Malta (2003) | Bahamas, The (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local Councils carry out administrative orders | 21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nicholls Town and Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 19.5% (male 40,448; female 37,623)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 136,221; female 134,142) 65 years and over: 13% (male 21,730; female 30,256) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years:
29.43% (male 44,179; female 43,486) 15-64 years: 64.46% (male 94,329; female 97,674) 65 years and over: 6.11% (male 7,618; female 10,566) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs | citrus, vegetables; poultry |
Airports | 1 (2002) | 65 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
36 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
29 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 23 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 316 sq km
land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
13,940 sq km land: 10,070 sq km water: 3,870 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Connecticut |
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. | Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants into the US. |
Birth rate | 12.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 19.1 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1.5 billion
expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
revenues:
$766 million expenditures: $845 million, including capital expenditures of $97 million (FY97/98) |
Capital | Valletta | Nassau |
Climate | Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers | tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream |
Coastline | 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo) | 3,542 km |
Constitution | 1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974 and again in 1987 | 10 July 1973 |
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:
Commonwealth of The Bahamas conventional short form: The Bahamas |
Currency | Maltese lira (MTL) | Bahamian dollar (BSD) |
Death rate | 7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 7.14 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $130 million (1997) | $385.8 million (2000 est.) |
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 telephone: [356] 21-235-960 FAX: [356] 2124-3229 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate J. Richard BLANKENSHIP embassy: Queen Street, Nassau mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197, Nassau; stateside address: American Embassy Nassau, P. O. Box 599009, Miami, FL 33159-9009; pouch address: Nassau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-3370 telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612 FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470 consulate(s): New York |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Joshua SEARS chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $9.8 million (1995) |
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, tourism, and overall growth. | The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs 40% of the archipelago's labor force. Moderate growth in tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences led to an increase of the country's GDP by an estimated 3% in 1998, 6% in 1999, and 4.5% in 2000. Manufacturing and agriculture together contribute only 10% of GDP and show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run will depend heavily on the fortunes of the tourism sector and continued sturdy growth in the US, which accounts for the majority of tourist visitors. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.644 billion kWh (2001) | 1.362 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 1.768 billion kWh (2001) | 1.465 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli) |
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination | coral reef decay; solid waste disposal |
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 |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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) | black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3% |
Exchange rates | Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.43 (2002), 0.45 (2001), 0.44 (2000), 0.4 (1999), 0.39 (1998) | Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1.000 (fixed rate pegged to the dollar) |
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), represented by Governor General Sir Orville TURNQUEST (since 2 January 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM (since 19 August 1992) and Deputy Prime Minister Frank WATSON (since December 1994) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime minister's recommendation elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general |
Exports | NA (2001) | $376.8 million (2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactures | pharmaceuticals, cement, rum, crawfish, refined petroleum products |
Exports - partners | Singapore 17.3%, US 11.4%, UK 9.4%, Germany 9%, France 7.2%, China 6.5%, Italy 6% (2002) | US 22.3%, Switzerland 15.6%, UK 15%, Denmark 7.4% (1998) |
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 equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $6.818 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4.5 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 25.5% services: 71.7% (1999) |
agriculture:
3% industry: 7% services: 90% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.2% (2002 est.) | 4.5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 35 50 N, 14 35 E | 24 15 N, 76 00 W |
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 | strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain |
Heliports | - | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total: 2,254 km
paved: 1,972 km unpaved: 282 km (2000) |
total:
2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1997) |
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 | transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and Europe; banking industry vulnerable to money laundering |
Imports | NA (2001) | $1.73 billion (2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco | foodstuffs, manufactured goods, crude oil, vehicles, electronics |
Imports - partners | Italy 18.3%, France 12.1%, South Korea 11.3%, UK 7.5%, Singapore 5.3%, Germany 5.2%, Japan 5%, US 4.6%, Spain 4.2% (2002) | US 27.3%, Italy 26.5%, Japan 10%, Denmark 4.2% (1998) |
Independence | 21 September 1964 (from UK) | 10 July 1973 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco | tourism, banking, cement, oil refining and transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe |
Infant mortality rate | total: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
17.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.4% (2002 est.) | 1.9% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | C, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 6 (2002) | 19 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 20 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
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 Appeal; magistrates courts |
Labor force | 160,000 (2002 est.) | 156,000 (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 24%, services 71%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.) | tourism 40%, other services 50%, industry 5%, agriculture 5% (1995 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13% other: 65.62% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
1% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 32% other: 67% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Maltese (official), English (official) | English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants) |
Legal system | based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on English common 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 12 April 2003 (next to be held by April 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.7%, MLP 47.6%, AD 0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31 |
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 March 1997 (next to be held by March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FNM 35, PLP 5 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.43 years
male: 75.94 years female: 81.14 years (2003 est.) |
total population:
70.46 years male: 67.27 years female: 73.71 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8% male: 92% female: 93.6% (2003 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.2% male: 98.5% female: 98% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy) | Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Florida |
Map references | Europe | Central America and the Caribbean |
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 |
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 1,234 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,885,128 GRT/42,467,864 DWT
ships by type: bulk 459, cargo 280, chemical tanker 45, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 10, container 80, liquefied gas 3, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 236, refrigerated cargo 37, roll on/roll off 41, short-sea passenger 7, vehicle carrier 15 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, UAE 3, UK 4, US 10 (2002 est.) |
total:
1,049 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 30,000,221 GRT/44,601,471 DWT ships by type: bulk 185, cargo 214, chemical tanker 36, combination bulk 15, combination ore/oil 22, container 66, liquefied gas 33, livestock carrier 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 79, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 182, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 118, roll on/roll off 50, short-sea passenger 15, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 24 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Algeria 2, Australia 1, Austria 1, Bermuda 6, Belgium 14, Canada 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 2, Denmark 17, Finland 7, France 9, Germany 9, Greece 89, Hong Kong 7, Indonesia 2, India 1, Israel 4, Italy 8, Japan 23, Jamaica 1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 2, Luxembourg 2, Monaco 15, Malaysia 1, Netherlands 16, Norway 139, Poland 3, Portugal 2, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia 5, Singapore 12, Spain 7, Sweden 14, Syria 1, Switzerland 7, UAE 1, Trinidad and Tobago 2, UK 67, Ukraine 3, US 50, British Virgin Islands 1, British Virgin Islands 1 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Armed Forces (including land forces [with subordinate air squadron and maritime squadron] and the Revenue Security Corps), Maltese Police Force | Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $60 million (2000 est.) | $20 million (FY95/96) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.7% (2000) | NA% |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 99,312 (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 79,080 (2003 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 21 September (1964) | Independence Day, 10 July (1973) |
Nationality | noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese |
noun:
Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian |
Natural hazards | NA | hurricanes and other tropical storms that cause extensive flood and wind damage |
Natural resources | limestone, salt, arable land | salt, aragonite, timber, arable land |
Net migration rate | 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | -2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
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] | Free National Movement or FNM [Hubert Alexander INGRAHAM]; Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 400,420 (July 2003 est.) | 297,852
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.73% (2003 est.) | 0.93% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Marsaxlokk, Valletta | Freeport, Matthew Town, Nassau |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999) | AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 215,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 98% | Baptist 32%, Anglican 20%, Roman Catholic 19%, Methodist 6%, Church of God 6%, other Protestant 12%, none or unknown 3%, other 2% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth:
1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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:
modern facilities domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed international: tropospheric scatter and submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 187,000 (1997) | 96,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 17,691 (1997) | 6,152 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (2000) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs | long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills |
Total fertility rate | 1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 2.3 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 7% (2002 est.) | 9% (1998 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |