Malta
Republic of MaltaRepubblika ta' Malta
parliamentary republicIndependence 21 September 1964 (from the UK)
Malta as the 2022 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 156 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
With a civilization that dates back thousands of years, Malta boasts some of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. Situated in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta’s islands have long served as a strategic military asset, with the islands at various times having come under control of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, and the French.
Most recently a British colony (since 1814), Malta gained its independence in 1964 and declared itself a republic 10 years later. While under British rule, the island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination while its key industries moved toward more service-oriented activities. 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)
17 fieldsLand useshare of 316 sq km
Population distribution
most of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islands
Geography - note
- the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) inhabited;
- numerous bays provide good harbors;
- Malta and Tunisia are discussing oil exploration on the continental shelf between their countries, although no commercially viable reserves have been found as of 2017
People and Society
36 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2020 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2022 est.)
Male · female
Ethnic groups
Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
Population distribution
most of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islands
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.07 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 1.09 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.7 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.02 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
- total:
- 8.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- beer:
- 2.8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- wine:
- 2.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- spirits:
- 2.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- other alcohols:
- 0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Environment
11 fieldsLand use(2018 est.)
Environment - current issues
- limited natural freshwater resources;
- increasing reliance on desalination;
- deforestation;
- wildlife preservation
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants
- particulate matter emissions:
- 13.97 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
- carbon dioxide emissions:
- 1.34 megatons (2016 est.)
- methane emissions:
- 0.2 megatons (2020 est.)
Urbanization
- urban population:
- 94.9% of total population (2023)
- rate of urbanization:
- 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually:
- 269,000 tons (2015 est.)
- municipal solid waste recycled annually:
- 17,996 tons (2015 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled:
- 6.7% (2015 est.)
Total water withdrawal
- municipal:
- 37.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
- industrial:
- 1 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
- agricultural:
- 25.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Parliamentary republic; President George VELLA (since 4 April 2019); Prime Minister Robert ABELA (13 January 2020)
22 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislature, 67 seats, elected 26 March 2022one dot, one seat
Percent of vote
Composition: men 57, women 22, percent of women 27.8%
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Malta
- conventional short form:
- Malta
- local long form:
- Repubblika ta' Malta
- local short form:
- Malta
- etymology:
- the ancient Greeks called the island "Melite" meaning "honey-sweet" from the Greek word "meli" meaning "honey" and referring to the island's honey production
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
- etymology:
- named in honor of Jean de VALETTE, the Grand Master of the Order of Saint John (crusader knights), who successfully led a defense of the island from an Ottoman invasion in 1565
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
- history:
- many previous; latest adopted 21 September 1964
- amendments:
- proposals (Acts of Parliament) require at least two-thirds majority vote by the House of Representatives;
- passage of Acts requires majority vote by referendum, followed by final majority vote by the House and assent of the president of the republic;
- amended many times, last in 2020
Legal system
mixed legal system of English common law and civil law based on the Roman and Napoleonic civil codes; subject to European Union law
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
- citizenship by birth:
- no
- citizenship by descent only:
- at least one parent must be a citizen of Malta
- dual citizenship recognized:
- no
- residency requirement for naturalization:
- 5 years
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President George VELLA (since 4 April 2019)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Robert ABELA (13 January 2020)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
- elections/appointments:
- president indirectly elected by the House of Representatives for a single 5-year term;
- election last held on 2 April 2019 (next to be held by April 2024);
- following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president for a 5-year term;
- deputy prime minister appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
- election results:
- ; 2014: Maria Louise Coleiro PRECO elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous
- 2019: George VELLA (PL) elected president;
- House of Representatives vote - unanimous;
- 2020: Robert ABELA (PL) appointed prime minister
Legislative branch
- description:
- unicameral House of Representatives or Il-Kamra Tad-Deputati, a component of the Parliament of Malta (65 seats statutory, 79 for 2022-2027 term; members directly elected in 5 multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 26 March 2022 (next to be held in 2027)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - PL 55.1%, PN 41.7%, other 3.2%;
- seats by party - PL 38, PN 29;
- composition - men 57, women 22, percent of women 27.8%;
- note - due to underrepresentation by women in the combined general on 26 March and two casual elections on 7 and 12 April (10 seats or 14.9%), an additional 12 seats were awarded because their percentage did not meet the 40% threshold required by the Malta Constitution or the General Elections Amendment Act 2021
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
- AD+PD or ADPD [Carmel CACOPARDO] (formed from the merger of Democratic Alternative or AD and Democratic Party (Partit Demokratiku) or PD)
- Labor Party (Partit Laburista) or PL [Robert ABELA]
- Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista) or PN [Bernard GRECH]
International organization participation
Australia Group, C, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, 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, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Keith AZZOPARDI (since 17 September 2018)
- chancery:
- 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 462-3611; [1] (202) 462-3612
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 387-5470
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://foreignandeu.gov.mt/en/Embassies/ME_United_States/Pages/ME_United_States.aspx
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Gwendolyn "Wendy" GREEN (since August 2020)
- embassy:
- Ta' Qali National Park, Attard, ATD 4000
- mailing address:
- 5800 Valletta Place, Washington DC 20521-5800
- telephone:
- [356] 2561-4000
- email address and website:
- [email protected]; https://mt.usembassy.gov/
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 UK 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
National anthem
- name:
- "L-Innu Malti" (The Maltese Anthem)
- lyrics/music:
- Dun Karm PSAILA/Robert SAMMUT
note: adopted 1945; written in the form of a prayer
National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites:
- 3 (all cultural)
- selected World Heritage Site locales:
- City of Valletta ;
- Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum;
- Megalithic Temples of Malta
Economy
Malta’s free market economy – the smallest economy in the euro-zone – relies heavily on trade in both goods and services, principally with Europe.
34 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2017 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP · (2017 est.)
Budget(2017 est.)
Economic overview
Malta’s free market economy – the smallest economy in the euro-zone – relies heavily on trade in both goods and services, principally with Europe. Malta produces less than a quarter of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. Malta's economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing, and tourism. Malta joined the EU in 2004 and adopted the euro on 1 January 2008.
Malta has weathered the euro-zone crisis better than most EU member states due to a low debt-to-GDP ratio and financially sound banking sector. It maintains one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe, and growth has fully recovered since the 2009 recession. In 2014 through 2016, Malta led the euro zone in growth, expanding more than 4.5% per year.
Malta’s services sector continues to grow, with sustained growth in the financial services and online gaming sectors. Advantageous tax schemes remained attractive to foreign investors, though EU discussions of anti-tax avoidance measures have raised concerns among Malta’s financial services and insurance providers, as the measures could have a significant impact on those sectors. The tourism sector also continued to grow, with 2016 showing record-breaking numbers of both air and cruise passenger arrivals.
Malta’s GDP growth remains strong and is supported by a strong labor market. The government has implemented new programs, including free childcare, to encourage increased labor participation. The high cost of borrowing and small labor market remain potential constraints to future economic growth.
Increasingly, other EU and European migrants are relocating to Malta for employment, though wages have remained low compared to other European countries. Inflation remains low.
Credit ratings
- Fitch rating:
- A+ (2017)
- Moody's rating:
- A2 (2019)
Standard & Poors rating: A- (2016)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Agricultural products
milk, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cauliflowers, broccoli, eggplants, pork, cabbages, poultry
Industries
tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, aviation services, financial services, information technology services
Public debt
50.7% of GDP (2017 est.) · 56.3% of GDP (2016 est.) 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, state, and local governments, and social security funds
Exports
$19.04 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars; $20.76 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars; $20.19 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - commodities
integrated circuits, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, children's toys and stuffed animals, postage stamps (2019)
Imports
$18.01 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars; $18.45 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars; $17.87 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$833 million (31 December 2017 est.) · $677.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.82771 (2020 est.) · 0.90338 (2019 est.) · 0.87789 (2018 est.) · 0.885 (2014 est.) · 0.7634 (2013 est.)
Energy
11 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2020)
Installed generating capacity, 784,000 kW(2020 est.)
Coal
- production:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- consumption:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- exports:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- imports:
- 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
- total petroleum production:
- 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
- refined petroleum consumption:
- 54,000 bbl/day (2019 est.)
- crude oil and lease condensate exports:
- 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
- crude oil and lease condensate imports:
- 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
- crude oil estimated reserves:
- 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
- production:
- 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
- consumption:
- 415.606 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
- exports:
- 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
- imports:
- 415.606 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
- proven reserves:
- 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
9.576 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from coal and metallurgical coke:
- 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from petroleum and other liquids:
- 8.831 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
- from consumed natural gas:
- 745,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Communications
7 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- general assessment:
- Malta’s small telecom sector is among the most advanced in Europe;
- this has been helped by the topography, which has made it relatively easy for operators to expand the reach of their fiber infrastructure;
- with high mobile and broadband penetration rates, the government and regulator have effective strategies in place to capitalize on these infrastructure developments to ensure that the population has among the fastest data rates in Europe, and is well positioned to take advantage of emerging e-commerce opportunities;
- the sector has also been stimulated by regulatory measures designed to reduce consumer prices;
- the incumbent telco is investing in a sub sea cable to connect the islands to France and Egypt;
- expected to be ready for service in 2022, the cable will further enhance Malta’s internet bandwidth and lead to reduced prices for end-users;
- there has also been some encouragement to increase market competition (2021)
- domestic:
- fixed-line approximately 59 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular subscribership 143 per 100 persons;
- automatic system featuring submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands (2020)
- international:
- country code - 356;
- landing points for the Malta-Gozo Cable, VMSCS, GO-1 Mediterranean Cable System, Malta Italy Interconnector, Melita-1, and the Italy-Malta submarine cable connections to Italy;
- satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production;
progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media
- 2 publicly owned TV stations, Television Malta broadcasting nationally plus an educational channel;
- several privately owned national television stations, 2 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 3 stations;
- roughly 20 commercial radio stations (2019)
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine, 2,137 ships by type(2021)
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
National air transport system
- number of registered air carriers:
- 13 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 180
- annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
- 2,576,898 (2018)
- annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
- 5.14 million (2018) mt-km
Roadways
- total:
- 3,096 km (2008)
- paved:
- 2,704 km (2008)
- unpaved:
- 392 km (2008)
- urban:
- 1,422 km (2001)
- non-urban:
- 832 km (2001)
Ports and terminals
- major seaport(s):
- Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport), Valletta
- container port(s) (TEUs):
- Marsaxlokk (2,722,889) (2019)
- LNG terminal(s) (import):
- Delimara
Military and Security
6 fieldsPersonnel strengthsone square, 100 people · (2021)
Military and security forces
the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) is a joint force with land, maritime, and air elements, plus a Volunteer Reserve Force (2022) note: the AFM and the Malta Police Force are both under the Ministry of Home Affairs, National Security, and Law Enforcement
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the military has a small inventory that consists of equipment from a mix of European countries, particularly Italy, and the US (2021)
Military service age and obligation
18-30 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2022)
Military - note
- Malta maintains a security policy of neutrality, but contributes to EU and UN military missions and joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1995 (suspended in 1996, but reactivated in 2008);
- it also participates in various bilateral and multinational military exercises;
- Malta cooperates closely with Italy on defense matters;
- in 1973, Italy established a military mission in Malta to provide advice, training, and search and rescue assistance
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsRefugees and internally displaced persons
stateless persons: 11 (mid-year 2021) note: 8,556 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals by sea (January 2015-November 2022)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Malta.” The World Factbook 2022. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/malta/2022.