Malta

Republic of Malta

parliamentary democracyIndependence 21 September 1964 (from UK)

Malta as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 75 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalValletta
Area320 km2
Locationin the central Mediterranean Sea, 93 km south of Sicily (Italy), 290 km
1993

Every edition of Malta

Populationas each edition published it
363,791 people July 1993 est. · 353,465 in 1990
Population growth% a year
0.84% 1993 est. · 0.65% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 37.2 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
76.52 years 1993 est. · 83.6 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.97 children per woman 1993 est. · 2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
8.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 8 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$7,600 1991 est. · $60,500 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
5.9% 1991 · 6% in 2025

Geography

In the central Mediterranean Sea, 93 km south of Sicily (Italy), 290 km | north of Libya

14 fields

Land useshare of 320 km2

arable land 38%permanent crops 3%forest and woodland 0%other 59%meadows and pastures 0% in all · irrigated 10 km2 (1989)
Area
320km2
land area: 320 km2comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
140km
land boundaries: 0 kmcontiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitationexclusive fishing zone: 25 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

in the central Mediterranean Sea, 93 km south of Sicily (Italy), 290 km north of Libya

Map references

Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Climate

Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain

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

Natural resources

limestone, salt

Environment

  • numerous bays provide good harbors;
  • fresh water very scarce;
  • increasing reliance on desalination

Note

the country comprises an archipelago, with only the 3 largest islands (Malta, Gozo, and Comino) being inhabited

People

14 fields
Population
363,791
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 0.84% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
13.9Death
7.52Net migration
1.98

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years76.52
74.32 · 78.9
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy84%
86% · 82%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
Labor force
127,200
by occupation: government (excluding job corps) 37%, services 26%, manufacturing 22%, training programs 9%, construction 4%, agriculture 2% (1990)

Infant mortality rate

8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.97 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Maltese

Ethnic divisions

Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, English

Religions

Roman Catholic 98%

Languages

Maltese (official), English (official)

Government

Parliamentary democracy

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

51.8%
NP 51.8%MLP 46.5%

Names

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

Type

parliamentary democracy

Capital

Valletta

Administrative divisions

none (administration directly from Valletta)

Independence

21 September 1964 (from UK)

Constitution

26 April 1974, effective 2 June 1974

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 September

Political parties and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

House of Representatives:
  • last held on 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 (MLP 33, NP 36 after adjustment)

Executive branch

president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Representatives

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court, Court of Appeal

Leaders

Chief of State:
President Vincent (Censu) TABONE (since 4 April 1989)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Dr. Edward (Eddie) FENECH ADAMI (since 12 May 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Guido DE MARCO (since 14 May 1987)

Member of

C, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Albert BORG OLIVIER DE PUGET
chancery:
2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 462-3611 or 3612
FAX:
(202) 387-5470
consulate:
New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
(vacant)
embassy:
2nd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, Valletta
mailing address:
P. O. Box 535, Valletta
telephone:
[356] 240424, 240425, 243216, 243217, 243653, 223654
FAX:
same as telephone numbers

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

Economy

Significant resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a | productive labor force.

18 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$7,600
(1991 est.)
Real growth rate
5.9%
(1991)industrial production growth: growth rate 19.0% (1990); accounts for 27% of GDP

Budget

Revenues
$1.1 billionExpenditures
$1.1 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $161 million (1992 est.)

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 27% of GDP, with the electronics and textile industries major contributors and the state-owned Malta drydocks employing about 4,300 people. In 1991, about 900,000 tourists visited the island. Per capita GDP at $7,600 places Malta in the middle-income range of the world's nations.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.7 billion (1991 est.)

Exports

$l.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:
clothing, textiles, footwear, ships
partners:
Italy 30%, Germany 22%, UK 11%

Imports

$2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1991)

commodities:
food, petroleum, machinery and semimanufactured goods
partners:
Italy 30%, UK 16%, Germany 13%, US 4%

External debt

$127 million (1990 est.)

Electricity

328,000 kW capacity; 1,110 million kWh produced, 3,000 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • accounts for 3% of GDP and 2.5% of the work force (1992);
  • overall, 20% self-sufficient;
  • main products - potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers, hogs, poultry, eggs;
  • generally adequate supplies of vegetables, poultry, milk, pork products;
  • seasonal or periodic shortages in grain, animal fodder, fruits, other basic foodstuffs

Economic aid

  • US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $172 million;
  • Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $336 million;
  • OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $76 million;
  • Communist countries (1970-88), $48 million

Currency

1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Maltese liri (LM) per US$1 - 0.3687 (January 1993), 0.3178 (1992), 0.3226 (1991), 0.3172 (1990), 0.3483 (1989), 0.3306 (1988)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

5 fields

Highways

1,291 km total; 1,179 km paved (asphalt), 77 km crushed stone or gravel, 35 km improved and unimproved earth

Ports

Valletta, Marsaxlokk

Merchant marine

  • 789 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,059,874 GRT/18,758,969 DWT;
  • includes 6 passenger, 17 short-sea passenger, 272 cargo, 26 container, 2 passenger-cargo, 20 roll-on/roll-off, 2 vehicle carrier, 3 barge carrier, 17 refrigerated cargo, 19 chemical tanker, 15 combination ore/oil, 3 specialized tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 131 oil tanker, 223 bulk, 26 combination bulk, 3 multifunction large load carrier, 1 railcar carrier;
  • note - a flag of convenience registry;
  • China owns 2 ships, Russia owns 52 ships, Cuba owns 10, Vietnam owns 6, Croatia owns 37, Romania owns 3

Airports

total:
1
useable:
1
with permanent-surface runways:
1
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
0

Telecommunications

  • automatic system satisfies normal requirements;
  • 153,000 telephones;
  • excellent service by broadcast stations - 8 AM, 4 FM, and 2 TV;
  • submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands;
  • international service by 1 submarine cable and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

Armed Forces, Maltese Police Force

4 fields

Branches

Armed Forces, Maltese Police Force

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 97,446; fit for military service 77,481 (1993 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $21.9 million, 1.3% of GDP (1989 est.)

Affiliation

(British crown dependency)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Malta.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/malta/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →