Malta

total: 236,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.)

2 publicly owned TV stations, Television Malta and an educational channel; several privately owned national television stations, 2 of which are owned by political parties; Italian and British broadcast programs are available; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available; publicly owned radio broadcaster operates 3 stations; roughly 20 commercial radio stations (2019)

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percent of population: 92% (2023 est.)

total subscriptions: 259,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (2023 est.)

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

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

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

$1.383 billion (2024 est.) $1.425 billion (2023 est.) -$167.611 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

high-income, EU-member European economy; diversified portfolio; euro user; dependent on food and energy imports; strong tourism, trade, and manufacturing sectors; high North African immigration; large welfare system; educated workforce

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.95 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.876 (2020 est.)

$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

refined petroleum, integrated circuits, packaged medicine, ships, postage stamps/documents (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Nigeria 28%, Germany 10%, China 6%, Singapore 5%, Hong Kong 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$24.322 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 46.6% (2024 est.) government consumption: 17.2% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 17.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 123.5% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -106.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 0.2% (2024 est.) industry: 11.4% (2024 est.) services: 80.8% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

34.6 (2022 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

lowest 10%: 2.7% (2022 est.) highest 10%: 27.7% (2022 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$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

ships, refined petroleum, integrated circuits, aircraft, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Italy 18%, China 10%, Germany 8%, France 7%, Turkey 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

5.6% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

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

318,200 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

16.7% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

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

$34.731 billion (2024 est.) $32.774 billion (2023 est.) $30.689 billion (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

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

0.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.1% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$1.418 billion (2024 est.) $1.223 billion (2023 est.) $1.199 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

21.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

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

total: 7.8% (2024 est.) male: 9.6% (2024 est.) female: 5.7% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

consumption: 8.4 metric tons (2021 est.) imports: 3.9 metric tons (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity: 829,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 2.766 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 28 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 648 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 199.086 million kWh (2023 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

fossil fuels: 86.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 13.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

234.698 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

consumption: 444.715 million cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 444.715 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 50,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

8.965 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 8.113 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 852,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

limited natural freshwater resources; deforestation; wildlife preservation

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

agricultural land: 25.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 22.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 1.5% (2023 est.) other: 66.4% (2023 est.)

13.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

50.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal: 39.497 million cubic meters (2022) industrial: 1 million cubic meters (2022) agricultural: 21.358 million cubic meters (2022)

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

municipal solid waste generated annually: 348,800 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.5% (2022 est.)

total : 316 sq km land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, D.C.

Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

196.8 km (excludes 56 km for the island of Gozo)

highest point: Ta'Dmejrek on Dingli Cliffs 253 m lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

35 50 N, 14 35 E

the country is an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors

39 sq km (2022)

total: 0 km

agricultural land: 25.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 22.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 3.2% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 1.5% (2023 est.) other: 66.4% (2023 est.)

Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)

Europe

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm

occasional droughts

limestone, salt, arable land

most of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islands

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

68 localities ( Il-lokalita ); Attard, Balzan, Birgu, Birkirkara, Birzebbuga, Bormla, Dingli, Fgura, Floriana, Fontana, Ghajnsielem, Gharb, Gharghur, Ghasri, Ghaxaq, Gudja, Gzira, Hamrun, Iklin, Imdina, Imgarr, Imqabba, Imsida, Imtarfa, Isla, Kalkara, Kercem, Kirkop, Lija, Luqa, Marsa, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk, Mellieha, Mosta, Munxar, Nadur, Naxxar, Paola, Pembroke, Pieta, Qala, Qormi, Qrendi, Rabat, Rabat (Ghawdex), Safi, San Giljan/Saint Julian, San Gwann/Saint John, San Lawrenz/Saint Lawrence, Sannat, San Pawl il-Bahar/Saint Paul's Bay, Santa Lucija/Saint Lucia, Santa Venera/Saint Venera, Siggiewi, Sliema, Swieqi, Tarxien, Ta' Xbiex, Valletta, Xaghra, Xewkija, Xghajra, Zabbar, Zebbug, Zebbug (Ghawdex), Zejtun, Zurrieq

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

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Malta dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

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

conventional long form: Republic of Malta conventional short form: Malta local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta local short form: Malta etymology: the origin is unclear; the name may come from the ancient term mel , meaning "high" and probably referring to the island's rocks; the ancient Greeks called the island "Melite," possibly from the Greek word meli, meaning "honey" and referring to the island's honey production

chief of mission: Ambassador Somers FARKAS (since 26 November 2025) embassy: Ta' Qali National Park, Attard, ATD 4000 mailing address: 5800 Valletta Place, Washington DC 20521-5800 telephone: [356] 2561-4000 email address and website: ACSMalta@state.gov https://mt.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador Godfrey C. XUEREB (since 19 April 2023) chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (771) 213-4050 FAX: [1] (202) 530-9753​ email address and website: maltaembassy.washington@gov.mt The Embassy (gov.mt)

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

description: two equal vertical bands of white (left side) and red; in the upper-left corner is the George Cross, edged in red history: according to legend, the colors come from the red-and-white checkered banner of Count Roger of Sicily, who removed a bicolored corner and granted it to Malta in 1091, but the colors more likely come from the Knights of Saint John, who ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798; in 1942, Britain's King George VI awarded the George Cross to the islanders for their exceptional bravery and gallantry in World War II, and the George Cross bordered in red was added to the flag after independence in 1964

parliamentary republic

21 September 1964 (from the UK)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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)

mixed system of English common law and civil law based on the Roman and Napoleonic civil codes; subject to European Union law

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

title: "L-Innu Malti" (The Hymn of Malta) lyrics/music: Dun Karm PSAILA/Robert SAMMUT history: adopted 1945; written in the form of a prayer to bind together the political parties and the country

Adopted in 1988, Malta s coat of arms has a shield displaying the national flag, with olive and palm branches on each side symbolizing peace. On top of the shield is a golden crown in the shape of a fortification with five turrets, representing Malta's forts. The white ribbon below the shield displays the name Repubblika ta' Malta ( Republic of Malta ).

red, white

total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: City of Valletta ; Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum; Megalithic Temples of Malta

Independence Day, 21 September (1964); Republic Day, 13 December (1974)

Maltese eight-pointed cross

AD+PD or ADPD (formed from the merger of Democratic Alternative or AD and Democratic Party (Partit Demokratiku) or PD) Labor Party (Partit Laburista) or PL Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista) or PN

18 years of age (16 in local council elections); universal

With a civilization that dates back thousands of years, Malta boasts some of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. Situated in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta s islands have long served as a strategic military asset, with the islands at various times falling under the control of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, and French. Most recently a British colony (since 1814), Malta gained its independence in 1964 and declared itself a republic 10 years later. While under British rule, the island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars. Since the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination, as its key industries moved toward more service-oriented activities. Malta became an EU member in 2004 and joined the eurozone in 2008.

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)

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

approximately 2,000 active Armed Forces of Malta (2025)

the military has a small inventory of armaments from a mix of European countries, particularly Italy, and the US (2025)

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.)

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

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)

total: 8.07 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 2.8 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 2.51 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.42 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

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

0.7% (2022 est.)

52% (2021 est.)

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

total dependency ratio: 54.1 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 21.2 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 32.9 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3 (2025 est.)

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

4.7% of GDP (2022 est.) 12.5% national budget (2022 est.)

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

0.57 (2025 est.)

10.6% of GDP (2021) 16.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

4.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

total: 4.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 4.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births

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

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

213,000 VALLETTA (capital) (2018)

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

total: 42.1 years (2025 est.) male: 42.4 years female: 44.7 years

29.3 years (2020 est.) note: data refers to the average of the different childbearing ages of first-order births

noun: Maltese (singular and plural) adjective: Maltese

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

28.9% (2016)

7.86 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

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

most of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islands

0.65% (2025 est.)

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

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 100% of population (2022 est.) total: 100% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 0% of population (2022 est.) total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 17 years (2023 est.)

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 22.1% (2025 est.) male: 23.9% (2025 est.) female: 20.2% (2025 est.)

1.18 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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

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

1 (2025)

9H

2 (2025)

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

total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 0 key ports: Marsaxlokk, Valletta Harbors