Malta (2003) | Tokelau (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local Councils carry out administrative orders | none (territory of New Zealand) |
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: 42%
15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs | coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats; fish |
Airports | 1 (2002) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 316 sq km
land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC | about 17 times the size of The Mall in 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. | Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. |
Birth rate | 12.75 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA |
Budget | revenues: $1.5 billion
expenditures: $1.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million; including capital expenditures of NA (1987 est.) |
Capital | Valletta | none; each atoll has its own administrative center
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers | tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) |
Coastline | 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo) | 101 km |
Constitution | 1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974 and again in 1987 | administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970 |
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: none
conventional short form: Tokelau |
Currency | Maltese lira (MTL) | - |
Death rate | 7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population |
Debt - external | $130 million (1997) | $0 |
Dependency status | - | self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand; a UN sponsored referendum on self-governance, in February 2006, did not produce the two thirds majority vote necessary for changing the current political status |
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 |
none (territory of New Zealand) |
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 |
none (territory of New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | about $4 million annually from New Zealand |
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. | Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.644 billion kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production | 1.768 billion kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli) |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination | very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand |
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) | Polynesian |
Exchange rates | Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.43 (2002), 0.45 (2001), 0.44 (2000), 0.4 (1999), 0.39 (1998) | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.4203 (2005), 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001) |
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 of New Zealand Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August 2006); New Zealand is represented by Administrator David PAYTON (since 17 October 2006)
head of government: Kolouei O'BRIEN (2006); note - position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders) cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku (village mayors), functions as a cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term |
Exports | NA (2001) | $0 f.o.b. (2002) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactures | stamps, copra, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | Singapore 17.3%, US 11.4%, UK 9.4%, Germany 9%, France 7.2%, China 6.5%, Italy 6% (2002) | New Zealand (2004) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | the flag of New Zealand is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $6.818 billion (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 25.5% services: 71.7% (1999) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.2% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 35 50 N, 14 35 E | 9 00 S, 172 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 | consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three meters above sea level |
Highways | total: 2,254 km
paved: 1,972 km unpaved: 282 km (2000) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
Illicit drugs | minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe | - |
Imports | NA (2001) | $969,200 c.i.f. (2002) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco | foodstuffs, building materials, fuel |
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) | New Zealand (2004) |
Independence | 21 September 1964 (from UK) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco | small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing |
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.) |
total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.4% (2002 est.) | NA% |
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 | PIF (observer), SPC, UNESCO (associate), 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 in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau |
Labor force | 160,000 (2002 est.) | 440 |
Labor force - by occupation | industry 24%, services 71%, agriculture 5% (1999 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13% other: 65.62% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
Languages | Maltese (official), English (official) | Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English |
Legal system | based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | New Zealand and local statutes |
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 |
unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats, Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono
elections: last held January 2005 (next to be held January 2008) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.43 years
male: 75.94 years female: 81.14 years (2003 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Literacy | definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8% male: 92% female: 93.6% (2003 est.) |
NA |
Location | Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy) | Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
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 economic zone: 200 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.) |
- |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand |
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.) | $66.72 million |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.7% (2000) | - |
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) | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) |
Nationality | noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese |
noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
Natural hazards | NA | lies in Pacific typhoon belt |
Natural resources | limestone, salt, arable land | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 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 | 400,420 (July 2003 est.) | 1,392 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.73% (2003 est.) | -0.01% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Marsaxlokk, Valletta | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002) |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 98% | Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant |
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.) |
NA |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 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 satellite-based communications system;
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations |
Telephones - main lines in use | 187,000 (1997) | 300 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 17,691 (1997) | 0 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (2000) | - |
Terrain | mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs | low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons |
Total fertility rate | 1.91 children born/woman (2003 est.) | NA |
Unemployment rate | 7% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Waterways | none | - |