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Background:
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 Great
Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The
island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in
1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the
mid-1980s, the island has become a freight transshipment
point, financial center, and tourist destination. Malta is
scheduled to become an EU member in May 2004. |
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Location:
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Southern Europe,
islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy) |
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Geographic coordinates:
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35 50 N, 14 35 E |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 316
sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 316 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less
than twice the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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196.8 km (does
not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo) |
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Climate:
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Mediterranean
with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers |
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Terrain:
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mostly low,
rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli) |
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Natural resources:
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limestone, salt,
arable land |
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Land use:
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arable land:
31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13%
other: 65.62% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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20 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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very limited
natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on
desalination |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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the country
comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands
(Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being
inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and
Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
continental shelf between their countries, particularly for
oil exploration |
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Population:
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396,851 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
18.1% (male 36,891; female 34,912)
15-64 years: 68.5% (male 137,259; female 134,611)
65 years and over: 13.4% (male 22,691; female 30,487)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 38
years
male: 36.6 years
female: 39.5 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.42% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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10.09
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.93 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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2.07 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
3.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 4.45 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 78.68 years
male: 76.51 years
female: 80.98 years (2004 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.49 children
born/woman (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% (2001 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese |
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Ethnic groups:
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Maltese
(descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with
strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock) |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic
98% |
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Languages:
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Maltese
(official), English (official) |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8%
male: 92%
female: 93.6% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta
local short form: Malta
local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Valletta |
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Administrative divisions:
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none
(administered directly from Valletta); note - Local Councils
carry out administrative orders |
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Independence:
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21 September 1964
(from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
21 September (1964) |
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Constitution:
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1964 constitution
substantially amended on 13 December 1974 and again in 1987 |
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Legal system:
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based on English
common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: President Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the
advice of the prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of
Representatives for a five-year term; election last held 29
March 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime
minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy
prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of
the prime minister
election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president;
percent of House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral House
of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note - additional seats
are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure
a legislative majority; members are elected by popular vote on
the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by
April 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.7%,
MLP 47.6%, AD 0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31 |
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Judicial branch:
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Constitutional
Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed
by the president on the advice of the prime minister |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Alternativa
Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry VASSALLO];
Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party or
PN [Edward FENECH ADAMI] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador John LOWELL
consulate(s): New York
FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20008 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Anthony H. GIOIA
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne
Street, Floriana, Malta VLT 01
mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta
telephone: [356] 21-235-960
FAX: [356] 2124-3229 |
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Economy - overview:
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Major resources
are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a
productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its
food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has no
domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign
trade, manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles),
and tourism. Malta is privatizing state-controlled firms and
liberalizing markets in order to prepare for membership in the
European Union. The island remains divided politically,
however, over the question of joining the EU. Continued
sluggishness in the global economy is holding back exports,
tourism, and overall growth. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $7.082 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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0.8% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $17,700 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
3%
industry: 23%
services: 74% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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0.8% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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160,000 (2002
est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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industry 24%,
services 71%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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7% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$1.5 billion
expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000) |
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Industries:
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tourism;
electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food and
beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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1.768 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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1.644 billion kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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20,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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potatoes,
cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut
flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs |
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Exports:
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$2.175 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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machinery and
transport equipment, manufactures |
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Exports - partners:
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Singapore 17.3%,
US 11.4%, UK 9.4%, Germany 9.2%, France 7.3%, China 6.5%,
Italy 5.9% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$2.761 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and
transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods;
food, drink, and tobacco |
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Imports - partners:
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Italy 18.2%,
France 12%, South Korea 11.3%, UK 7.5%, Germany 5.3%,
Singapore 5.3%, Japan 4.9%, US 4.6%, Spain 4.2% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$130 million
(1997) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$NA |
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Currency:
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Maltese lira (MTL) |
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Currency code:
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MTL |
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Exchange rates:
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Maltese liri per
US dollar - 0.38 (2003), 0.43 (2002), 0.45 (2001), 0.44
(2000), 0.4 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31
March |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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207,300 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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276,900 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay
between islands
international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 18,
shortwave 6 (1999) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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6 (2000) |
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Internet country code:
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.mt |
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Internet hosts:
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7,355 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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82,900 (2002) |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total:
2,254 km
paved: 1,972 km
unpaved: 282 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Marsaxlokk,
Valletta |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
1,176 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,102,401 GRT/41,176,791 DWT
foreign-owned: Australia 4, Austria 6, Bangladesh 3,
Belgium 13, Bulgaria 19, Canada 8, China 14, Croatia 9, Cyprus
6, Denmark 4, Estonia 1, Finland 1, France 1, Germany 52,
Greece 603, Hong Kong 3, Iceland 5, India 4, Indonesia 2, Iran
4, Israel 20, Italy 24, Japan 3, South Korea 2, Latvia 25,
Lebanon 6, Madagascar 1, Monaco 14, Netherlands 5, Nigeria 1,
Norway 32, Pakistan 1, Poland 30, Portugal 3, Romania 8,
Russia 69, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 2, Slovenia 3,
Switzerland 30, Syria 4, Taiwan 1, Turkey 108, Ukraine 22,
United Kingdom 2, United States 8
registered in other countries: 18 (2003 est.)
by type: bulk 468, cargo 251, chemical tanker 46,
combination bulk 8, combination ore/oil 8, container 74,
liquefied gas 4, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large
load carrier 1, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum
tanker 210, refrigerated cargo 40, roll on/roll off 35,
short-sea/passenger 6, vehicle carrier 15 |
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Airports:
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1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Armed Forces:
Land Forces (including Air Squadron and Maritime Squadron),
Revenue Security Corps |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 99,324 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 79,128 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$33.3 million
(2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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0.7% (2003) |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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Illicit drugs:
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minor
transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western
Europe |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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