Malta

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios

189,000 (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)

Telephones

191,876 (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1996 est.)

Televisions

300,000 (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues : $1.66 billion expenditures: $1.69 billion, including capital expenditures of $633 million (1996 est.)

Currency

1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$134 million (1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

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, industry (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism; the state-owned Malta drydocks employs about 3,800 people. In 1995, over 1.1 million tourists visited the island. Per capita GDP of $12,600 places Malta in the range of the less affluent EU countries. The island is divided politically over the question of joining the EU.

Electricity - capacity

405,000 kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

NA kWh

Electricity - production

1.41 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

Maltese liri (LM) per US$1 - 0.3677 (January 1997), 0.3604 (1996), 0.3529 (1995), 0.3776 (1994), 0.3821 (1993), 0.3178 (1992)

Exports

total value: $1.9 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, clothing and footware, printed matter partners: Italy 32%, Germany 16%, UK 8%

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4.7 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5% industry: 34% services : 61% (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $12,600 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $3 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: food, petroleum, machinery and semimanufactured goods partners: Italy 27%, Germany 14%, UK 13%, US 9%

Industrial production growth rate

-5% (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

3% (1996)

Labor force

total : 148,085 (September 1996) by occupation: public services 37%, other services 28%, manufacturing and construction 25%, agriculture 2% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

3.7% (September 1996)

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Coastline

140 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Dingli Cliffs 245 m

Environment - current issues

very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination

Environment - 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

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

10 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

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

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 hazards

NA

Natural resources

limestone, salt

Terrain

mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Administrative divisions

none (administered directly from Valletta)

Constitution

1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974

Country name

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

Data code

MT

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Charles N. PATTERSON, Jr. embassy: 2nd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, Malta mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta telephone : [356] 235960

Diplomatic representation in the 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) head of government : Prime Minister Dr. Alfred SANT (since 28 October 1996); Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr. George VELLA (since 29 October 1996) 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 election results: Ugo MIFSUD BONNICI elected president; percent of House of Representatives vote - NA

FAX

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

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

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, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NACC (observer), NAM, OSCE, PCA, 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 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 proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections : last held 26 October 1996 (next to be held by October 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - MLP 50.7%, NP 46.5%; seats by party - NP 34, MLP 31 (MLP 35, NP 34 after adjustment)

National capital

Valletta

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Political parties and leaders

Nationalist Party or NP [Edward FENECH ADAMI]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

Armed Forces, Maltese Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$65.5 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.7% (FY96/97)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49 : 99,032 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 78,710 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years : 21% (male 41,207; female 39,041) 15-64 years: 67% (male 127,553; female 126,355) 65 years and over: 12% (male 18,202; female 24,819) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

12.47 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

7.34 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

7.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

Maltese (official), English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.44 years male: 75.16 years female: 79.87 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Maltese (singular and plural) adjective: Maltese

Net migration rate

1.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

377,177 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

0.68% (1997 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 98%

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 (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.84 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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 MAN, ISLE OF (British crown dependency)

Airports

1 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m : 1 (1996 est.)

Highways

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

Merchant marine

total : 1,128 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,806,358 GRT/31,554,713 DWT ships by type: bulk 314, cargo 353, chemical tanker 32, combination bulk 27, combination ore/oil 13, container 43, liquefied gas tanker 2, livestock carrier 1, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil tanker 224, passenger 7, passenger-cargo 3, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 31, roll-on/roll-off cargo 37, short-sea passenger 22, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 12 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 46 countries among which are Greece 478, Croatia 52, Switzerland 48, Russia 46, Italy 44, Norway 37, Turkey 28, Germany 23, UK 22, and Ukraine 20 (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors

Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Railways

0 km