*Mali, Economy
Fiscal year: calendar year
*Mali, Communications
Railroads:
642 km 1.000-meter gauge; linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes
Highways:
about 15,700 km total; 1,670 km paved, 3,670 km gravel and improved earth,
10,360 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways:
1,815 km navigable
Airports:
total:
34
usable:
27
with permanent-surface runways:
8
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
5
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
10
Telecommunications:
domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service with radio
relay, wire, and radio communications stations; expansion of radio relay in
progress; 11,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV;
satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean
INTELSAT
*Mali, Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Police (Surete
Nationale)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 1,749,662; fit for military service 995,554 (1993 est.); no
conscription
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $41 million, 2% of GDP (1989)
*Malta, Geography
Location:
in the central Mediterranean Sea, 93 km south of Sicily (Italy), 290 km
north of Libya
Map references:
Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
320 km2
land area:
320 km2
comparative area:
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
140 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone:
25 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers
Terrain:
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
Natural resources:
limestone, salt
Land use:
arable land:
38%
permanent crops:
3%
meadows and pastures:
0%
forest and woodland:
0%
other:
59%
Irrigated land: 10 km2 (1989)
Environment:
numerous bays provide good harbors; fresh water very scarce; increasing
reliance on desalination
Note:
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the 3 largest islands
(Malta, Gozo, and Comino) being inhabited
*Malta, People
Population:
363,791 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.84% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
13.9 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
7.52 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
76.52 years
male:
74.32 years
female:
78.9 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.97 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Maltese
Ethnic divisions:
Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, English
Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%
Languages:
Maltese (official), English (official)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
total population:
84%
male:
86%
female:
82%
Labor force:
127,200
by occupation:
government (excluding job corps) 37%, services 26%, manufacturing 22%,
training programs 9%, construction 4%, agriculture 2% (1990)