The World Factbook (1982)/Malta

by the Central Intelligence Agency

MALTA

(See reference map V)

LAND

313 km²; 45% agricultural, negligible amount forested, remainder urban, waste, or other (1965)

WATER

Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 12 nm (fishing 25 nm)

Coastline: 140 km

PEOPLE

Population: 376,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 1.6%

Nationality: noun—Maltese (sing, and pl.); adjective—Maltese

Ethnic divisions: mixture of Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, British

Religion: 98% Roman Catholic

Language: English and Maltese

Literacy: about 83%; compulsory education introduced in 1946

Labor force: 125,000 (November 1977); 32% services (except government), 18% government (except job corps), 5% job corps, 26% manufacturing, 6% agriculture, 3% construction, 5% utilities and drydocks; 3.3% registered unemployed

Organized labor: approximately 40% of labor force

GOVERNMENT

Official name: Republic of Malta

Type: parliamentary democracy, independent republic within the Commonwealth since December 1974

Capital: Valletta

Political subdivisions: 2 main populated islands, Malta and Gozo, divided into 13 electoral districts (divisions)

Legal system: based on English common law; constitution adopted 1961, came into force 1964; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Branches: executive, consisting of Prime Minister and Cabinet; legislative, comprising 65-member House of Representatives; independent judiciary

National holiday: Republic Day, 13 December

Government leaders: President Agatha BARBARA, Prime Minister Dominic MINTOFF

Suffrage: universal over age 18; registration required

Elections: at the discretion of the Prime Minister, but must be held before the expiration of a five-year electoral mandate; last election December 1981

Political parties and leaders: Nationalist Party, Edward Fenech Adami; Malta Labor Party, Dominic Mintoff

Voting strength (1981 election): Labor, 34 seats (48%); Nationalist, 31 seats (51%)

Communists: less than 100 (est.)

Member of: Commonwealth, Council of Europe, FAO, G-77, GATT, ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMCO, IMF, ITU, IWC (International Wheat Council), NAM, UN, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

ECONOMY

GNP: $945 million (1979), $2,720 per capita; 62% private consumption, 23% gross investment; 16% government consumption,—1% net foreign sector; in 1978 real GDP growth was 11% (1979); 12.5% (1971-76 average)

Agriculture: overall, 20% self-sufficient; generally adequate supplies of vegetables, poultry, milk and pork products; seasonal or periodic shortages in grain, animal fodder, fruits, and other basic foodstuffs; main products—potatoes, cauliflowers, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers, hogs, poultry, eggs; 2,680 calories per day per capita

Major industries: ship repair yard, clothing, building industry, food manufacturing, textiles, tourism

Shortages: most consumer and industrial needs (fuels and raw materials) must be imported

Electric power: 135,000 kW capacity (1981); 1.55 billion kWh produced (1981), 1,550 kWh per capita

Exports: $483 million (f.o.b., 1980); clothing, textiles, ships, printed matter

Imports: $938 million (c.i.f., 1980)

Major trade partners: 70% EC-nine (21% UK, 21% West Germany, 16% Italy); 5% US (1979)

Budget: (1982) projects $551 million in expenditures, $547 million in revenues

Monetary conversion rate: 1 Maltese pound=US$2.8963 (average 1980)

Fiscal year: 1 January-31 December

COMMUNICATIONS

Highways: 1,285 km total; 1,173 km paved (asphalt), 77 km crushed stone or gravel, 35 km improved and unimproved earth

Ports: 1 major (Valletta), 2 minor

Civil air: 8 major transport aircraft, including 3 leased in

Airfields: 1 with permanent-surface runways, 2,440-3,659 m

Telecommunications: modern automatic telecom system centered in Valletta; 78,900 telephones (25.3 per 100 popl.); TV, 2 AM, and 5 FM stations; 1 coaxial submarine cable

DEFENSE FORCES

Military manpower: males 15-49, 80,000; 66,000 fit for military service

Supply: various facilities and equipment turned over by the UK in 1965; has received 2 patrol boats, small arms, and mortars from Libya; vehicles and engineer equipment from Italy

Military budget: for fiscal year ending 31 December 1982, $13.5 million; about 2.4% of central government budget