$Unique_ID{COW02348} $Pretitle{430} $Title{Malta Statistical Profile of Malta} $Subtitle{} $Author{Central Intelligence Agency} $Affiliation{United States Government} $Subject{rate million km malta maltese labor valletta government } $Date{1990} $Log{National Anthem*65400010.aud Map of Malta*0234801.scf Flag of Malta*0234802.scf } Country: Malta Book: CIA World Factbook Author: Central Intelligence Agency Affiliation: United States Government Date: 1990 [Hear National Anthem] [See Map of Malta] [See Flag of Malta] Statistical Profile of Malta Geography Total area: 320 km2; land area: 320 km2 Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 140 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 24 nm Continental shelf: 200 meters or to depth of exploitation Exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Climate: Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers Terrain: mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs Natural resources: limestone, salt Land use: 38% arable land; 3% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 59% other; includes 3% irrigated Environment: numerous bays provide good harbors; fresh water very scarce--increasing reliance on desalination Note: strategic location in central Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily, 290 km north of Libya People Population: 371,368 (July 1989), growth rate 0.6% (1989) Birth rate: 14 births/1,000 population (1989) Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1989) Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1989) Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1,000 live births (1989) Life expectancy at birth: 73 years male, 77 years female (1989) Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1989) Nationality: noun--Maltese (sing. and pl.); adjective--Maltese Ethnic divisions: mixture of Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, English Religion: 98% Roman Catholic Language: Maltese and English (official) Literacy: 83% Labor force: 125,674; 30% services, 24% manufacturing, 21% government (except job corps), 8% construction, 5% utilities and drydocks, 4% agriculture (1987) Organized labor: about 40% of labor force Government Long-form name: Republic of Malta Type: parliamentary democracy, independent republic within the Commonwealth Capital: Valletta Administrative divisions: none (administration directly from Valletta) Independence: 21 September 1964 (from UK) Constitution: 26 April 1974, effective 2 June 1974 Legal system: based on English common law; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations National holiday: Freedom Day, 31 March Branches: executive, consisting of prime minister and Cabinet; unicameral legislature (65-member House of Representatives); independent judiciary Leaders: Chief of State Head of Government Paul XUEREB, President (since February 1987); Edward FENECH ADAMI, Prime Minister (since May 1987) Suffrage: universal over age 18; registration required Elections: at the discretion of the prime minister, but must be held before the expiration of a five-year electoral mandate; last election May 1987 Political parties and leaders: Nationalist Party, Edward Fenech Adami; Malta Labor Party, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici Voting strength: (1987 election) House of Representatives--Nationalist (51% of the vote), 31 seats plus 4 extra seats for getting more than 50% of the vote; Labor (49% of the vote), 34 seats Communists: fewer than 100 (est.) Member of: CCC, Commonwealth, Council of Europe, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NAM,UN, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Salvatore J. STELLINI; Chancery at 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 462-3611 or 3612; there is a Maltese Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador Peter R. SOMMER; Embassy at 2nd Floor, Development House, St. Anne Street, Floriana, Valletta (mailing address is P. O. Box 535, Valletta); telephone [356] 623653 or 620424, 623216 Flag: 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 Economy Overview: Significant resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited freshwater supplies, and has no domestic energy sources. Consequently, the economy is highly dependent on foreign trade and services. Manufacturing and tourism are the largest contributors to the economy. Manufacturing accounts for about 30% of GDP, with the textile and clothing industry a major contributor. In 1987 inflation was held to a modest 0.4% rate and unemployment dropped to 4.4%. Per capita GDP at $4,310 places Malta in the middle-income range of the world's nations. GDP: $1.6 billion, per capita $4,310; real growth rate 6.0% (1987) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.4% (1987) Unemployment rate: 4.4% (1987) Budget: revenues $639 million; expenditures $762 million, including capital expenditures of $65 million (1987 est.) Exports: $600 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--clothing, textiles, footwear, ships; partners--FRG 31%, UK 14%, Italy 14% Imports: $1,130 million (c.i.f., 1987); commodities--food, petroleum, nonfood raw materials; partners--FRG 19%, UK 17%, Italy 17%, US 11% External debt: $90 million, medium and long-term (December 1987) Industrial production: growth rate 6.2% (1987) Electricity: 328,000 kW capacity; 1,010 million kWh produced, 2,740 kWh per capita (1988) Industries: tourism, ship repair yard, clothing, construction, food manufacturing, textiles, footwear, clothing, beverages, tobacco Agriculture: overall, 20% self-sufficient; main products--potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers, hogs, poultry, eggs; generally adequate supplies of vegetables, poultry, milk, pork products; seasonal or periodic shortages in grain, animal fodder, fruits, other basic foodstuffs Aid: NA Currency: Maltese lira (plural--liri); 1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Maltese liri (LM) per US$1--0.3359 (January 1989), 0.3306 (1988), 0.3451 (1987), 0.3924 (1986), 0.4676 (1985) Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March Communications Highways: 1,291 km total; 1,179 km paved (asphalt), 77 km crushed stone or gravel, 35 km improved and unimproved earth Ports: Valletta, Marsaxlokk Merchant marine: 261 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,078,387 GRT/5,267,810 DWT; includes 2 passenger, 4 short-sea passenger, 104 cargo, 2 container, 2 passenger-cargo, 3 container, 13 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 5 refrigerated cargo, 2 chemical tanker, 2 combination ore/oil, 51 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 60 bulk, 11 combination bulk; note--a flag of convenience registry Civil air: 8 major transport aircraft Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m Telecommunications: modern automatic system centered in Valletta; 153,000 telephones; stations--9 AM, 3 FM, 2 TV; 1 submarine cable; 1 communication satellite ground station operating in the INTELSAT system Defense Forces Branches: Armed Forces, Police, Paramilitary Dejima Force Military manpower: males 15-49, 98,135; 78,750 fit for military service Military budget: $24 million, 2.5% of central government budget (FY87)