Country Summary
Introduction
Background
With a civilization that dates back thousands of years, Malta boasts some of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. A British colony since 1814, Malta gained its independence in 1964 and declared itself a republic 10 years later. Since the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination.
Geography
Area
total: 316 sq km
land: 316 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Climate
Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers
Natural resources
limestone, salt, arable land
People and Society
Population
464,186 (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups
Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
Languages
Maltese (official) 90.1%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.9% (2005 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic (official) more than 90% (2006 est.)
Population growth rate
0.67% (2022 est.)
Government
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
name: Valletta
Executive branch
chief of state: President George VELLA (since 4 April 2019)
head of government: Prime Minister Robert ABELA (13 January 2020)
Legislative branch
description: unicameral House of Representatives or Il-Kamra Tad-Deputati, a component of the Parliament of Malta (65 seats statutory, 79 for 2022-2027 term; members directly elected in 5 multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
Economy
Economic overview
high-income, EU-member European economy; diversified portfolio; euro user; dependent on food and energy imports; strong tourism, trade, and manufacturing sectors; high North African immigration; large welfare system; educated workforce
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$20.6 billion (2020 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$39,200 (2020 est.)
Agricultural products
milk, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cauliflowers, broccoli, eggplants, pork, cabbages, poultry
Industries
tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, aviation services, financial services, information technology services
Exports
$19.04 billion (2020 est.)
Exports - partners
Germany 12%, France 9%, Italy 9% (2019)
Exports - commodities
integrated circuits, refined petroleum, packaged medicines, children's toys and stuffed animals, postage stamps (2019)
Imports
$18.01 billion (2020 est.)
Imports - partners
Russia 22%, Italy 12%, United Kingdom 11%, Germany 6%, Turkey 5%, France 5%, China 5%, South Korea 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, recreational boats, ships, aircraft, coal tar oil (2019)
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Page last updated: Thursday, July 21, 2022
