2020 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 falling under the control of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, and 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 the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination, as its key industries moved toward more service-oriented activities. Malta became an EU member in 2004 and joined the eurozone 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, D.C.

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

Geographic coordinates

35 50 N, 14 35 E

Geography - note

the country is an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors

Irrigated land

39 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

25.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

forest

1.5% (2023 est.)

other

66.4% (2023 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

14.5% (male 35,034/female 33,181)

15-64 years

62.4% (male 151,836/female 141,248)

65 years and over

23.1% (2024 est.) (male 50,153/female 58,278)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

2.8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

2.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

8.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

7.67 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.7% (2022 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

52% (2021 est.)

Death rate

8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

32.9 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

3 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

54.1 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

21.2 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

4.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

12.5% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.57 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

10.6% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

16.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

4.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.8 years

male

81.5 years

total population

83.6 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

213,000 VALLETTA (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

44.7 years

male

42.4 years

total

42.1 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.3 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Maltese

noun

Maltese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

7.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

28.9% (2016)

Physician density

7.86 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

250,648

male

271,180

total

521,828 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.65% (2025 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2023 est.)

male

15 years (2023 est.)

total

16 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

20.2% (2025 est.)

male

23.9% (2025 est.)

total

22.1% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.18 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

94.9% of total population (2023)

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

etymology

named in honor of Jean Parizot de la VALETTE, the Grand Master of the Order of Saint John (crusader knights), who founded the city in 1566

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

amendment process

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

history

many previous; latest adopted 21 September 1964

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Malta

conventional short form

Malta

etymology

the origin is unclear; the name may come from the ancient term mel, meaning "high" and probably referring to the island's rocks; the ancient Greeks called the island "Melite," possibly 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 Somers FARKAS (since 26 November 2025)

email address and website

ACSMalta@state.gov https://mt.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Ta' Qali National Park, Attard, ATD 4000

mailing address

5800 Valletta Place, Washington DC 20521-5800

telephone

[356] 2561-4000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Godfrey C. XUEREB (since 19 April 2023)

email address and website

maltaembassy.washington@gov.mt The Embassy (gov.mt)

FAX

[1] (202) 530-9753​

telephone

[1] (771) 213-4050

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Myriam Spiteri DEBONO (since 4 April 2024)

election results

2024:  Myriam Spiteri DEBONO (PL) elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous 2019: George VELLA (PL) elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous

election/appointment process

president indirectly elected by the House of Representatives for a single 5-year term; following legislative elections, the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister for a 5-year term; deputy prime minister appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

expected date of next election

by March 2029

head of government

Prime Minister Robert ABELA (since 13 January 2020)

most recent election date

27 March 2024

Flag

description: two equal vertical bands of white (left side) and red; in the upper-left corner is the George Cross, edged in red history: according to legend, the colors come from the red-and-white checkered banner of Count Roger of Sicily, who removed a bicolored corner and granted it to Malta in 1091, but the colors more likely come from the Knights of Saint John, who ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798; in 1942, Britain's King George VI awarded the George Cross to the islanders for their exceptional bravery and gallantry in World War II, and the George Cross bordered in red was added to the flag after independence in 1964 

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, NATO (partner), 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

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 on 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 system of English common law and civil law based on the Roman and Napoleonic civil codes; subject to European Union law

Legislative branch

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

March 2027

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

House of Representatives (Il-Kamra Tad-Deputati)

most recent election date

3/26/2022

number of seats

65 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Labour Party (LP) (44); Nationalist Party (PN) (35)

percentage of women in chamber

29.1%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1945; written in the form of a prayer to bind together the political parties and the country

lyrics/music

Dun Karm PSAILA/Robert SAMMUT

title

"L-Innu Malti" (The Hymn of Malta)

National coat of arms

Adopted in 1988, Malta’s coat of arms has a shield displaying the national flag, with olive and palm branches on each side symbolizing peace. On top of the shield is a golden crown in the shape of a fortification with five turrets, representing Malta's forts. The white ribbon below the shield displays the name Repubblika ta' Malta (Republic of Malta).

National color(s)

red, white

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

City of Valletta; Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum; Megalithic Temples of Malta

total World Heritage Sites

3 (all cultural)

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

Maltese eight-pointed cross

Political parties

AD+PD or ADPD (formed from the merger of Democratic Alternative or AD and Democratic Party (Partit Demokratiku) or PD) Labor Party (Partit Laburista) or PL  Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista) or PN 

Suffrage

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

Agricultural products

milk, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, chicken, cauliflower/broccoli, cabbages, pork, pumpkins/squash, watermelons (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$7.966 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$6.95 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

-$167.611 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$1.425 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$1.383 billion (2024 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, EU-member European economy; diversified portfolio; euro user; dependent on food and energy imports; strong tourism, trade, and manufacturing sectors; high North African immigration; large welfare system; educated workforce

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$23.566 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$26.647 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$29.245 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, integrated circuits, packaged medicine, ships, postage stamps/documents (2023)

Exports - partners

Nigeria 28%, Germany 10%, China 6%, Singapore 5%, Hong Kong 4% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

123.5% (2024 est.)

government consumption

17.2% (2024 est.)

household consumption

46.6% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-106.1% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

17.9% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

0.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.2% (2024 est.)

industry

11.4% (2024 est.)

services

80.8% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$24.322 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

34.6 (2022 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27.7% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

2.7% (2022 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$21.406 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$22.637 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$24.505 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, integrated circuits, aircraft, packaged medicine (2023)

Imports - partners

Italy 18%, China 10%, Germany 8%, France 7%, Turkey 7% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

5.6% (2024 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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.2% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.1% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

1.7% (2024 est.)

Labor force

318,200 (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

16.7% (2021 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2017

50.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$30.689 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$32.774 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$34.731 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

6.8% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

6% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$57,800 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$59,300 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$60,500 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

0.1% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$1.199 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$1.223 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$1.418 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

3% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.2% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

2.8% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

5.7% (2024 est.)

male

9.6% (2024 est.)

total

7.8% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

8.4 metric tons (2021 est.)

imports

3.9 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

2.766 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

28 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports

648 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

829,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

199.086 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

86.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

13.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

234.698 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

444.715 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

444.715 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

50,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

44 (2023 est.)

total

236,000 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

2 publicly owned TV stations, Television Malta and 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

92% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

49 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

259,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

142 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

767,000 (2024 est.)

Airports

1 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9H

Heliports

2 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 490, container ship 348, general cargo 152, oil tanker 354, other 613

total

1,957 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Marsaxlokk, Valletta Harbors

large

0

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

0

small

1

total ports

2 (2024)

very small

0

Military - note

the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) are responsible for external security but also have some domestic security responsibilities; the AFM’s primary roles include maintaining the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, monitoring and policing its territorial waters, participating in overseas peacekeeping and stability operations, and providing search and rescue and explosive ordnance disposal capabilities; secondary missions include assisting civil authorities during emergencies, supporting the police and other security services, and providing ceremonial and other public support duties Malta maintains a security policy of neutrality but contributes to EU, Organization for the Security and Cooperation (OSCE), 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 (2025)

Military and security forces

the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM): Land Component (combat, combat support, and combat service support divided into three regiments), Maritime Squadron, Air Wing; Volunteer Reserve Force (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 2,000 active Armed Forces of Malta (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military has a small inventory of armaments from a mix of European countries, particularly Italy, and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

0.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

0.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2026)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

9,284 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

171 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from consumed natural gas

852,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

8.113 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

8.965 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

limited natural freshwater resources; deforestation; wildlife preservation

International environmental 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

Particulate matter emissions

13.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

50.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

21.358 million cubic meters (2022)

industrial

1 million cubic meters (2022)

municipal

39.497 million cubic meters (2022)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

348,800 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

10.5% (2022 est.)