Malta

parliamentary republic

name: Valletta geographic coordinates: 35 53 N, 14 30 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: named in honor of Jean Parizot de la VALETTE, the Grand Master of the Order of Saint John (crusader knights), who founded the city in 1566

chief of state: President Myriam Spiteri DEBONO (since 4 April 2024) head of government: Prime Minister Robert ABELA (since 13 January 2020) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the House of Representatives for a single 5-year term; following legislative elections, the president usually appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister for a 5-year term; deputy prime minister appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister most recent election date: 27 March 2024 election results: 2024: Myriam Spiteri DEBONO (PL) elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous 2019: George VELLA (PL) elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous expected date of next election: by March 2029

legislature name: House of Representatives (Il-Kamra Tad-Deputati) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 65 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 3/26/2022 parties elected and seats per party: Labour Party (LP) (44); Nationalist Party (PN) (35) percentage of women in chamber: 29.1% expected date of next election: March 2027

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 on 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)

history: many previous; latest adopted 21 September 1964 amendment process: 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

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

0.5% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 0.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 0.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM): Land Component (combat, combat support, and combat service support divided into three regiments), Maritime Squadron, Air Wing; Volunteer Reserve Force (2025) 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

18-30 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2026)

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 Malta maintains a security policy of neutrality but contributes to EU, Organization for the Security and Cooperation (OSCE), 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 (2025)

$34.731 billion (2024 est.) $32.774 billion (2023 est.) $30.689 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$60,500 (2024 est.) $59,300 (2023 est.) $57,800 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

6% (2024 est.) 6.8% (2023 est.) 4.3% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

1.7% (2024 est.) 5.1% (2023 est.) 6.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

50.7% of GDP (2017 est.) 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

$29.245 billion (2024 est.) $26.647 billion (2023 est.) $23.566 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$24.505 billion (2024 est.) $22.637 billion (2023 est.) $21.406 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

2.8% (2024 est.) 3.2% (2023 est.) 3% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $6.95 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $7.966 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, aviation services, financial services, information technology services

milk, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, chicken, cauliflower/broccoli, cabbages, pork, pumpkins/squash, watermelons (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 521,828 (2025 est.) male: 271,180 female: 250,648

0.65% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 14.5% (male 35,034/female 33,181) 15-64 years: 62.4% (male 151,836/female 141,248) 65 years and over: 23.1% (2024 est.) (male 50,153/female 58,278)

7.67 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

7.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 83.6 years (2024 est.) male: 81.5 years female: 85.8 years

urban population: 94.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.28% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

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

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

limestone, salt, arable land

refugees: 9,284 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 171 (2024 est.)

1 (2025)

total: 1,957 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 490, container ship 348, general cargo 152, oil tanker 354, other 613

total subscriptions: 767,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 142 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 92% (2023 est.)