Map of Malta | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.


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Location: Southern Europe islands in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily (Italy)

Geographic coordinates: 35 50 N 14 35 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 316 km²
Rank: 207
Land: 316 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 196.8 km (excludes 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm

Climate: Mediterranean; mild rainy winters; hot dry summers

Terrain: mostly low rocky flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Natural resources: limestone salt arable land

Land use
Arable land: 31.25%
Permanent crops: 3.13%
Other: 65.62% (2005)

Irrigated land: 20 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0.07 km³ (2005)

Natural hazards: NA

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


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Population: 406,771 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 173
Growth rate: 0.391% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 162
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Maltese
Adjective: Maltese

Ethnic groups: Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Languages: Maltese (official) 90.2% English (official) 6% multilingual 3% other 0.8% (2005 census)

Religions: Roman Catholic 98%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.1%
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 142,491/female 138,769)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 25,406/female 33,193) (2010 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 39.7 years
Male: 38.5 years
Female: 41.1 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.391% (2010 est.)
Rank: 162

Birth rate: 10.38 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 187

Death rate: 8.49 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 84

Net migration rate: 2.02 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 42

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 94% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination
International agreements 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.058 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.72 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 209
Male: 4.16 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.25 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.59 years
Rank: 32
Male: 77.34 years
Female: 81.97 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.52 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 186

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 116
People living with hivaids: fewer than 500 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 151
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
Deaths rank: 137

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 4.8% of GDP (2004)
Rank: 81

Literacy
Definition: age 10 and over can read and write
Total population: 92.8%
Male: 91.7%
Female: 93.9% (2005 Census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 14 years
Female: 15 years (2007)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Malta
Conventional short form: Malta
Local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
Local short form: Malta

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Valletta
Geographic coordinates: 35 53 N 14 30 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders and have some responsibility for local road and other public maintenance

Dependent areas

Independence: 21 September 1964 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 21 September (1964); Republic Day 13 December (1974)

Constitution: 1964; amended many times

Legal system: based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President George ABELA
Head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March 2004)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Elections: president elected by a resolution of the House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 January 2009 (next to be held by April 2014); following legislative elections the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Election results: George ABELA elected president by the House of Representatives

Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (normally 65 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms; note - the Parliament elected in 2008 is composed of 69 seats; when the political party winning the plurality of votes does not win a majority of seats the constitution provides that a sufficient number of seats will be added to Parliament to ensure that the party that won the elections has a majority in Parliament)
Elections: last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013)
Election results: percent of vote by party - PN 49.3% PL 48.8% other 1.9%; seats by party - PN 35 PL 34

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Court of First Instance; Court of Appeal
Note: magistrates and judges for the 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 [Michael BRIGUGLIO]; Azzjoni Nazzjonaili or AN [Josi MUSCAT]; Malta Labor Party or PL [Joseph MUSCAT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]

International organization participation: Australia Group C CE EAPC EBRD EIB EMU EU FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA NSG OPCW OSCE PCA PFP Schengen Convention UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO Union Latina (observer) UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mark MICELI-FARRUGIA
In the us chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 462-3,611 through 3,612
In the us fax: [1] (202) 387-5,470
In the us consulate: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas W. KMIEC
From the us embassy: 3rd Floor Development House Saint Anne Street Floriana FRN 9,010
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 535 Valletta VLT1000
From the us telephone: [356] 2,561 4,000
From the us fax: [356] 2,124 3,229

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; according to legend the colors are taken from the red and white checkered banner of Count Roger of Sicily who removed a bi-colored corner and granted it to Malta in 1091; an uncontested explanation is that the colors are those of the Knights of Saint John who ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798; in 1942 King George VI of the United Kingdom awarded the George Cross to the islanders for their exceptional bravery and gallantry in World War II; since independence in 1964 the George Cross bordered in red has appeared directly on the white field

National symbols

National anthem
Name: 'L-Innu Malti'
Lyricsmusic: Dun Karm PSAILA/Robert SAMMUT
Note: adopted 1945; the anthem is written in the form of a prayer

National heritage


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Economy overview: Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs has limited fresh water supplies and has few domestic energy sources. Malta's geographic position between the EU and Africa makes it a target for illegal immigration which has strained Malta's political and economic resources. Malta adopted the euro on 1 January 2008. Malta's financial services industry has grown in recent years and in 2008-09 it escaped significant damage from the international financial crisis largely because the sector is centered on the indigenous real estate market and is not highly leveraged. Locally the restricted damage from the financial crisis has been attributed to the stability of the Maltese banking system and to its prudent risk-management practices. The global economic downturn and high electricity and water prices hurt Malta's real economy which is dependent on foreign trade manufacturing - especially electronics and pharmaceuticals - and tourism but growth bounced back as the global economy recovered in 2010. Following a 1.2% contraction in 2009 GDP grew 2% in 2010.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 149
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 151

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 54
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.7%
Industry: 17.4%
Services: 80.9% (2007 est.)

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 pharmaceuticals footwear clothing tobacco aviation services financial services information technology services

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 174,000 (2009 est.)
Rank: 175
By occupation agriculture: 1.6%
By occupation industry: 22.8%
By occupation services: 75.6% (2009 est.)

Unemployment rate: 6% (2008 est.)
Rank: 70

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index: 26 (2007)
Rank: 128

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 69% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 23

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.1% (2009 est.)
Rank: 48

Central bank discount rate: 3% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 127
Note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 5.89% (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 140

Stock of narrow money: $4.956 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Rank: 86
Note: this figure represents the US dollar value of Maltese liri in circulation prior to Malta joining the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the EMU; individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders

Stock of broad money: $13.74 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 90

Stock of domestic credit: $12.91 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 88

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 85

Current account balance: -$491 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 110

Exports: $2.383 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 124
Commodities: electrical machinery mechanical appliances fish and crustaceans pharmaceutical products printed material
Partners: Germany 13.3% Singapore 12.5% France 11.4% US 9.4% Hong Kong 6.5% UK 5.9% Italy 4.8% (2009)

Imports: $3.595 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 127
Commodities: mineral fuels and oils electrical machinery non-electrical machinery aircraft and other transport equipment plastic and other semi-manufactured goods; food drink tobacco
Partners: Italy 24.4% UK 11.7% Germany 9.3% France 7.6% China 4.2% Singapore 4.11% Switzerland 4.05% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $538.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 118

Debt external: $3.75 billion (2008)
Rank: 57

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $8.24 billion (31 December 2009)
Rank: 81

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7732 (2010) 0.7179 (2009) 0.6827 (2008) Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3106 (2007) 0.37 (2006)


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Electricity
Production: 2.146 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 131
Consumption: 1.832 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 136
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 147
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 138
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 152
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 95
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 147

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 252,700 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 122
Mobile cellular: 422,100 (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 164

Telephone system
General assessment: automatic system featuring submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 165 per 100 persons
International: country code - 356; submarine cable connects to Italy; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)

Broadcast media: 1 publicly-owned television station Television Malta (TVM); several national television stations two of which are owned by political parties; Italian and British broadcast programs are available; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are obtainable; publicly-owned radio broadcaster operates 2 stations; roughly 50 commercial radio stations functioning (2008)

Internet
Country code: .mt
Hosts: 24,941 (2010)
Hosts rank: 102
Users: 240,600 (2009)
Users rank: 137

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 0.7% of GDP (2006 est.)
Rank: 153

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 1 (2010)
Rank: 217
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2010)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 2,227 km
Rank: 171
Paved: 2014 km
Unpaved: 213 km (2005)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 1571
Rank: 4
By type: bulk carrier 522 cargo 377 carrier 1 chemical tanker 280 container 91 liquefied gas 31 passenger 45 passenger/cargo 22 petroleum tanker 141 refrigerated cargo 14 roll on/roll off 30 specialized tanker 2 vehicle carrier 15
Foreign owned: 1401 (Angola 7 Austria 1 Azerbaijan 1 Bahamas 1 Bangladesh 1 Belgium 14 Bermuda 8 Bulgaria 7 Canada 1 China 11 Croatia 7 Cyprus 29 Denmark 41 Egypt 1 Estonia 16 Finland 2 France 13 Germany 127 Greece 458 Hong Kong 2 India 4 Iran 56 Ireland 1 Israel 5 Italy 52 Japan 5 Kuwait 2 Latvia 11 Lebanon 7 Libya 4 Luxembourg 3 Malaysia 1 Netherlands 2 Nigeria 1 Norway 84 Poland 22 Portugal 3 Romania 8 Russia 47 Singapore 3 Slovenia 4 South Korea 3 Spain 10 Sweden 3 Switzerland 14 Syria 5 Turkey 211 UAE 1 UK 16 Ukraine 30 US 35)
Registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport) Valletta


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe