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$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)