Malta

Branches

Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, National Police (Surete Nationale)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $66 million, 2.2% of GDP (1994)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 1,925,205 males fit for military service: 1,100,599 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios

430,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio relay in progress international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Telephones

11,000 (1982 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1987 est.)

Televisions

11,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Agriculture

potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Budget

revenues: $1.4 billion expenditures: $1.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $215 million (FY94/95 est.)

Currency

1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic 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. Consequently, the economy is highly dependent on foreign trade and services. Manufacturing and tourism are the largest contributors to the economy. Manufacturing accounts for about 24% of GDP, with the electronics and textile industries major contributors and with the state-owned Malta drydocks employing about 4,300 people. In 1994, over 1 million tourists visited the island. Per capita GDP of $12,000 places Malta in the range of the less affluent EU countries.

Electricity

capacity: 250,000 kW production: 1.1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,749 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Maltese liri (LM) per US$1 - 0.3570 (January 1996), 0.3529 (1995), 0.3776 (1994), 0.3821 (1993), 0.3178 (1992), 0.3226 (1991)

Exports

$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, clothing and footware, printed matter partners: Italy 32%, Germany 16%, UK 8%

External debt

$603 million (1992)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4.4 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP per capita

$12,000 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

5% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe

Imports

$2.5 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: food, petroleum, machinery and semimanufactured goods partners: Italy 27%, Germany 14%, UK 13%, US 9%

Industrial production growth rate

5.4% (1992)

Industries

tourism, electronics, ship repair yard, construction, food manufacturing, textiles, footwear, clothing, beverages, tobacco

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5% (1995 est.)

Labor force

139,600 (1994) by occupation: government (excluding job corps) 37%, services 26%, manufacturing 22%, training programs 9%, construction 4%, agriculture 2% (1990)

Unemployment rate

3.4% (third quarter 1995)

Area

total area: 320 sq km land area: 320 sq km comparative area: less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Coastline

140 km

Environment

current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification

Geographic coordinates

35 50 N, 14 35 E

Geographic note

the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Gozo, and Comino) being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors

International disputes

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

Irrigated land

10 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 38% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 59%

Location

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

Map references

Europe

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

Natural resources

limestone, salt

Terrain

mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Dingli Cliffs 245 m

Administrative divisions

none (administered directly from Valletta)

Capital

Valletta

Constitution

1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974

Data code

MT

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Albert Borg Olivier DE PUGET chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ugo MIFSUD BONNICI (since 4 April 1994) was elected for a five-year term by the House of Representatives head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Edward (Eddie) FENECH ADAMI (since 12 May 1987) was appointed by the president; Deputy Prime Minister (since 14 May 1987) and Foreign Minister (since 1990) Dr. Guido DE MARCO cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the president on advice of the prime minister

FAX

[1] (202) 387-5470 consulate(s): New York

FAX

[356] 243229

Flag

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

House of Representatives

elections last held 22 February 1992 (next to be held by February 1997); results - NP 51.8%, MLP 46.5%; seats - (usually 65 total) MLP 36, NP 29; note - additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority; current total: 69 (NP 36, MLP 33 after adjustment)

Independence

21 September 1964 (from UK)

International organization participation

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

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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form: Republic of Malta conventional short form: Malta

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Political parties and leaders

Nationalist Party (NP), Edward FENECH ADAMI; Malta Labor Party (MLP), Alfred SANT

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

parliamentary democracy

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph R. PAOLINO, Jr. embassy: 2nd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, Malta mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta telephone: [356] 235960

Age structure

0-14 years: 22% (male 42,067; female 39,958) 15-64 years: 67% (male 126,179; female 125,321) 65 years and over: 11% (male 17,766; female 24,285) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

14.79 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

6.83 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, English

Infant mortality rate

6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Maltese (official), English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.11 years male: 75.77 years female: 80.6 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1985 est.) total population: 84% male: 86% female: 82%

Nationality

noun: Maltese (singular and plural) adjective: Maltese

Net migration rate

2.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

375,576 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.01% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 98%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.17 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 1 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Highways

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

Merchant marine

total: 1,045 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,082,925 GRT/28,829,144 DWT ships by type: bulk 285, cargo 331, chemical tanker 28, combination bulk 28, combination ore/oil 16, container 39, liquefied gas tanker 4, livestock carrier 1, multifunction large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 208, passenger 7, passenger-cargo 3, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 20, roll-on/roll-off cargo 29, short-sea passenger 23, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 12 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 47 countries among which are Greece 425, Croatia 62, Russia 43, Switzerland 39, Italy 32, Norway 25, Monaco 23, Georgia 23, UK 22, and Germany 19 (1995 est.)

Ports

Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Railways

0 km