Guide to Malta Introduction Background: 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 transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May of 2004.
Geography Location: Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
Geographic coordinates: 35 50 N, 14 35 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)
Maritime claims: territorial sea
Climate: Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
Elevation extremes: lowest point
Natural resources: limestone, salt, arable land
Land use: arable land
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination
Environment - international agreements: party to
Geography - note: 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
People Population: 398,534 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 0.42% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 10.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 1.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality: noun
Ethnic groups: Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
Religions: Roman Catholic 98%
Languages: Maltese (official), English (official)
Literacy: definition
Government Country name: conventional long form
Government type: republic
Capital: Valletta
Administrative divisions: none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local Councils carry out administrative orders
Independence: 21 September 1964 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September (1964)
Constitution: 1964 constitution; amended many times
Legal system: based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state
Legislative branch: 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
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Political parties and leaders: Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Flag description: two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red
Economy Economy - overview: 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. Continued sluggishness in the European economy is holding back exports, tourism, and overall growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $7.223 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $18,200 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
Labor force: 160,000 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5%, industry 24%, services 71% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.9% (2004 est.)
Investment (gross fixed): 26.4% of GDP (2004 est.)
Budget: revenues
Agriculture - products: potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs
Industries: tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 2.15 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Electricity - consumption: 2 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption: 20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA
Oil - imports: NA
Current account balance: $-241 million (2004 est.)
Exports: $2.625 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactures
Exports - partners: US 15.7%, France 15.5%, Singapore 14.5%, UK 11.2%, Germany 10.8% (2004)
Imports: $3.407 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco
Imports - partners: Italy 25.4%, France 13.1%, UK 12%, Germany 8.9%, US 5.2%, Singapore 4.1% (2004)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.865 billion (2004 est.)
Debt - external: $130 million (1997)
Economic aid - recipient: NA
Currency (code): Maltese lira (MTL)
Currency code: MTL
Exchange rates: Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3444 (2004), 0.3773 (2003), 0.4337 (2002), 0.4501 (2001), 0.4382 (2000)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Telephones - main lines in use: 208,300 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 290,000 (2003)
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)
Radios: 255,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (2000)
Televisions: 280,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .mt
Internet hosts: 7,156 (2004)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2002)
Internet users: 120,000 (2002)
Transportation Highways: total
Ports and harbors: Marsaxlokk, Valletta
Merchant marine: total
Airports: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Military Military branches: Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements) (2005)
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)
Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49
Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $31.1 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.7% (2004)
Transnational Issues Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe
Last updated: 20 October, 2005
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