home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Government
-
- Long-form name: Republic of Malta.
-
- Type: parliamentary democracy.
-
- 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 and Roman civil
- law; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations.
-
- National holiday: Freedom Day, 31 March.
-
- Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy prime
- minister, Cabinet.
-
- Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives.
-
- Judicial branch: Constitutional Court and Court of Appeal.
-
- Leaders:
-
- Chief of State--President Vincent (Censu) TABONE
- (since 4 April 1989);
-
- Head of Government--Prime Minister Dr. Edward (Eddie) FENECH
- ADAMI (since 12 May 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Guido
- DE MARCO (since 14 May 1987).
-
- Political parties and leaders: Nationalist Party, Edward
- Fenech Adami; Malta Labor Party, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici.
-
- Suffrage: universal at age 18.
-
- Elections: House of Representatives--last held on 9 May 1987
- (next to be held by May 1992); results--NP 51.1%, MLP 48.9%;
- seats--(usually 65 total, but additional seats are given to the
- party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative
- majority; current total 69) MLP 34, NP 31 before popular vote
- adjustment; MLP 34, NP 35 after adjustment.
-
- 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 Sally J. NOVETZKE; 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.
-