Malta vs South Africa: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population

Malta
38.2%
in 2024
South Africa
38.0%
in 2024
Malta rank
56th
South Africa rank
58th

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population over time

  • Malta
  • South Africa
010203040200320132024

How they compare

Malta currently reports 38.2% against 38.0% in South Africa, a difference of 0.2%.

The two have swapped places 7 times across 15 shared years of data; in 2005 it was South Africa ahead.

Malta ranks 56th and South Africa ranks 58th of 153 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Malta averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Malta South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 25.5% 29.4% 3.9% South Africa
2010s 29.6% 28.1% 1.5% Malta
2020s 34.4% 34.5% 0.0% South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population, Malta or South Africa?
Malta, at 38.2% against 38.0% in South Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population between Malta and South Africa?
0.2%, with Malta ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Malta and South Africa?
15 years are reported by both, from 2005 to 2024.
How do Malta and South Africa rank globally for unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population?
Malta ranks 56th and South Africa ranks 58th of 153 countries.
Where does this data come from?
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – processed by Our World in Data, published as Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Malta vs South Africa: Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/compare/unsentenced-detainees-as-proportion-of-prison-population/malta/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
153 places, 2,324 data points, 2001–2024
Last refreshed

Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population (%).