12.1B
2024
Debt-to-GDP ratio n/a
50%
2026
Government debt per person n/a
$21,328
2024
Government debt per person rank n/a
30/185
2024
Average annual personal income after taxes
$3,584
2026
$21,451
2026
Market capitalization of domestic companies n/a
$4.29B
2024
Income share by richest 10% n/a
27.7%
2022
Income share by poorest 10% n/a
2.7%
2022
Government expenditure, % of GDP
49%
2025
35.7%
2026
Consumer prices inflation
5.5%
2019-2020
1.65%
2023-2024
Unemployment rate
1.7%
2018
3.12%
2024
Population
10892659
578778

GDP per capita in Cuba vs Malta

Cuba's GDP per capita is $9,605, ranking 86/197, compared to $43,899 in Malta, ranking 28/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Cuba ranks 124th at $12,300, while Malta ranks 25th at $69,832.

Cuba
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Malta
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
Year Current $
Cuba Malta
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
1970 $645 - $828 -
1971 $770 - $874 -
1972 $892 - $976 -
1973 $1,079 - $1,144 -
1974 $1,217 - $1,245 -
1975 $1,374 - $1,560 -
1976 $1,441 - $1,727 -
1977 $1,472 - $2,038 -
1978 $1,837 - $2,559 -
1979 $2,006 - $3,196 -
1980 $2,031 - $3,948 -
1981 $2,046 - $3,898 -
1982 $2,114 - $3,788 -
1983 $2,222 - $3,527 -
1984 $2,386 - $3,333 -
1985 $2,257 - $3,322 -
1986 $2,365 - $4,195 -
1987 $2,440 - $5,084 -
1988 $2,632 - $5,814 -
1989 $2,566 - $6,041 -
1990 $2,694 - $7,192 $10,079
1991 $2,269 - $7,559 $10,777
1992 $2,048 - $8,220 $11,421
1993 $2,063 - $7,296 $12,095
1994 $2,613 - $8,000 $12,929
1995 $2,785 - $9,828 $13,940
1996 $2,282 - $10,062 $14,656
1997 $2,306 - $9,893 $15,462
1998 $2,332 - $10,408 $16,218
1999 $2,562 $1,700 $10,609 $16,898
2000 $2,751 $1,700 $10,348 $18,211
2001 $2,843 - $10,358 $18,437
2002 $3,005 $2,300 $11,251 $19,532
2003 $3,203 $2,900 $13,594 $20,815
2004 $3,399 $3,000 $15,212 $21,569
2005 $3,786 $3,500 $15,831 $22,227
2006 $4,330 $4,000 $16,654 $23,224
2007 $4,807 $11,000 $19,444 $25,013
2008 $4,986 $9,500 $22,315 $26,654
2009 $5,089 $9,700 $21,176 $26,768
2010 $5,272 $10,200 $21,947 $28,912
2011 $6,104 - $23,517 $29,426
2012 $6,471 - $22,878 $30,716
2013 $6,828 - $25,416 $33,138
2014 $7,147 - $27,425 $35,206
2015 $7,728 - $25,530 $38,379
2016 $8,111 $12,300 $26,459 $40,999
2017 $8,611 - $30,317 $45,763
2018 $8,911 - $33,382 $48,177
2019 $9,232 - $32,422 $51,392
2020 $9,605 - $31,823 $49,972
2021 - - $38,097 $56,852
2022 - - $35,639 $59,512
2023 - - $40,906 $64,220
2024 - - $43,899 $69,832

Inflation comparison by year

Over the past 22 years, Cuba has recorded an average annual inflation rate of 4.16%, compared with 1.91% in Malta. In 2020, inflation was 5.5% in Cuba and 1.65% in Malta.

Inflation
Cuba

Malta
Year Inflation
Cuba Malta
1997 - 3.11%
1998 - 2.39%
1999 0.3% 2.13%
2000 - 2.37%
2001 - 2.93%
2002 7.1% 2.19%
2003 4.1% 1.3%
2004 3.1% 2.79%
2005 7% 3.01%
2006 5% 2.77%
2007 3.1% 1.25%
2008 3.4% 4.26%
2009 -0.5% 2.08%
2010 0.7% 1.52%
2011 4.7% 2.96%
2012 5.5% 2.38%
2013 6% 1.18%
2014 - 0.31%
2015 4.4% 1.1%
2016 4.5% 0.64%
2017 - 1.36%
2018 5.5% 1.16%
2019 5.5% 1.64%
2020 5.5% 0.64%
2021 - 1.5%
2022 - 6.15%
2023 - 5.09%
2024 - 1.65%

Top exports between countries

Cuba
Export category Export value
Wood & paper products $15K
Malta
Export category Export value

Balance of trade

Cuba Malta
Current account balance
n/a
$1.78B
2024
Current account balance ranking n/a
47/190
2024
Current account balance, % of GDP n/a
+7.12%
2024
Goods imports n/a
$7.56B
2024
Goods exports n/a
$4.58B
2024
Service imports n/a
$17.4B
2024
Service exports n/a
$25B
2024
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP
82.4%
2024
99.7%
2024
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
42.5%
2024
118.5%
2024

Economic freedom indices

The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.

Cuba Malta
Economic freedom 25.4 66.8
Economic freedom ranking 195/197 54/197
Property rights 29.9 86.2
Government integrity 33.4 55
Judicial effectiveness 14.3 81.5
Tax burden 51.9 70
Government spending 0 57.5
Fiscal health 0 44.8
Business freedom 42.3 80.7
Labor freedom 20 65.2
Monetary freedom 20 70.5
Trade freedom 72.8 79.6
Investment freedom 10 60
Financial freedom 10 50

Economic freedom by year comparison

The Economic Freedom Index for Cuba is 25.4, ranking 195/197, compared to 66.8 for Malta, ranking 54/197. The chart below displays a comparison of annual changes in economic freedom indexes.

Cuba
Malta
Year Economic freedom index
Cuba Malta
1995 27.8 56.3
1996 27.8 55.8
1997 27.8 57.9
1998 28.2 61.2
1999 29.7 59.3
2000 31.3 58.3
2001 31.6 62.9
2002 32.4 62.2
2003 35.1 61.1
2004 34.4 63.3
2005 35.5 68.9
2006 29.3 67.3
2007 28.6 66.1
2008 27.5 66
2009 27.9 66.1
2010 26.7 67.2
2011 27.7 65.7
2012 28.3 67
2013 28.5 67.5
2014 28.7 66.4
2015 29.6 66.5
2016 29.8 66.7
2017 33.9 67.7
2018 31.9 68.5
2019 27.8 68.6
2020 26.9 69.5
2021 28.1 70.2
2022 29.5 71.5
2023 24.3 67.5
2024 25.7 64.5
2025 25.4 66.8

More economic indicators

Cuba Malta
Services, % of GDP
73.4%
2024
81.8%
2024
Industry, % of GDP
23.8%
2024
10.7%
2024
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP
1.24%
2024
0.23%
2024
GNI, Atlas method
$101B
2019
$20.9B
2024
GNI per capita, PPP n/a
$61,320
2024
Total reserves including gold
$144M
1960
$1.42B
2024
Total reserves ranking
173/177
1960
137/177
2024
Net foreign direct investment
n/a
-$6.13B
2024
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
n/a
$42.6B
2024
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$0
2024
$36.5B
2024
Poverty at national poverty lines n/a
16.7%
2021
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
9.87%
2020
19%
2024

GDP per capita map

GDP per capita

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The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.

Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.

A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.

Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.