Airports [time series]

1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m

Civil air [time series]

7 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

1,291 km total; 1,179 km paved (asphalt), 77 km crushed stone or gravel, 35 km improved and unimproved earth

Merchant marine [time series]

658 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,003,001 GRT/15,332,287 DWT; includes 3 passenger, 13 short-sea passenger, 241 cargo, 14 container, 2 passenger-cargo, 16 roll-on/roll-off, 2 vehicle carrier, 1 barge carrier, 15 refrigerated cargo, 11 chemical tanker, 12 combination ore/oil, 2 specialized tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 124 petroleum tanker, 176 bulk, 23 combination bulk; note - a flag of convenience registry; China owns 2 ships, former republics of the USSR own 52 ships, Cuba owns 10, Vietnam owns 6, Yugoslavia owns 9, Romania owns 4

Ports [time series]

Valletta, Marsaxlokk

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

automatic system satisfies normal requirements; 153,000 telephones; excellent service by broadcast stations - 8 AM, 4 FM, and 2 TV; submarine cable and radio relay between islands; international service by 1 submarine cable; 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Armed Forces, Maltese Police Force

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $21.9 million, 1.3% of GDP (1989 est.)

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 95,661; 76,267 fit for military service

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 3% of GDP; 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

Budget [time series]

revenues $1.3 billion; expenditures $1.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $380 million (1992 plan)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Maltese lira (plural - liri); 1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

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

Electricity [time series]

328,000 kW capacity; 1,110 million kWh produced, 2,990 kWh per capita (1991)

Exchange rates [time series]

Maltese liri (LM) per US$1 - 0.3257 (March 1992), 0.3004 (1991), 0.3172 (1990), 0.3483 (1989), 0.3306 (1988), 0.3451 (1987)

Exports [time series]

$l.1 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: clothing, textiles, footwear, ships partners: Italy 30%, Germany 22%, UK 11%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$90 million, medium and long term (December 1987)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion, per capita $7,000 (1991 est.); real growth rate 5.5% (1990)

Imports [time series]

$2.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: food, petroleum, machinery and semimanufactured goods partners: Italy 30%, UK 16%, Germany 13%, US 4%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 19.0% (1990); accounts for 27% of GDP

Industries [time series]

tourism, electronics, ship repair yard, construction, food manufacturing, textiles, footwear, clothing, beverages, tobacco

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.0% (1990)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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. In 1990 inflation was held to a low 3.0%. Per capita GDP at $7,000 places Malta in the middle-income range of the world's nations.

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.8% (1990)

Climate [time series]

Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Coastline [time series]

140 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

none

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

numerous bays provide good harbors; fresh water very scarce - increasing reliance on desalination

Area (Land area) [time series]

320 km2

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

arable land 38%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 59%; includes irrigated 3%

Maritime claims [time series]

Contiguous zone: 24 nm Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) or to depth of exploitation Exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

limestone, salt

Note [time series]

strategic location in central Mediterranean, 93 km south of Sicily, 290 km north of Libya

Terrain [time series]

mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Area (Total area) [time series]

320 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (administration directly from Valletta)

Capital [time series]

Valletta

Constitution [time series]

26 April 1974, effective 2 June 1974

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Albert BORG OLIVIER DE PUGET; 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, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, Valletta (mailing address is P. O. Box 535, Valletta); telephone [356] 240424, 240425, 243216, 243217, 243653, 223654; FAX same as phone numbers

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

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 [time series]

president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

21 September 1964 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Constitutional Court and Court of Appeal

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

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)

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law and Roman civil law; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral House of Representatives

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Malta

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

C, CCC, CE, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 21 September

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Nationalist Party (NP), Edward FENECH ADAMI; Malta Labor Party (MLP), Alfred SANT

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 18

Government type (Type) [time series]

parliamentary democracy

Birth rate [time series]

14 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate [time series]

8 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

mixture of Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, English

Infant mortality rate [time series]

7 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force [time series]

127,200; government (excluding job corps) 37%, services 26%, manufacturing 22%, training programs 9%, construction 4%, agriculture 2% (1990)

Languages [time series]

Maltese and English (official)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

74 years male, 79 years female (1992)

Literacy [time series]

84% (male 86%, female 82%) age 15 and over can read and write (1985)

Nationality [time series]

noun - Maltese (singular and plural); adjective - Maltese

Net migration rate [time series]

1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor [time series]

about 40% of labor force

Population [time series]

359,231 (July 1992), growth rate 0.8% (1992)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 98%

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.0 children born/woman (1992)