@node Geography (Malta)
@section Geography (Malta)

@display

Location:
  in the central Mediterranean Sea, 93 km south of Sicily (Italy), 290 km
  north of Libya
Map references:
  Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  320 km2
 land area:
  320 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
  0 km
Coastline:
  140 km
Maritime claims:
 contiguous zone:
  24 nm
 continental shelf:
  200 m depth or to depth of exploitation
 exclusive fishing zone:
  25 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  none
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:
 arable land:
  38%
 permanent crops:
  3%
 meadows and pastures:
  0%
 forest and woodland:
  0%
 other:
  59%
Irrigated land:   10 km2 (1989)
Environment:
  numerous bays provide good harbors; fresh water very scarce; increasing
  reliance on desalination
Note:
  the country comprises an archipelago, with only the 3 largest islands
  (Malta, Gozo, and Comino) being inhabited



@end display

@node People (Malta)
@section People (Malta)

@display

Population:
  363,791 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  0.84% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  13.9 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  7.52 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  1.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  76.52 years
 male:
  74.32 years
 female:
  78.9 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  1.97 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
 noun:
  Maltese (singular and plural)
 adjective:
  Maltese
Ethnic divisions:
  Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, English
Religions:
  Roman Catholic 98%
Languages:
  Maltese (official), English (official)
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
 total population:
  84%
 male:
  86%
 female:
  82%
Labor force:
  127,200
 by occupation:
  government (excluding job corps) 37%, services 26%, manufacturing 22%,
  training programs 9%, construction 4%, agriculture 2% (1990)



@end display

@node Government (Malta)
@section Government (Malta)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Republic of Malta
 conventional short form:
  Malta
Digraph:
  MT
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:
  Independence Day, 21 September
Political parties and leaders:
  Nationalist Party (NP), Edward FENECH ADAMI; Malta Labor Party (MLP), Alfred
  SANT
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 House of Representatives:
  last held on 22 February 1992 (next to be held by February 1997); results -
  NP 51.8%, MLP 46.5%; seats - (usually 65 total) MLP 36, NP 29; note -
  additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to
  ensure a legislative majority; current total 69 (MLP 33, NP 36 after
  adjustment)
Executive branch:
  president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Representatives
Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court, 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)
Member of:
  C, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Albert BORG OLIVIER DE PUGET
 chancery:
  2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
 telephone:
  (202) 462-3611 or 3612
 FAX:
  (202) 387-5470



@end display

@node Government (Malta 2. usage)
@section Government (Malta 2. usage)

@display

 consulate:
  New York
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  (vacant)
 embassy:
  2nd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, Valletta
 mailing address:
  P. O. Box 535, Valletta
 telephone:
  [356] 240424, 240425, 243216, 243217, 243653, 223654
 FAX:
  same as telephone numbers
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



@end display

@node Economy (Malta)
@section Economy (Malta)

@display

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 27% of GDP, with the electronics and
  textile industries major contributors and the state-owned Malta drydocks
  employing about 4,300 people. In 1991, about 900,000 tourists visited the
  island. Per capita GDP at $7,600 places Malta in the middle-income range of
  the world's nations.
National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.7 billion (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  5.9% (1991)
National product per capita:
  $7,600 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.9% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
  3.6% (1992)
Budget:
  revenues $1.1 billion; expenditures $1.1 billion, including capital
  expenditures of $161 million (1992 est.)
Exports:
  $l.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
 commodities:
  clothing, textiles, footwear, ships
 partners:
  Italy 30%, Germany 22%, UK 11%
Imports:
  $2.1 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
 commodities:
  food, petroleum, machinery and semimanufactured goods
 partners:
  Italy 30%, UK 16%, Germany 13%, US 4%
External debt:
  $127 million (1990 est.)
Industrial production:
  growth rate 19.0% (1990); accounts for 27% of GDP
Electricity:
  328,000 kW capacity; 1,110 million kWh produced, 3,000 kWh per capita (1992)
Industries:
  tourism, electronics, ship repair yard, construction, food manufacturing,
  textiles, footwear, clothing, beverages, tobacco
Agriculture:
  accounts for 3% of GDP and 2.5% of the work force (1992); 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
Economic aid:
  US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-81), $172 million; Western (non-US)
  countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $336 million; OPEC
  bilateral aid (1979-89), $76 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $48
  million
Currency:
  1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents



@end display

@node Economy (Malta 2. usage)
@section Economy (Malta 2. usage)

@display

Exchange rates:
  Maltese liri (LM) per US$1 - 0.3687 (January 1993), 0.3178 (1992), 0.3226
  (1991), 0.3172 (1990), 0.3483 (1989), 0.3306 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March



@end display

@node Communications (Malta)
@section Communications (Malta)

@display

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:
  789 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,059,874 GRT/18,758,969 DWT;
  includes 6 passenger, 17 short-sea passenger, 272 cargo, 26 container, 2
  passenger-cargo, 20 roll-on/roll-off, 2 vehicle carrier, 3 barge carrier, 17
  refrigerated cargo, 19 chemical tanker, 15 combination ore/oil, 3
  specialized tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 131 oil tanker, 223 bulk, 26
  combination bulk, 3 multifunction large load carrier, 1 railcar carrier;
  note - a flag of convenience registry; China owns 2 ships, Russia owns 52
  ships, Cuba owns 10, Vietnam owns 6, Croatia owns 37, Romania owns 3
Airports:
 total:
  1
 useable:
  1
 with permanent-surface runways:
  1
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  0
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  1
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  0
Telecommunications:
  automatic system satisfies normal requirements; 153,000 telephones;
  excellent service by broadcast stations - 8 AM, 4 FM, and 2 TV; submarine
  cable and microwave radio relay between islands; international service by 1
  submarine cable and 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Malta)
@section Defense Forces (Malta)

@display

Branches:
  Armed Forces, Maltese Police Force
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 97,446; fit for military service 77,481 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $21.9 million, 1.3% of GDP (1989 est.)



@end display