According to the National Statistics Office data today, businesses in wholesale and retail trade accounted for 19.0 per cent of the total registered units in 2016.
The NSO has said that the Business Register (BR) provides one of the most detailed local business profiles in Malta. It is classified by economic activity according to the NACE (Nomenclature Statistique des Activités Économiques dans la Communauté Européenne).
Registered units amounted to 95,333 in 2016, the NSO added that this is an increase of 8.1 per cent, or 7,153, over the number of registered units in 2015.
The registered units in financial and insurance activities, professional, scientific and technical activities, administrative and support service activities, and construction, amounted to 15.9, 11.6, 8.0 and 7.4 per cent respectively of the total registered units in 2016.
The NSO said that 97.4 per cent of registered units employ less than 10 persons and are considered micro entities. This varies between 100.0 per cent in activities of households as employers; undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use, activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies and 58.2 per cent in public administration and defence.
On the other hand, only 104 registered units employ more than 250 persons and are classified as large undertakings, it said.