Malta
Republic of MaltaRepubblika ta' Malta
republicIndependence 21 September 1964 (from the UK)
Malta as the 2014 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 161 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 it declared itself a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.
Geography
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
20 fieldsLand useshare of 316 sq km
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 0.05 cu km/yr (64%/1%/35%)
- per capita:
- 134.1 cu m/yr (2009)
Environment - current issues
limited natural freshwater resources; increasing reliance on desalination
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
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
People and Society
33 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2014 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2014 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups
Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.99 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.79 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.99 male(s)/female (2014 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
fewer than 500 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Government
Republic; President Marie-Louise Coleiro PRECA (since 4 April 2014); Prime Minister Joseph MUSCAT (since 11 March 2013)
21 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislature, 69 seats, elected 9 March 2013one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Malta
- conventional short form:
- Malta
- local long form:
- Repubblika ta' Malta
- local short form:
- Malta
Capital
- name:
- Valletta
- geographic coordinates:
- 35 53 N, 14 30 E
- time difference:
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- daylight saving time:
- +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions
68 localities (Il-lokalita); Attard, Balzan, Birgu, Birkirkara, Birzebbuga, Bormla, Dingli, Fgura, Floriana, Fontana, Ghajnsielem, Gharb, Gharghur, Ghasri Ghaxaq, Gudja, Gzira, Hamrun, Iklin, Imdina, Imgarr, Imqabba, Imsida, Imtarfa, Isla, Kalkara, Kercem, Kirkop, Lija, Luqa, Marsa, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk, Mellieha, Mosta, Munxar, Nadur, Naxxar, Paola, Pembroke, Pieta, Qala, Qormi, Qrendi, Rabat, Rabat (Ghawdex), Safi, San Giljan/Saint Julian, San Gwann/Saint John, San Lawrenz/Saint Lawrence, Sannat, San Pawl il-Bahar/Saint Paul's Bay, Santa Lucija/Saint Lucia, Santa Venera/Saint Venera, Siggiewi, Sliema, Swieqi, Tarxien, Ta' Xbiex, Valletta, Xaghra, Xewkija, Xghajra, Zabbar, Zebbug, Zebbug (Ghawdex), Zejtun, Zurrieq
Constitution
- many previous;
- latest adopted 21 September 1964;
- amended many times, last in 2011 (2011)
Legal system
mixed legal system of English common law and civil law (based on the Roman and Napoleonic civil codes)
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Marie-Louise Coleiro PRECA (since 4 April 2014)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Joseph MUSCAT (since 11 March 2013)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- president appointed by a resolution of the House of Representatives for a five-year term;
- appointment last held on 4 April 2014 (next to be held by April 2019);
- following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term;
- the deputy prime minister appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
- election results:
- Marie-Louise Coleiro PRECA appointed president; Joseph MUSCAT elected prime minister
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Representatives (normally 65 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation by the Single Transferrable Vote (STV) to serve five-year terms; note - the parliament elected in 2013 is composed of 69 seats; when the political party winning an absolute majority of first-count votes (or a plurality of first-count votes in an election where only two parties are represented in parliament) does not win an absolute majority of seats, the constitution provides for the winning party to be awarded additional number of seats in parliament to guarantee it an absolute majority; in the event that more than two parties are represented in parliament, with none acquiring the absolute majority of votes, the party winning the majority of seats prevails
- elections:
- last held on 9 March 2013 (next to be held by March 2018)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - PL 54.8%, PN 43.3%, other 1.9%; seats by party - PL 39, PN 30
note: in 2009, provisions in the law were made for communities with elected representatives to be established within localities and for an elected chairperson to sit in on council meetings
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Court of Appeal (consists of either 1 or 3 judges);
- Constitutional Court (consists of 3 judges);
- Court of Criminal Appeal (consists of either 1 or 3 judges)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Court of Appeal and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president, usually upon the advice of the prime minister;
- judges of both courts serve until age 65
- subordinate courts:
- Civil Court (divided into the General Jurisdiction Section, Family Section, and Voluntary Section);
- Criminal Court;
- Court of Magistrates;
- Gozo Courts (for the islands of Gozo and Comino}
Political parties and leaders
- Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD (Green Party) [Arnold CASSOLA]
- Labor Party or PL [Joseph MUSCAT]
- Nationalist Party or PN [Simon BUSUTTIL]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Alliance of Liberal Democrats Malta (Alleanza Liberali-Demokratika Malta) of ALDM (for divorce, abortion, gay marriage, women's rights); Together for a Better Environment (Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar) or FAA (pro-environment); other: environmentalists
International organization participation
Australia Group, C, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Marisa Maria Louise MICALLEF (since 22 August 2013)
- chancery:
- 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 462-3611 through 3612
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 387-5470
- consulate(s):
- New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Gina ABERCROMBIE-WINSTANLEY (since 18 April 2012)
- embassy:
- Ta' Qali National Park, Attard, ATD 4000
- mailing address:
- 5800 Valetta Place, Dulles, VA 20189
- telephone:
- [356] 2561 4000
- FAX:
- [356] 2124 3229
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;
- according to legend, the colors are taken from the red and white checkered banner of Count Roger of Sicily who removed a bi-colored corner and granted it to Malta in 1091;
- an uncontested explanation is that the colors are those of the Knights of Saint John who ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798;
- in 1942, King George VI of the United Kingdom awarded the George Cross to the islanders for their exceptional bravery and gallantry in World War II;
- since independence in 1964, the George Cross bordered in red has appeared directly on the white field
Economy
Malta - the smallest economy in the euro zone - produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources.
41 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2013 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP
Economy - overview
Malta - the smallest economy in the euro zone - produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. Malta's geographic position between Europe and North Africa makes it a target for irregular migration, which has strained Malta's political and economic resources.
Malta's fertility rate is below the EU average, and population growth in recent years has largely been from immigration, putting increasing pressure on the pension system. Malta adopted the euro on 1 January 2008. Malta's economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing, and tourism, and was hurt by the global economic downturn, but fared better than most other EU member states.
Malta has low unemployment relative to other European countries, and growth has recovered since the 2009 recession. Malta's financial services industry has grown in recent years and it has avoided contagion from the European financial crisis, largely because its debt is mostly held domestically and its banks have low exposure to the sovereign debt of peripheral European countries.
The EU reopened an excessive deficit procedure against Malta in June 2013, having found that its forecasted deficit for the year was likely to exceed 3% of GDP.
Gross national saving
13.7% of GDP (2013 est.) · 13.5% of GDP (2012 est.) · 12.8% of GDP (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
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, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, aviation services, financial services, information technology services
Distribution of family income - Gini index
27.1 (2012) · 26 (2007) country comparison to the world: 129
Public debt
75.3% of GDP (2013 est.) · 70.8% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 33 note: Malta reports public debt at nominal value outstanding at the end of the year, according to guidelines set out in the Maastricht Treaty for general government gross debt; the data include the following categories of government liabilities (as defined in ESA95): currency and deposits (AF.2), securities other than shares excluding financial derivatives (AF.3, excluding AF.34), and loans (AF.4); general government comprises the central government, state government, local government and social security funds
Central bank discount rate
0.75% (31 December 2013) · 1.5% (31 December 2010) country comparison to the world: 119 note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Commercial bank prime lending rate
0.25% (31 December 2013 est.) · 0.75% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 176
Stock of narrow money
$8.932 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $7.892 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 83 note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 17 members of the EMU; individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money circulating within their own borders
Stock of broad money
$15.44 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $13.88 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Stock of domestic credit
$19.16 billion (31 December 2013 est.) · $20.72 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Current account balance
$133.1 million (2013 est.) · $181.5 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Exports - commodities
- machinery and mechanical appliances;
- mineral fuels, oils and products;
- pharmaceutical products;
- printed books and newspapers;
- aircraft/spacecraft and parts;
- toys, games, and sports equipment
Imports - commodities
- mineral fuels, oils and products;
- electrical machinery;
- aircraft/spacecraft and parts thereof;
- machinery and mechanical appliances;
- plastic and other semi-manufactured goods;
- vehicles and parts thereof
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$377 million (31 December 2013 est.) · $481.5 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
Debt - external
$51.08 billion (30 September 2013 est.) · $46.72 billion (31 December 2012) country comparison to the world: 62
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$15.17 billion (31 June 2013) · $16.4 billion (31 December 2012) country comparison to the world: 80
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$1.442 billion (31 June 2013 est.) · $1.471 billion (31 December 2012) country comparison to the world: 76
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7634 (2013 est.) · 0.7752 (2012 est.) · 0.755 (2010 est.) · 0.7198 (2009 est.) · 0.6827 (2008 est.)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 530,000 kW(2013 est.)
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- automatic system featuring submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
- domestic:
- combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular subscribership exceeds 180 per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 356;
- submarine cable connects to Italy;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2011)
Broadcast media
- 2 publicly owned TV stations, Television Malta (TVM) broadcasting nationally plus an educational channel;
- several privately owned national television stations, two of which are owned by political parties;
- Italian and British broadcast programs are available;
- multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available;
- publicly owned radio broadcaster operates 1 station;
- roughly 20 commercial radio stations (2011)
Transportation
6 fieldsMerchant marine, 1,650 ships by type
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Ports and terminals
- major seaport(s):
- Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport), Valletta
- container port(s) (TEUs):
- Marsaxlokk (2,360,000)
Military
Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes land, maritime, and air elements) (2013)
6 fieldsMilitary service age and obligation
17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2013)
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Malta.” The World Factbook 2014. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/malta/2014.