Page last updated on January 31, 2014
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 Malta became 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.
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
total: 316 sq km
country comparison to the world: 208
land: 316 sq km
water: 0 sq km
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
196.8 km (excludes 56 km for the island of Gozo)
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm
Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)
limestone, salt, arable land
arable land: 28.12%
permanent crops: 4.06%
other: 67.81% (2011)
total: 0.05 cu km/yr (64%/1%/35%)
per capita: 134.1 cu m/yr (2009)
limited natural freshwater resources; increasing reliance on desalination
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
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
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese
Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.8% (2005 census)
Roman Catholic (official) 98%
411,277 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
0-14 years: 15.3% (male 32,126/female 30,603)
15-24 years: 12.9% (male 27,284/female 25,771)
25-54 years: 40.5% (male 85,066/female 81,672)
55-64 years: 14.1% (male 28,853/female 29,104)
65 years and over: 17.2% (male 31,397/female 39,401) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 44.9 %
youth dependency ratio: 21.3 %
elderly dependency ratio: 23.6 %
potential support ratio: 4.2 (2013)
total: 40.5 years
male: 39.3 years
female: 41.8 years (2013 est.)
0.34% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
10.27 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
8.84 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
1.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
urban population: 95% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
VALLETTA (capital) 199,000 (2009)
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 (2013 est.)
8 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 162
total: 3.62 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 208
male: 4.04 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 79.98 years
country comparison to the world: 34
male: 77.69 years
female: 82.41 years (2013 est.)
1.53 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
85.8%
note: percent of women aged 20-45 (1993)
8.5% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world: 51
3.23 physicians/1,000 population (2011)
4.4 beds/1,000 population (2011)
0.1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
fewer than 500 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
28.8% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 32
5.4% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 59
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.4%
male: 91.2%
female: 93.5% (2005 est.)
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2010)
total: 14.2%
country comparison to the world: 91
male: 14%
female: 14.5% (2012)
conventional long form: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta
local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
local short form: Malta
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
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
21 September 1964 (from the UK)
Independence Day, 21 September (1964); Republic Day, 13 December (1974)
many previous; latest adopted 21 September 1964; amended many times, last in 2011 (2011)
mixed legal system of English common law and civil law (based on the Roman and Napoleonic civil codes)
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President George ABELA (since 4 April 2009)
head of government: Prime Minister Joseph MUSCAT (since 11 March 2013)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
elections: president elected by a resolution of the House of Representatives for a five-year term; election last held on 12 January 2009 (next to be held by April 2014); 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: George ABELA elected president by the House of Representatives
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
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}
Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD (Green Party) [Arnold CASSOLA]
Alliance of Liberal Democrats Malta (Alleanza Liberali-Demokratika Malta) of ALDM (for divorce, abortion, gay marriage, women's rights)
other: environmentalists
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
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
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
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
name: "L-Innu Malti" (The Maltese Anthem)
lyrics/music: Dun Karm PSAILA/Robert SAMMUT
note: adopted 1945; the anthem is written in the form of a prayer
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. 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. Malta reduced its deficit below 3 percent of GDP, leading the EU to dismiss its official excessive deficit procedure against Malta in 2012.
$11.19 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$8.632 billion (2012 est.)
1% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
$26,900 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
14.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
household consumption: 60%
government consumption: 21.2%
investment in fixed capital: 14.8%
investment in inventories: -1.4%
exports of goods and services: 102.5%
imports of goods and services: -96.9%
agriculture: 1.5%
industry: 13.4%
services: 85.1% (2012 est.)
potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs
tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, aviation services, financial services, information technology services
184,500 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
agriculture: 1.5%
industry: 24.7%
services: 73.9% (2011)
6.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
27.4 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 124
revenues: $3.532 billion
expenditures: $3.823 billion (2012 est.)
40.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
-3.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
71.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
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
2.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
1.75% (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 127
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
4.7% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
$5.336 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
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
$12.66 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
$13.38 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
$3.424 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 96
$87.6 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
$4.232 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
machinery and mechanical appliances; mineral fuels, oils and products; pharmaceutical products; printed books and newspapers; aircraft/spacecraft and parts; toys, games, and sports equipment
Germany 14.9%, France 12.3%, Italy 7.2%, UK 5.2%, Libya 5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2012)
$5.451 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
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
Italy 39.2%, UK 7.3%, France 7.3%, Germany 6.4%, Spain 4.1% (2012)
$704.9 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
$45.77 billion (31 December 2012)
country comparison to the world: 63
$17.25 billion (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 74
$1.213 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
2.168 billion kWh (2011)
country comparison to the world: 133
1.602 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
572,600 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
99.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
0.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 165
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
19,520 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
47,050 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 172
6.83 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
229,700 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 125
539,500 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 168
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)
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)
14,754 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 125
240,600 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 137
1 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 226
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
total: 3,096 km
country comparison to the world: 164
paved: 2,704 km
unpaved: 392 km (2008)
total: 1,650
country comparison to the world: 4
by type: bulk carrier 544, cargo 351, carrier 1, chemical tanker 324, container 117, liquefied gas 36, passenger 50, passenger/cargo 18, petroleum tanker 160, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 22, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 18
foreign-owned: 1,437 (Angola 7, Azerbaijan 1, Belgium 7, Bermuda 15, Bulgaria 8, Canada 5, China 6, Croatia 6, Cyprus 32, Denmark 34, Egypt 1, Estonia 16, Finland 3, France 8, Germany 135, Greece 469, Hong Kong 4, India 3, Iran 48, Ireland 4, Israel 3, Italy 45, Japan 5, Kuwait 3, Latvia 8, Lebanon 6, Libya 5, Luxembourg 3, Malaysia 1, Monaco 3, Netherlands 3, Norway 96, Oman 5, Poland 21, Portugal 3, Romania 7, Russia 45, Saudi Arabia 2, Singapore 4, Slovenia 4, South Korea 2, Spain 8, Sweden 1, Switzerland 20, Syria 4, Turkey 233, UAE 1, UK 21, Ukraine 29, US 34)
registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 2) (2010)
major seaport(s): Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport), Valletta
container port(s) (TEUs): Marsaxlokk (2,360,000)
Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes land, maritime, and air elements) (2013)
17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2013)
males age 16-49: 95,499
females age 16-49: 90,919 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 79,645
females age 16-49: 75,684 (2010 est.)
male: 2,554
female: 2,385 (2010 est.)
0.61% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 365
refugees (country of origin): 5,041 Somalia (2012)
