2023 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 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.

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

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 (2020)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

32.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 28.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

0.9% (2018 est.)

other

66.8% (2018 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

14.53% (male 34,870/female 32,989)

15-64 years

62.83% (male 151,927/female 141,561)

65 years and over

22.65% (2023 est.) (male 48,830/female 56,961)

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

9.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

10.8% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

63.2% (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

27.7

potential support ratio

3.6 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.1

youth dependency ratio

19.3

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

5.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.74 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

4.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.6 years

male

81.3 years

total population

83.4 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.4% (2021)

male

93.4%

total population

94.9%

Major urban areas - population

213,000 VALLETTA (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

44.4 years

male

42.1 years

total

43.2 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

29.3 years (2020 est.)

note

note: data refers to the average of the different childbearing ages of first-order births

Nationality

adjective

Maltese

noun

Maltese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

28.9% (2016)

Physicians density

2.86 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

467,138 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.59% (2023 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

18 years (2020)

male

17 years

total

17 years

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 (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

21.6% (2020 est.)

male

26.4% (2020 est.)

total

24% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.51 children born/woman (2023 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 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

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 2020

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 Constance J. MILSTEIN (since October 27, 2022)

email address and website

ACSMalta@state.govhttps://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; note - The Embassy of Malta has relocated until further notice to the following address due to ongoing refurbishment:C/O WeWork Flr 21333 New Hampshire Ave NWWashington DC, 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Godfrey C. XUEREB (since 19 April 2023)

email address and website

maltaembassy.washington@gov.mthttps://foreignandeu.gov.mt/en/Embassies/ME_United_States/Pages/ME_United_States.aspx

FAX

[1] (202) 387-5470; note - The Embassy of Malta has relocated until further notice due to ongoing refurbishment and can be reached by FAX at the following number:  [1] (202) 530-9753​

telephone

[1] (202) 462-3611; note - The Embassy of Malta has relocated until further notice due to ongoing refurbishment and can be reached at the following number:  [1] (202) 286-4610

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

2019: George VELLA (PL) elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous; 2020: Robert ABELA (PL) appointed prime minister2014: Maria Louise Coleiro PRECO elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous

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 Robert ABELA (13 January 2020)

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, 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 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 (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)

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

elections

last held on 26 March 2022 (next to be held in 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Dun Karm PSAILA/Robert SAMMUT

name

"L-Innu Malti" (The Maltese Anthem)

note

note: adopted 1945; written in the form of a prayer

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; national colors: red, white

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]

Suffrage

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

Agricultural products

milk, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cauliflowers, broccoli, eggplants, pork, cabbages, poultry

Budget

expenditures

$5.586 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$5.661 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

3.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

A+ (2017)

Moody's rating

A2 (2019)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

A- (2016)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$777.443 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$415.142 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$804.056 million (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$104.467 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$98.179 billion (2019 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 2017

0.885 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

0.847 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$20.773 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$19.526 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$22.11 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

integrated circuits, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, postage stamps, children's toys and stuffed animals, ships (2021)

Exports - partners

Germany 12%, France 9%, Italy 9% (2019)

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)

$14.986 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

31 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2019

$18.578 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$18.328 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$21.362 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, recreational boats, ships, aircraft, coal tar oil (2019)

Imports - partners

Russia 22%, Italy 12%, United Kingdom 11%, Germany 6%, Turkey 5%, France 5%, China 5%, South Korea 5% (2019)

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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

1.64% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

0.64% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.5% (2021 est.)

Labor force

280,300 (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

17.1% (2018 est.)

Public debt

note

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

Public debt 2016

56.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

50.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$22.902 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$20.995 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$23.157 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

5.92% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-8.32% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

10.3% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$45,400 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$40,700 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$44,700 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$937.616 million (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$930.464 million (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$1.149 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

23.73% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

3.62% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

4.26% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

3.5% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

5.8%

male

13.6%

total

9.8% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

745,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

8.831 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

9.576 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

2,497,143,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

4 million kWh (2020 est.)

imports

420 million kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

784,000 kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

158 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

88.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

11.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

267.739 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

415.606 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

415.606 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

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.)

refined petroleum consumption

54,000 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 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

48 (2020 est.)

total

213,419 (2020 est.)

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

87% (2021 est.)

total

461,100 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line approximately 49 per 100  persons and mobile-cellular subscribership 122 per 100 persons (2021)

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)

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

49 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

259,439 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

122 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

644,955 (2021 est.)

Airports

1 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9H

Heliports

2 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 545, container ship 312, general cargo 182, oil tanker 395, other 613

total

2,047 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

5.14 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

2,576,898 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

180

number of registered air carriers

13 (2020)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Marsaxlokk (2,967,765) (2021)

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Delimara

major seaport(s)

Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport), Valletta

Roadways

non-urban

832 km (2001)

paved

2,704 km (2008)

total

3,096 km (2008)

unpaved

392 km (2008)

urban

1,422 km (2001)

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; the AFM has a joint force headquarters with five subordinate units—three land regiments, an air wing, and a maritime squadron; the air wing does not have any fighter aircraft but has both fixed and rotary wing aircraft for such tasks as maritime law enforcement and surveillance, reconnaissance, search and rescue, and transport; the maritime squadron is outfitted with both offshore patrol vessels and inshore patrol boats, and includes a small marine force element for maritime law enforcement and boarding operations, as well as a small land component tasked with defending the territorial integrity of the island of Gozo and providing military assistance to the Malta Police Force and other government departmentsMalta 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 (2023)

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 (2023)

note

note: the Malta Police Force maintains internal security; both the Police and the AFM report to the Ministry of Home Affairs, National Security, and Law Enforcement

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 2,000 active-duty personnel (2023)

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 (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

0.5% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.6% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.5% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.7% of GDP (2022)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2023)

Disputes - international

none identified

Illicit drugs

minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe

Refugees and internally displaced persons

note

note: 8,556 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals by sea (January 2015-November 2022)

stateless persons

11 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST; established in 1988 by the Maltese Government as a public body to provide advice and coordinate on science, technology, and space-related issues) (2023)

Space program overview

the MSCT was originally established by the Maltese Government to provide advice on science and technology policy; its mission has since expanded to building relationships with foreign space agencies, the Maltese Government, industry, and the educational sector with the aim of exploring the use and sharing of space-related applications; the MCST acts for and on behalf of the Foundation for Science and Technology; it has established relationships with the European Space Agency (ESA), the French Space Agency (CNES), the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and Eurisy, a Paris-based, non-profit association that brings together space agencies, international organizations, research institutions, and private businesses involved or interested in space-related activities across Europe (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

1.34 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.2 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

12.93 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

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

Land use

agricultural land

32.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 28.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

0.9% (2018 est.)

other

66.8% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

1 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

40 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

94.9% of total population (2023)

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.)