Malta (2005) | Angola (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local Councils carry out administrative orders | 18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo, Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul, Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.6% (male 36,056/female 34,097)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 138,537/female 135,666) 65 years and over: 13.6% (male 23,184/female 30,994) (2005 est.) |
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 2,454,209/female 2,407,083)
15-64 years: 53.7% (male 3,059,339/female 2,955,060) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 139,961/female 175,134) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs | bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest products; fish |
Airports | 1 (2004 est.) | 243 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 32
over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 211
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 30 914 to 1,523 m: 95 under 914 m: 80 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 316 sq km
land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1,246,700 sq km
land: 1,246,700 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
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 transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May of 2004. | Angola has begun to enjoy the fruits of peace since the end of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held national elections, but UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by the MPLA at the polls. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost - and 4 million people displaced - in the quarter century of fighting. SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS has pledged to hold national elections in 2006. |
Birth rate | 10.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 44.64 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $2.27 billion
expenditures: $2.549 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
revenues: $9.013 billion
expenditures: $9.562 billion, including capital expenditures of $963 million (2004 est.) |
Capital | Valletta | Luanda |
Climate | Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers | semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool, dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April) |
Coastline | 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo) | 1,600 km |
Constitution | 1964 constitution; amended many times | 11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6 March 1991, and 26 August 1992; note - new constitution has not yet been approved |
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: Republic of Angola
conventional short form: Angola local long form: Republica de Angola local short form: Angola former: People's Republic of Angola |
Death rate | 8 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 25.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $130 million (1997) | $10.45 billion (2004 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William GRANT
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, Malta VLT 01 mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta, CMR01 telephone: [356] 2561 4000 FAX: [356] 21 243229 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia EFFIRD
embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of Luanda), Luanda mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda; pouch: American Embassy Luanda, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2550 telephone: [244] (2) 445-481, 447-028, 446-224 FAX: [244] (2) 446-924 |
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 Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKIDI
chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156 FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258 consulate(s) general: Houston and New York |
Disputes - international | none | 90,000 Angolan refugees were repatriated by 2004, the remaining refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia are expected to return in 2005; many Cabinda exclave secessionists have sought shelter in neighboring states |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | $383.5 million (1999) |
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. Continued sluggishness in the European economy is holding back exports, tourism, and overall growth. | Angola has been an economy in disarray because of a quarter century of nearly continuous warfare. An apparently durable peace was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI in February 2002, but consequences from the conflict continue including the impact of widespread land mines. Subsistence agriculture provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population. Oil production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy, contributing about 45% to GDP and more than half of exports. Much of the country's food must still be imported. To fully take advantage of its rich natural resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests, Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to continue reforming government policies and to reduce corruption. While Angola made progress in further lowering inflation, from 325% in 2000 to about 106% in 2002, the government has failed to make sufficient progress on reforms recommended by the IMF such as increasing foreign exchange reserves and promoting greater transparency in government spending. Increased oil production supported 7% GDP growth in 2003 and 12% growth in 2004. |
Electricity - consumption | 2 billion kWh (2002) | 1.587 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 2.15 billion kWh (2002) | 1.707 billion kWh (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli) |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination | overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water |
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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
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) | Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22% |
Exchange rates | Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3444 (2004), 0.3773 (2003), 0.4337 (2002), 0.4501 (2001), 0.4382 (2000) | kwanza per US dollar - 83.541 (2004), 74.606 (2003), 43.53 (2002), 22.058 (2001), 10.041 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March 2004) 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 29 March 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); 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: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; percent of House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes |
chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21 September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002, but this is not a position of real power cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year term; President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held September 2006) election results: DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed |
Exports | NA | NA |
Exports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactures | crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee, sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton |
Exports - partners | US 15.7%, France 15.5%, Singapore 14.5%, UK 11.2%, Germany 10.8% (2004) | US 38%, China 35.9%, Taiwan 6.8%, France 6.5% (2004) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | calendar year |
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 | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3%
industry: 23% services: 74% (2003 est.) |
agriculture: 8%
industry: 67% services: 25% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $18,200 (2004 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1% (2004 est.) | 11.7% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 35 50 N, 14 35 E | 12 30 S, 18 30 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 | the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Highways | total: 2,222 km
paved: 2,000 km unpaved: 222 km (2002) |
total: 51,429 km
paved: 5,328 km unpaved: 46,101 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 | used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for Western Europe and other African states |
Imports | NA | NA |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco | machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts; medicines, food, textiles, military goods |
Imports - partners | Italy 25.4%, France 13.1%, UK 12%, Germany 8.9%, US 5.2%, Singapore 4.1% (2004) | South Korea 28.3%, Portugal 13.1%, US 9.3%, South Africa 7.4%, Brazil 5.6%, Japan 4.8%, France 4.4% (2004) |
Independence | 21 September 1964 (from UK) | 11 November 1975 (from Portugal) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 1% (2000) |
Industries | tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco | petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite, uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing; food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles, ship repair |
Infant mortality rate | total: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
total: 191.19 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 203.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 178.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.9% (2004 est.) | 43.8% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Irrigated land | 20 sq km (1998 est.) | 750 sq km (1998 est.) |
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 or Tribunal da Relacao (judges are appointed by the president) |
Labor force | 160,000 (2002 est.) | 5.41 million (2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 5%, industry 24%, services 71% (1999 est.) | agriculture 85%, industry and services 15% (2003 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 5,198 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province), Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km |
Land use | arable land: 28.13%
permanent crops: 3.13% other: 68.74% (2001) |
arable land: 2.41%
permanent crops: 0.24% other: 97.35% (2001) |
Languages | Maltese (official), English (official) | Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages |
Legal system | based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets |
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 National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held September 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%, others 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD 3, others 7 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.86 years
male: 76.7 years female: 81.15 years (2005 est.) |
total population: 38.43 years
male: 37.28 years female: 39.64 years (2005 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: 66.8% male: 82.1% female: 53.8% (2001 est.) |
Location | Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy) | Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 1,140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,102,401 GRT/41,176,791 DWT
by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 438, cargo 303, chemical tanker 70, combination ore/oil 2, container 54, liquefied gas 8, livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 13, petroleum tanker 162, refrigerated cargo 43, roll on/roll off 26, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 13 foreign-owned: 1,080 (Austria 3, Azerbaijan 1, Bangladesh 3, Belgium 12, British 1, Bulgaria 18, Canada 9, China 15, Croatia 10, Cyprus 2, Czech Republic 2, Estonia 2, Finland 1, France 5, Germany 51, Greece 527, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 7, Iran 4, Israel 26, Italy 17, Japan 2, Latvia 30, Lebanon 6, Madagascar 1, Monaco 3, Netherlands 3, Norway 42, Pakistan 2, Poland 24, Portugal 4, Romania 5, Russia 64, Slovenia 3, South Korea 4, Sweden 3, Switzerland 32, Syria 6, Taiwan 1, Turkey 87, Ukraine 25, UAE 5, United Kingdom 8, United States 3) registered in other countries: 3 (2005) |
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 26,123 GRT/42,879 DWT
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 4 (2005) |
Military branches | Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements) (2005) | Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense Forces (FANA) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $31.1 million (2004) | $183.58 million (2004) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.7% (2004) | 10.6% (2004) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 21 September (1964) | Independence Day, 11 November (1975) |
Nationality | noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese |
noun: Angolan(s)
adjective: Angolan |
Natural hazards | NA | locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau |
Natural resources | limestone, salt, arable land | petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar, gold, bauxite, uranium |
Net migration rate | 2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 214 km; liquid natural gas 14 km; liquid petroleum gas 30 km; oil 837 km; refined products 56 km (2004) |
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 [Lawrence GONZI] | Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA]; National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA], largest opposition party has engaged in years of armed resistance; Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS], ruling party in power since 1975; Social Renewal Party or PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA, Antonio MUACHICUNGO]
note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections but only won a few seats and have little influence in the National Assembly |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC [N'zita Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE]
note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province |
Population | 398,534 (July 2005 est.) | 11,190,786 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 70% (2003 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.42% (2005 est.) | 1.9% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Marsaxlokk, Valletta | Cabinda, Luanda, Soyo |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999) | AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2000) |
Railways | - | total: 2,761 km
narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2004) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 98% | indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15% (1998 est.) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 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: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for military links
domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia |
Telephones - main lines in use | 208,300 (2003) | 96,300 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 290,000 (2003) | 130,000 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (2000) | 6 (2000) |
Terrain | mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs | narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau |
Total fertility rate | 1.5 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 6.27 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 7% (2003 est.) | extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more than half the population (2001 est.) |
Waterways | - | 1,300 km (2004) |