:Malta Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Malta
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
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court and 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)
Political parties and leaders:
Nationalist Party (NP), Edward FENECH ADAMI; Malta Labor Party (MLP), Alfred
SANT
Suffrage:
universal at age 18
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)
Member of:
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
Diplomatic representation:
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
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
:Malta Economy
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. 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.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion, per capita $7,000 (1991 est.); real
growth rate 5.5% (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.0% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
3.8% (1990)
Budget:
revenues $1.3 billion; expenditures $1.3 billion, including capital
expenditures of $380 million (1992 plan)
Exports:
$l.1 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
clothing, textiles, footwear, ships
partners:
Italy 30%, Germany 22%, UK 11%
Imports:
$2.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990)
commodities:
food, petroleum, machinery and semimanufactured goods
partners:
Italy 30%, UK 16%, Germany 13%, US 4%
External debt:
$90 million, medium and long term (December 1987)
Industrial production:
growth rate 19.0% (1990); accounts for 27% of GDP
Electricity:
328,000 kW capacity; 1,110 million kWh produced, 2,990 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
tourism, electronics, ship repair yard, construction, food manufacturing,
textiles, footwear, clothing, beverages, tobacco
Agriculture:
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
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:
Maltese lira (plural - liri); 1 Maltese lira (LM) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
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)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
:Malta Communications
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:
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
Civil air:
7 major transport aircraft
Airports:
1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications:
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
:Malta Defense Forces
Branches:
Armed Forces, Maltese Police Force
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 95,661; 76,267 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $21.9 million, 1.3% of GDP (1989 est.)
:Man, Isle of Geography
Total area:
588 km2
Land area:
588 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
113 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
3 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
cool summers and mild winters; humid; overcast about half the time
Terrain:
hills in north and south bisected by central valley
Natural resources:
lead, iron ore
Land use:
arable land NA%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures NA%; forest and
woodland NA%; other NA%; extensive arable land and forests
Environment:
strong westerly winds prevail
Note:
located in Irish Sea equidistant from England, Scotland, and Ireland