Name: Republic of Malta - Repubblika ta' Malta
Capital: La Valletta
Area: 316 sq km
Population: (Luglio 2010): 406,771
Population density: 1.297 per sq km
Religion: 98% Catholic
Languages: Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, other 3.8%. Italian is spoken as second language by 66% of the population
Age groups (2010)
0-14 years: 15.9% (males 33.203/females 31.507)
15-64 years: 69% (males 142.240/females 138.298)
65 years and over: 15.1% (males 26.852/females 34.671)
Population growth rate: 0.391% (2010)
Birth rate: 10.38 births /1,000 population (2010)
Mortality rate: 8.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010)
Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.72 deaths /1,000 live births
Males: 4.16 deaths /1,000 live births
Females: 3.25 deaths /1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Literacy rate
Total population: 92.8%
Males: 92%
Females: 93.6% (2003 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.02 migrants/1,000 population (2010)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: Fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
GOVERNMENT
Government type: Republic
President: George Abela (since 4 April 2009)
Executive branch
president elected by a resolution of the House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 January 2009 (next to be held by April 2014); George ABELA elected president by the House of Representatives.
Prime minister: Lawrence Gonzi (since 23 March 2004)
The 65 members of the Unicameral House of Representatives are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms; the leader of the political party winning the majority of votes is appointed Prime Minister by the President. Results of the last elections (8 March 2008): PN 49.3%, PL 48.8%, other 1.9%; seats by party - PN obtained 35 seats, PL 34
Judicial branch
Constitutional Court; Court of First Instance; Court of Appeal
note: magistrates and judges for the courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Administrative divisions
With the amendment passed on 30 June 1993, Malta was divided into 68 "Local Councils" (in Maltese: Kunsilli Lokali), and three regions, namely Gozo, Malta Majjistral, Malta Xlokk
COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORTATION
Roadways: 2,227 km; Airoports: 1, namely the Malta International Airport; Ports and terminals:
2, Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport), Valletta
Telephones: 252,700 (2009); Mobile phones: 422,100 (2009) Internet country code: .mt; Internet users: 240,600 (2009)
Information: the press freedom index is 2.50, corresponding to the 11th country (out of 175) in the world according to Reporters Sans Frontieres
ECONOMY
Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. Malta's geographic position between the EU and Africa makes it a target for illegal immigration, which has strained Malta's political and economic resources. Malta adopted the euro on 1 January 2008. Malta's financial services industry has grown in recent years and in 2008-09 it escaped significant damage from the international financial crisis, largely because the sector is centered on the indigenous real estate market and is not highly leveraged. Locally, the restricted damage from the financial crisis has been attributed to the stability of the Maltese banking system and to its prudent risk-management practices. The global economic downturn and high electricity and water prices hurt Malta's real economy, which is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing - especially electronics and pharmaceuticals - and tourism, but growth bounced back as the global economy recovered in 2010. Following a 1.2% contraction in 2009, GDP grew 2% in 2010.
Currency: Euro
GDP: $10.21 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2% (2010 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): $25,100 (2010 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
Agriculture: 1.6%
Industry: 22.8%
Services: 75.6% (2009 est.)
Unemployment rate: 7% (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2010 est.)
Human Development Index: 0.815 (rank 33)
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.
Sources
CIA-Factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mt.html
UNData http://data.un.org/CountryProfile.aspx?crName=Malta
