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. Over the last 15 years the island has become a major freight transshipment point financial center and tourist destination. It is an official candidate for EU membership.

Geographic coordinates: 35 50 N 14 35 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 316 km²
Land: 316 km²
Water: 0 km²
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
Contiguous zone: 24 NM
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive fishing zone: 25 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM

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

Natural resources: limestone salt arable land

Land use
Arable land: 32%
Permanent crops: 3%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 4%
Other: 61% (2000 est.)

Irrigated land: 11.45 km² (2000 est.)

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

Population: 394,583 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 0.74% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

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

Languages: Maltese (official) English (official)

Religions: Roman Catholic 91%

Age structure
0-14 years: 19.98% (male 40,791; female 38,062)
15-64 years: 67.49% (male 133,914; female 132,402)
65 years and over: 12.53% (male 20,643; female 28,771) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.74% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 12.75 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 7.7 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 2.39 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Environment
Current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Infant mortality rate: 5.94 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.92 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Valletta

Administrative divisions: none (administered directly from Valletta)

Independence: 21 September 1964 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 21 September (1964)

Constitution: 1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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; current total: 65 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court judges are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister; Court of Appeal judges 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 [Edward FENECH ADAMI]

International organization participation: C CCC CE EBRD ECE EU (applicant) FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICFTU ICRM IFAD IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Inmarsat Intelsat Interpol IOC IOM (observer) ISO (correspondent) ITU NAM OPCW OSCE PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCL WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

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 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 freshwater supplies and has no domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles) and tourism; the state-owned Malta drydocks employs about 3,800 people. In 1999 over 1 million tourists visited the island. Per capita GDP of $13,800 places Malta in the ranks of the less affluent EU countries. The island is divided politically over the question of joining the EU. The sizable budget deficit remains a key concern.

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $13,800 (1999 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 textiles footwear clothing tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 143,700 (October 1997)
By occupation industry: 24%
By occupation services: 71%
By occupation agriculture: 5% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.5% (September 1999)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.8% (1999 est.)

Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b. 1998)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment manufactures
Partners: France 20.7% US 18.1% Germany 12.6% UK 7.7% Italy 4.8% (1998)

Imports: $2.7 billion (f.o.b. 1998)
Commodities: machinery and transport equipment manufactured goods; food drink and tobacco
Partners: Italy 19.3% France 17.8% UK 12.4% Germany 10.5% US 8.9% (1998)

Debt external: $130 million (1997)

Exchange rates: Maltese liri (LM) per US$1 - 0.4086 (January 2000) 0.3994 (1999) 0.3885 (1998) 0.3857 (1997) 0.3604 (1996) 0.3529 (1995)

Electricity
Production: 1.62 billion kWh (1998)
Consumption: 1.507 billion kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 171,000 (1995)
Mobile cellular: 15,650 (1999)

Telephone system: automatic system satisfies normal requirements

Internet
Service providers isps: 4 (1999)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $201 million (FY98/99)
Percent of gdp: 5.5% (FY98/99)

Airports: 1 (1999 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Disputes international: Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries particularly for oil exploration

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