2019 Edition

Background

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 ten 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.

Area

Land

316 sq km

Total

316 sq km

Water

0 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

Coastline

196.8 km (excludes 56 km for the island of Gozo)

Elevation

Highest Point

Ta'Dmejrek on Dingli Cliffs 253 m

Lowest Point

Mediterranean Sea 0 m

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, 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

Geographic Coordinates

35 50 N, 14 35 E

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

Irrigated Land

35 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

32.3% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

28.4% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

3.9% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

0% (2011 est.)

Forest

0.9% (2011 est.)

Other

66.8% (2011 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

occasional droughts

Natural Resources

limestone, salt, arable land

Population Distribution

most of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islands

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0 14 Years

14.29% (male 33,156 /female 31,012)

15 24 Years

11.03% (male 25,713 /female 23,815)

25 54 Years

40.92% (male 95,162 /female 88,602)

55 64 Years

13.25% (male 29,787 /female 29,703)

65 Years And Over

20.51% (male 41,900 /female 50,193) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

10 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

9.3% (2016)

Death Rate

7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

27.3 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

3.7 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

48.8 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

21.4 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

100% of population

Improved Total

100% of population

Improved Urban

100% of population

Unimproved Rural

0% of population

Unimproved Total

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population

Education Expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2015)

Ethnic Groups

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

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.1% (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

<100 (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

<500 (2016 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

4.7 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

4.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

4.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Maltese (official) 90.1%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.9% (2005 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

84.8 years

Male

80.6 years

Total Population

82.7 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

95.8% (2015)

Male

93.1%

Total Population

94.4%

Major Urban Areas Population

213,000 VALLETTA (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

43.1 years

Male

40.6 years

Total

41.8 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

26.9 years (2010 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Maltese

Noun

Maltese (singular and plural)

Net Migration Rate

7.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

28.9% (2016)

Physicians Density

3.83 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

449,043 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.99% (2018 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic (official) more than 90% (2006 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

100% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

100% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

100% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

16 years (2016)

Male

15 years

Total

16 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.07 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.08 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

1.07 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

1 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.83 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.04 male(s)/female

Total Population

1.01 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.48 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

10.2% (2017 est.)

Male

12.2%

Total

11.3%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

0.38% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

94.7% of total population (2019)

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

Capital

Daylight Saving Time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Geographic Coordinates

35 53 N, 14 30 E

Name

Valletta

Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

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 2016 (2017)

History

many previous; latest adopted 21 September 1964

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Republic of Malta

Conventional 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

Local Long Form

Repubblika ta' Malta

Local Short Form

Malta

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mark A. SCHAPIRO (since 29 September 2018)

Embassy

Ta' Qali National Park, Attard, ATD 4000

Fax

[356] 2561-4183

Mailing Address

5800 Valletta Place, Dulles, VA 20189

Telephone

[356] 2561-4000

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Keith AZZOPARDI (since 17 September 2018)

Fax

[1] (202) 387-5470

Telephone

[1] (202) 462-3611 through 3612

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Chief Of State

President George VELLA (since 4 April 2019)

Election Results

George VELLA (PL) elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous; Joseph MUSCAT (PL) reappointed 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

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Joseph MUSCAT (since 11 March 2013)

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

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Independence

21 September 1964 (from the UK)

International Law Organization Participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

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)

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

Legislative Branch

Description

unicameral House of Representatives or Il-Kamra Tad-Deputati, a component of the Parliament of Malta (normally 65 seats but can include at-large members; members directly elected in 5 multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note - the parliament elected in 2013 had 69 seats; an additional two seats were added in 2016 by the Constitutional Court to correct for mistakes made in the 2013 vote-counting process

Election Results

percent of vote by party - PL 55%, PN 43.7%, other 1.3%; seats by party - PL 37 PN 30; note - PN was awarded two additional seats for a total of 30 in accordance with the proportionality provisions specified in the constitution; PD candidates ran under the PN list; composition - men 57, women 10, percent of women 14.9%

Elections

last held on 3 June 2017 (next to be held in 2022); note - Prime Minister MUSCAT called for early elections amid corruption allegations

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Dun Karm PSAILA/Robert SAMMUT

Name

"L-Innu Malti" (The Maltese Anthem)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 21 September (1964); Republic Day, 13 December (1974)

National Symbol S

Maltese eight-pointed cross; national colors: red, white

Political Parties And Leaders

Democratic Party (Partit Demokratiku) or PD [Godfrey FARRUGIA] Labor Party (Partit Laburista) or PL [Joseph MUSCAT] Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista) or PN [Adrian DELIA]

Suffrage

18 years of age (16 in local council elections); universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

4.583 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

5.076 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

3.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2015

-0.2%

31 December 2016

-0.35%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

5.06%

31 December 2017

3.7%

Current Account Balance

2016

$788 million

2017

$1.712 billion

Debt External

31 December 2015

$99.02 billion

September 2016

$90.98 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2014

27.7

2015

28.1

Economy 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.

Exchange Rates

2013

0.7634

2014

0.885

2015

0.9214

2016

0.903

2017

0.885

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$2.493 billion

2017

$3.272 billion

Exports Commodities

machinery and mechanical appliances; mineral fuels, oils and petroleum products; pharmaceutical products; books and newspapers; aircraft/spacecraft and parts; toys, games, and sports equipment

Exports Partners

Germany 17.3%, France 10.2%, Italy 9.4%, Singapore 5.9%, Hong Kong 5.8%, US 5.7%, Japan 4.9%, Libya 4.5% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

136.1% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

15.3% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

45.2% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-117.9% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

21.1% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

0.3% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

1.1% (2017 est.)

Industry

10.2% (2017 est.)

Services

88.7% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$12.58 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$39,000

2016

$40,100

2017

$41,900

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$17.16 billion

2016

$18.05 billion

2017

$19.26 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

9.5%

2016

5.2%

2017

6.7%

Gross National Saving

2015

31.2% of GDP

2016

31.8% of GDP

2017

33.5% of GDP

Imports

2016

$4.965 billion

2017

$4.996 billion

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

Imports Partners

Italy 23%, Germany 7.9%, UK 7.7%, Spain 5%, Canada 4.5%, US 4.3%, France 4.2% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

-3.3% (2016 est.)

Industries

tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, aviation services, financial services, information technology services

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

0.9%

2017

1.3%

Labor Force

206,300 (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

1.6%

Industry

20.7%

Services

77.7% (2016 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2014

$3.353 billion

31 December 2015

$4.468 billion

31 December 2016

$4.632 billion

Population Below Poverty Line

16.3% (2015 est.)

Public Debt

2016

56.3% of GDP

2017

50.7% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$677.1 million

31 December 2017

$833 million

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$14.28 billion

31 December 2017

$17.93 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

31 June 2014

$64.77 million

June 2015

$65.49 million

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

1 June 2015

$155.5 million

1 June 2016

$166.1 million

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$11.99 billion

31 December 2017

$13.97 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$14.28 billion

31 December 2017

$17.93 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

40.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

5.3%

2017

4.6%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

8.141 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

2.122 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

81% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

1.525 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

575,100 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

813 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

283.2 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

311.5 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

45,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

10,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

52,290 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

44 (2017 est.)

Total

181,318

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)

Internet Country Code

.mt

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

77.3% (July 2016 est.)

Total

320,902

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line 58 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular subscribership 135 per 100 persons (2018)

General Assessment

automatic system featuring submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands; one of the most advanced telecoms in Europe, high penetration of mobile and broadband, and a way forward to expand e-commerce opportunities; '5G ready' and LTE network; regulatory system that encourages investors (2018)

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)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

58 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

240,280

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

135 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

560,010

Airports

1 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

Over 3 047 M

1 (2017)

Total

1 (2017)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

9H (2016)

Heliports

2 (2013)

Merchant Marine

By Type

bulk carrier 645, container ship 283, general cargo 288, oil tanker 391, other 598 (2018)

Total

2,205

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

3.352 million mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

1,583,046 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

28 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

9 (2015)

Ports And Terminals

Container Port's Teus

Marsaxlokk (3,150,000) (2017)

Major Seaport S

Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport), Valletta

Roadways

Non Urban

832 km (2001)

Paved

1,973 km (2001)

Total

2,254 km (2001)

Unpaved

281 km (2001)

Urban

1,422 km (2001)

Military And Security Forces

Armed Forces of Malta (AFM, includes land, maritime, and air elements, plus a Volunteer Reserve Force) (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014

0.5% of GDP

2015

0.5% of GDP

2016

0.54% of GDP

2017

0.51% of GDP

2018

0.49% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019)

Disputes International

none

Illicit Drugs

minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

11 (2018)