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: 320 sq km
land: 320 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 140 km

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
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Natural resources: limestone, salt

Land use:
arable land: 38%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 59% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment—current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination

Environment—international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

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

Population: 381,603 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 40,058; female 37,810)
15-64 years: 68% (male 130,282; female 128,390)
65 years and over: 12% (male 18,996; female 26,067) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.49% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 11.02 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 7.37 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 7.42 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.76 years
male: 75.43 years
female: 80.23 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.63 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese

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: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 88%
male: 88%
female: 88% (1985)

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta
local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
local short form: Malta

Data code: MT

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

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ugo MIFSUD BONNICI (since 4 April 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Eddie Fenech ADAMI (since 6 September 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Guido de MARCO (since 8 September 1998)
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 NA April 1994 (next to be held by NA April 1999); following House of Representatives 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: Ugo MIFSUD BONNICI elected president; percent of House of Representatives vote—NA

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: 69 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 September 1998 (next to be held by September 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party—PN 51.8%, MLP 46.9%, AD 1.2%; seats by party—PN 35, MLP 30

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: Nationalist Party or PN [Edward FENECH ADAMI]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Wenzu MINTOFF]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Anthony DARMANIN
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612
FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Kathryn Haycock PROFFITT
embassy: 2nd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, Malta
mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta
telephone: [356] 235960
FAX: [356] 223322

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: Significant 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 1998, almost 1 million tourists visited the island. Per capita GDP of roughly $13,000 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.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$5 billion (1998 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: 4% (1998 est.)

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$13,000 (1998 est.)

GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 26%
services: 71% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (1997 est.)

Labor force: 148,085 (September 1996)

Labor force—by occupation: public services 34%, other services 32%, manufacturing and construction 22%, agriculture 2% (1996)

Unemployment rate: 5% (1997)

Budget:
revenues: $1.32 billion
expenditures: $1.76 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity—production: 1.425 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity—consumption: 1.425 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity—exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity—imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture—products: potatoes, cauliflowers, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Exports: $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports—commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactures (1996)

Exports—partners: France 18%, US 15%, Germany 15%, UK 8%, Italy 6% (1997)

Imports: $2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports—commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco

Imports—partners: Italy 20%, France 16%, UK 15%, Germany 10%, US 8% (1997)

Debt—external: $130 million (1997)

Economic aid—recipient: $NA

Currency: 1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Maltese liri (LM) per US$1—0.3797 (January 1999), 0.3884 (1998), 0.3857 (1997), 0.3604 (1996), 0.3529 (1995), 0.3776 (1994)

Fiscal year: 1 April—31 March

Telephones: 191,876 (1992 est.)

Telephone system: automatic system satisfies normal requirements
domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station—1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 8, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios: 189,000 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 300,000 (1996 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 1,582 km
paved: 1,471 km
unpaved: 111 km (1993 est.)

Ports and harbors: Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Merchant marine:
total: 1,361 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,436,956 GRT/40,706,665 DWT
ships by type: bulk 370, cargo 400, chemical tanker 49, combination bulk 18, combination ore/oil 17, container 56, liquefied gas tanker 2, livestock carrier 3, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil tanker 302, passenger 7, refrigerated cargo 46, roll-on/roll-off cargo 47, short-sea passenger 19, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 18
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 49 countries among which includes Greece 445, Russia 51, Switzerland 45, Italy 44, Norway 40, Croatia 26, Turkey 35, Germany 32, Georgia 23, and Monaco 24 (1998 est.)

Airports: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports—with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military branches: Armed Forces (including an air squadron, a maritime squadron, and the Revenue Security Corps), Maltese Police Force

Military manpower—availability:
males age 15-49: 99,067 (1999 est.)

Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 78,855 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures—dollar figure: $65.5 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures—percent of GDP: 2.7% (FY96/97)

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

Source: 1999 CIA World Factbook