Malta (2002) | Norfolk Island (2005) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local Councils carry out administrative orders | none (territory of Australia) |
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.) |
0-14 years: 20.2%
15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs | Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry |
Airports | 1 (2001) | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 316 sq km
land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 34.6 sq km
land: 34.6 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC | about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has become a freight transshipment point, financial center, and tourist destination. It is an official candidate for EU membership. | Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions. |
Birth rate | 12.76 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA |
Budget | revenues: $1.5 billion
expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
revenues: $20 million
expenditures: $20 million, including capital expenditures of $2 million (FY99/00) |
Capital | Valletta | Kingston |
Climate | Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers | subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo) | 32 km |
Constitution | 1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974 and again in 1987 | Norfolk Island Act of 1979 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta local short form: Malta |
conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
conventional short form: Norfolk Island |
Currency | Maltese lira (MTL) | - |
Death rate | 7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA |
Debt - external | $130 million (1997) (1997) | NA |
Dependency status | - | territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony 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] 2561-4000 FAX: [356] 2124-3229 |
none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador George SALIBA; note - newly-appointed Ambassador John LOWELL is expected to present his credentials in early 2003
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612 FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470 consulate(s): New York |
none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | NA |
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 fresh water 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. The island remains divided politically, however, over the question of joining the EU. Continued sluggishness in the global economy is holding back exports and tourism. | Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.628 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production | 1.75 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli) |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Bates 319 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, 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 |
- |
Ethnic groups | Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock) | descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander, Polynesians |
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) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000) |
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% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK and Australia are represented by Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since 1 November 2003)
head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001) cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and acts as an advisor to the administrator elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years; election last held 20 Ocotber 2004 (next to be held by December 2007) election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister; percent of Legislative Assembly vote - 17.2% |
Exports | $2 billion f.o.b. (2001) | $1.5 million f.o.b. (FY99/00) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactures | postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados |
Exports - partners | US 20.2%, Germany 14.1%, France 10.2%, UK 8.8%, Italy 3.4% (2001) | Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | 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 | three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider white band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $7 billion (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3%
industry: 26% services: 72% (1999) |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $17,000 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.2% (2002 est.) | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 35 50 N, 14 35 E | 29 02 S, 167 57 E |
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 | most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated |
Highways | total: 1,742 km
paved: 1,677 km unpaved: 65 km (1997) |
total: 80 km
paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Illicit drugs | minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe | - |
Imports | $2.8 billion f.o.b. (2001) | $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco | NA |
Imports - partners | Italy 19.9%, France 15.0%, US 11.6%, UK 10.0%, Germany 8.7% (2001) | Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe |
Independence | 21 September 1964 (from UK) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco | tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete |
Infant mortality rate | 5.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.4% (2002 est.) | NA |
International organization participation | C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (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 | UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 6 (2002) | - |
Irrigated land | 20 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
Judicial branch | Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister | Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions |
Labor force | 160,000 (2002 est.) | 1,345 |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 24%, services 71%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.) | tourism 90%, subsistence agriculture 10% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13% other: 65.62% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
Languages | Maltese (official), English (official) | English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian |
Legal system | based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island law |
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 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9 (note - no political parties) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.26 years
male: 75.78 years female: 80.96 years (2002 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 88.76% male: 86.91% female: 89.55% (1995 census) |
NA |
Location | Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy) | Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia |
Map references | Europe | Oceania |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 1,323 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 27,208,819 GRT/44,617,877 DWT
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 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.) |
- |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
Military branches | Armed Forces (including land forces [with subordinate air squadron and maritime squadron] and the Revenue Security Corps), Maltese Police Force | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $60 million (2000 est.) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.7% (2000) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 99,107 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 78,909 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 21 September (1964) | Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June (1856) |
Nationality | noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese |
noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
adjective: Norfolk Islander(s) |
Natural hazards | NA | typhoons (especially May to July) |
Natural resources | limestone, salt, arable land | fish |
Net migration rate | 2.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | NA |
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] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 397,499 (July 2002 est.) | 1,828 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 0.73% (2002 est.) | -0.01% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Marsaxlokk, Valletta | none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999) | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) |
Radios | 255,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 98% | Anglican 34.9%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia 11.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.8%, Australian Christian 2.4%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 2.7%, unspecified 15.3%, none 18.1% (2001 census) |
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.) |
NA |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
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) |
general assessment: adequate
domestic: free local calls international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite earth station |
Telephones - main lines in use | 187,000 (1997) | 2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits (2004) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 17,691 (1997) | 0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island referendum) (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (2000) | 1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in Australian programs by satellite) (2005) |
Terrain | mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs | volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains |
Total fertility rate | 1.91 children born/woman (2002 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | 7% (2002 est.) | 0% |
Waterways | none | - |