1.
[syn: Malta, Republic of Malta]
2. a strategically located island to the south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Malta \Malta\ n.
1. A country on the island of Malta.
[WordNet 1.5]
2. An island south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea.
[WordNet 1.5]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Malta
n 1: a republic on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean;
achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1964 [syn:
Malta, Republic of Malta]
2: a strategically located island to the south of Sicily in the
Mediterranean Sea
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Malta
Introduction Malta
------------------
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. Over the
last 15 years, the island has become
a freight transshipment point,
financial center, and tourist
destination. It is an official
candidate for EU membership.
Geography Malta
---------------
Location: Southern Europe, islands in the
Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily
(Italy)
Geographic coordinates: 35 50 N, 14 35 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 316 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 316 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km
for the island of Gozo)
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive fishing zone: 25 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to
the depth of exploitation
Climate: Mediterranean with mild, rainy
winters and hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected
plains; many coastal cliffs
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m
(near Dingli)
Natural resources: limestone, salt, arable land
Land use: arable land: 31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13%
other: 65.63% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 20 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water
resources; increasing reliance on
desalination
Environment - international party to: Air Pollution,
agreements: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of
the selected agreements
Geography - note: the country comprises an
archipelago, with only the three
largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or
Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being
inhabited; numerous bays provide
good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are
discussing the commercial
exploitation of the continental
shelf between their countries,
particularly for oil exploration
People Malta
------------
Population: 397,499 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 19.7% (male 40,609;
female 37,882)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 135,047;
female 133,207)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male
21,215; female 29,539) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.73% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 12.76 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 2.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.26 years
female: 80.96 years (2002 est.)
male: 75.78 years
Total fertility rate: 1.91 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.52% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese
Ethnic groups: Maltese (descendants of ancient
Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with
strong elements of Italian and other
Mediterranean stock)
Religions: Roman Catholic 91%
Languages: Maltese (official), English
(official)
Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read
and write
total population: 88.76%
male: 86.91%
female: 89.55% (1995 census)
Government Malta
----------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Malta
conventional short form: Malta
local short form: Malta
local long form: Repubblika ta'
Malta
Government type: republic
Capital: Valletta
Administrative divisions: none (administered directly from
Valletta)
Independence: 21 September 1964 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 21 September
(1964)
Constitution: 1964 constitution substantially
amended on 13 December 1974
Legal system: based on English common law and
Roman civil law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Guido DE
MARCO (since 4 April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister
Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 6
September 1998); Deputy Prime
Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 4
April 1999)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the
president on the advice of the prime
minister
elections: president elected by the
House of Representatives for a five-
year term; election last held NA
April 1999 (next to be held by April
2004); following legislative
elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a
majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the
president for a five-year term; the
deputy prime minister is appointed
by the president on the advice of
the prime minister
election results: Guido DE MARCO
elected president; percent of House
of Representatives vote - 54%
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives
(usually 65 seats; note - additional
seats are given to the party with
the largest popular vote to ensure a
legislative majority; members are
elected by popular vote on the basis
of proportional representation to
serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 5 September
1998 (next to be held by September
2003)
election results: percent of vote by
party - PN 51.8%, MLP 46.9%, AD
1.2%; seats by party - PN 35, MLP 30
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court; Court of
Appeal; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president on the
advice of the prime minister
Political parties and leaders: Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for
Social Justice or AD [Harry
VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP
[Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party or
PN [Edward FENECH ADAMI]
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU
participation: (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW,
OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador George
SALIBA
consulate(s): New York
FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony
US: H. GIOIA
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development
House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,
Malta VLT 01
mailing address: P. O. Box 535,
Valletta, Malta, CMR 01
telephone: [356] 235960 through
235965
FAX: [356] 243229
Flag description: two equal vertical bands of white
(hoist side) and red; in the upper
hoist-side corner is a
representation of the Saint George
Cross, edged in red
Economy Malta
-------------
Economy - overview: Major 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. The economy is dependent on
foreign trade, manufacturing
(especially electronics and
textiles), and tourism. Malta is
privatizing state-controlled firms
and liberalizing markets in order to
prepare for membership in the
European Union and is expected to
complete EU accession negotiations
in 2002. The island is divided
politically, however, over the
question of joining the EU.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.95
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $15,000
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 25.5%
services: 71.7% (1999)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.8% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 147,700 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: industry 24%, services 71%,
agriculture 5% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: 4.5% (2000)
Budget: revenues: $1.5 billion
expenditures: $1.6 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (2000)
Industries: tourism; electronics, ship building
and repair, construction; food and
beverages, textiles, footwear,
clothing, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 1.75 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 1.628 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: potatoes, cauliflower, grapes,
wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut
flowers, green peppers; pork, milk,
poultry, eggs
Exports: $2.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment,
manufactures
Exports - partners: US 27.3%, Germany 9.6%, France 8%,
UK 7.3%, Italy 3.4% (2000)
Imports: $3.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment,
manufactured and semi-manufactured
goods; food, drink, and tobacco
Imports - partners: France 19.2%, Italy 16.3%, US 10.7%,
UK 8.1%, Germany 8.1% (2000)
Debt - external: $130 million (1997)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: Maltese lira (MTL)
Currency code: MTL
Exchange rates: Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.4542
(January 2002), 0.4499 (2001),
0.4376 (2000), 0.3994 (1999), 0.3885
(1998), 0.3857 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Malta
--------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 187,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 17,691 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: automatic system
satisfies normal requirements
domestic: submarine cable and
microwave radio relay between
islands
international: 2 submarine cables;
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)
Radios: 255,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (2000)
Televisions: 280,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .mt
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
Internet users: 40,000 (2000)
Transportation Malta
--------------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,742 km
paved: 1,677 km
unpaved: 65 km (1997)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Marsaxlokk, Valletta
Merchant marine: total: 1,323 ships (1,000 GRT or
over) totaling 27,208,819 GRT/
44,617,877 DWT
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Australia 4, Austria 6,
Bangladesh 1, Belgium 3, Bulgaria
19, Canada 2, China 16, Croatia 14,
Cuba 1, Cyprus 7, Denmark 3, Estonia
5, Finland 1, Germany 54, Greece
627, Hong Kong 12, Iceland 3, India
10, Iran 2, Israel 26, Italy 36,
Japan 2, Latvia 24, Lebanon 6,
Monaco 29, Netherlands 10, Nigeria
2, Norway 43, Poland 29, Portugal 2,
Romania 15, Russia 85, Saudi Arabia
1, Slovenia 2, South Korea 5, Spain
1, Switzerland 54, Syria 4, Turkey
84, Ukraine 25, United Arab Emirates
3, United Kingdom 4, United States
10 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 440, cargo 334,
chemical tanker 54, combination bulk
10, combination ore/oil 12,
container 75, liquefied gas 4,
livestock carrier 3, multi-
functional large-load carrier 1,
passenger 6, passenger/cargo 1,
petroleum tanker 270, refrigerated
cargo 39, roll on/roll off 45,
short-sea passenger 9, specialized
tanker 3, vehicle carrier 17
Airports: 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2001)
Military Malta
--------------
Military branches: Armed Forces (including land forces
[with subordinate air squadron and
maritime squadron] and the Revenue
Security Corps), Maltese Police
Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 99,107 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 78,909 (2002 est.)
service:
Military expenditures - dollar $60 million (2000 est.)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 1.7% (2000)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Malta
--------------------------
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for
hashish from North Africa to Western
Europe
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Malta, MT -- U.S. city in Montana
Population (2000): 2120
Housing Units (2000): 1067
Land area (2000): 1.056791 sq. miles (2.737075 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 1.056791 sq. miles (2.737075 sq. km)
FIPS code: 47425
Located within: Montana (MT), FIPS 30
Location: 48.355496 N, 107.871361 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 59538
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Malta, MT
Malta
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Malta, ID -- U.S. city in Idaho
Population (2000): 177
Housing Units (2000): 75
Land area (2000): 1.421887 sq. miles (3.682670 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 1.421887 sq. miles (3.682670 sq. km)
FIPS code: 50230
Located within: Idaho (ID), FIPS 16
Location: 42.309305 N, 113.370498 W
ZIP Codes (1990):
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Malta, ID
Malta
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Malta, OH -- U.S. village in Ohio
Population (2000): 696
Housing Units (2000): 318
Land area (2000): 0.310566 sq. miles (0.804362 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.031503 sq. miles (0.081592 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.342069 sq. miles (0.885954 sq. km)
FIPS code: 46970
Located within: Ohio (OH), FIPS 39
Location: 39.650509 N, 81.864421 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 43758
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Malta, OH
Malta
U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):
Malta, IL -- U.S. village in Illinois
Population (2000): 969
Housing Units (2000): 389
Land area (2000): 0.375004 sq. miles (0.971255 sq. km)
Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
Total area (2000): 0.375004 sq. miles (0.971255 sq. km)
FIPS code: 46279
Located within: Illinois (IL), FIPS 17
Location: 41.929243 N, 88.861743 W
ZIP Codes (1990): 60150
Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
Headwords:
Malta, IL
Malta