Malta (2006) | Uruguay (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders | 19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida, Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera, Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.1% (male 35,264/female 33,368)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 139,890/female 136,767) 65 years and over: 13.7% (male 23,554/female 31,371) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: 23% (male 403,745/female 390,623)
15-64 years: 63.8% (male 1,096,225/female 1,112,568) 65 years and over: 13.2% (male 184,303/female 273,143) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs | rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish |
Airports | 1 (2006) | 60 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 29 (2007) |
Area | total: 316 sq km
land: 316 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 176,220 sq km
land: 173,620 sq km water: 2,600 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly smaller than the state of Washington |
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 2004. | Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century established widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent. |
Birth rate | 10.22 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 14.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $2.503 billion
expenditures: $2.703 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.) |
revenues: $5.56 billion
expenditures: $5.67 billion (2006 est.) |
Capital | name: Valletta
geographic coordinates: 35 54 N, 14 31 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
name: Montevideo
geographic coordinates: 34 53 S, 56 11 W time difference: UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins second Sunday in October; ends second Sunday in March |
Climate | Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers | warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown |
Coastline | 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo) | 660 km |
Constitution | 1964 constitution; amended many times | 27 November 1966, effective 15 February 1967; suspended 27 June 1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7 January 1997 |
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: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
conventional short form: Uruguay local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay local short form: Uruguay former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province |
Death rate | 8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 9.16 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $188.8 million (2005) | $11.74 billion (2006 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Molly BORDONARO
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, VLT 01 mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01 telephone: [356] 2561 4000 FAX: [356] 21 243229 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Frank BAXTER
embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200 mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777 FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611 |
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 Carlos Alberto GIANELLI Derois
chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316 FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico) |
Disputes - international | none | in Jan 2007, ICJ provisionally ruled Uruguay may begin construction of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which forms the border with Argentina, while the court examines further whether Argentina has the legal right to stop such construction with potential environmental implications to both countries; uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with Argentina |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | $NA (2005) |
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 few 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. | Uruguay's well-to-do economy is characterized by an export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated work force, and high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during 1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn, stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. For instance, in 2001-02 Argentina made massive withdrawals of dollars deposited in Uruguayan banks, which led to a plunge in the Uruguayan peso and a massive rise in unemployment. Total GDP in these four years dropped by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year due to the banking crisis. The unemployment rate rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF helped stem the damage. A debt swap with private-sector creditors in 2003 extended the maturity dates on nearly half of Uruguay's then $11.3 billion of public debt and helped restore public confidence. The economy grew about 12% in 2004 as a result of high commodity prices for Uruguayan exports, a competitive peso, growth in the region, and low international interest rates, and it continued to grow nearly 7% annually in 2005 and 2006. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.936 billion kWh (2003) | 6.509 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | 841 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | 1.585 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 2.082 billion kWh (2003) | 7.558 billion kWh (2005) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli) |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m |
Environment - current issues | very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination | water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous 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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation |
Ethnic groups | Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock) | white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically nonexistent) |
Exchange rates | Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003), 0.43362 (2002), 0.45004 (2001) | Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 24.048 (2006), 24.479 (2005), 28.704 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 21.257 (2002) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Edward 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 (eligible for a second 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; House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes |
chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005); Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with parliamentary approval elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms (may not serve consecutive terms); election last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held in October 2009) election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote - Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LARRANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING 10.3%; other 4.1% |
Exports | NA bbl/day | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactures | meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products |
Exports - partners | France 15.4%, US 14.4%, Singapore 12.3%, UK 11.3%, Germany 11.2%, Italy 5.1%, Libya 4.2% (2005) | Brazil 15.1%, US 12.1%, Argentina 6.8%, Mexico 6.4%, China 6%, Germany 5%, Russia 4.9% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 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 | nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May with 16 rays that alternate between triangular and wavy |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3%
industry: 23% services: 74% (2003 est.) |
agriculture: 9.3%
industry: 31.6% services: 59.1% (2006 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1% (2005 est.) | 7% (2006 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 35 50 N, 14 35 E | 33 00 S, 56 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 | second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 1.9%
highest 10%: 34% (2003) |
Illicit drugs | minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe | - |
Imports | NEGL (2001) | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco | machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum |
Imports - partners | Italy 32.3%, UK 11.5%, France 9.6%, Germany 8%, US 5.5%, Singapore 4.1% (2005) | Argentina 20.4%, Brazil 17.1%, US 8.2%, Paraguay 7.1%, China 6.9%, Venezuela 4.8%, Nigeria 4.4% (2006) |
Independence | 21 September 1964 (from UK) | 25 August 1825 (from Brazil) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 12.6% (2006 est.) |
Industries | tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco | food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages |
Infant mortality rate | total: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: 12.02 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (2005 est.) | 6.4% (2006 est.) |
International organization participation | Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO | CAN (associate), CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Irrigated land | 20 sq km (2003) | 2,100 sq km (2003) |
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 (judges are nominated by the president and elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly) |
Labor force | 160,000 (2005 est.) | 1.27 million (2006 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 3%
industry: 22% services: 75% (2005 est.) |
agriculture: 14%
industry: 16% services: 70% (2003) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 1,648 km
border countries: Argentina 580 km, Brazil 1,068 km |
Land use | arable land: 31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13% other: 65.62% (2005) |
arable land: 7.77%
permanent crops: 0.24% other: 91.99% (2005) |
Languages | Maltese (official), English (official) | Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the Brazilian frontier) |
Legal system | based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 August 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 General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; vice president has one vote in the Senate) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009) election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.01 years
male: 76.83 years female: 81.31 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 75.93 years
male: 72.68 years female: 79.3 years (2007 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% male: 97.6% female: 98.4% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy) | Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Argentina and Brazil |
Map references | Europe | South America |
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 continental shelf: 200 nm or edge of continental margin |
Merchant marine | total: 1,220 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,917,414 GRT/38,685,924 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 434, cargo 344, chemical tanker 105, combination ore/oil 1, container 59, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 15, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 146, refrigerated cargo 43, roll on/roll off 33, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 16 foreign-owned: 1,162 (Austria 1, Azerbaijan 2, Bangladesh 3, Belgium 10, Bulgaria 13, Canada 18, China 14, Croatia 10, Cyprus 15, Denmark 6, Estonia 4, France 6, Germany 64, Greece 495, Hong Kong 2, Iceland 4, India 1, Iran 14, Israel 23, Italy 29, Japan 1, South Korea 6, Latvia 40, Lebanon 10, Monaco 1, Netherlands 6, Norway 49, Pakistan 1, Poland 27, Portugal 3, Romania 9, Russia 70, Slovenia 3, Spain 6, Sweden 3, Switzerland 21, Syria 7, Taiwan 2, Turkey 123, UAE 5, UK 8, Ukraine 24, US 3) registered in other countries: 8 (Panama 3, Portugal 1, Russia 4) (2006) |
total: 14 ships (1000 GRT or over) 36,041 GRT/22,274 DWT
by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 4 (Argentina 3, Greece 1) registered in other countries: 7 (Argentina 1, Bahamas 1, Liberia 3, Spain 2) (2007) |
Military branches | Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements) (2005) | Army, Navy (includes naval air arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in wartime), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Uruguaya, FAU) (2006) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $38.168 million (2005 est.) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1% (2005 est.) | 1.6% (2006) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 21 September (1964) | Independence Day, 25 August (1825) |
Nationality | noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese |
noun: Uruguayan(s)
adjective: Uruguayan |
Natural hazards | NA | seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional violent wind that blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts |
Natural resources | limestone, salt, arable land | arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries |
Net migration rate | 2.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | -0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 257 km; oil 160 km (2006) |
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] | Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) [Jorge BROVETTO] (formerly known as the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA); Colorado Party [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI]; Independent Party (Partido Independiente) [Pablo MIERES]; Movement of Popular Participation or MPP [Jose MUJICA]; National Party or Blanco [Jorge LARRANAGA]; New Sector/Space Coalition (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael MICHELINI]; Uruguayan Assembly or Asamblea Uruguay [Danilo ASTORI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization); Catholic Church; Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association); Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization); PIT-CNT (powerful federation of Uruguayan unions); Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association); students; Uruguayan Construction League |
Population | 400,214 (July 2006 est.) | 3,460,607 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 27.37% of households (2006) |
Population growth rate | 0.42% (2006 est.) | 0.504% (2007 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999) | AM 93, FM 191, shortwave 7 (2005) |
Railways | - | total: 2,073 km
standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in partial use (2006) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 98% | Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other 31% |
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 (2006 est.) |
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.034 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.985 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.675 male(s)/female total population: 0.948 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
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: fully digitalized
domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new nationwide microwave radio relay network international: country code - 598; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 202,100 (2005) | 987,000 (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 324,000 (2005) | 2.333 million (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (2000) | 62 (2005) |
Terrain | mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs | mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland |
Total fertility rate | 1.5 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 1.97 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 7.8% (2005 est.) | 10.8% (2006 est.) |
Waterways | - | 1,600 km (2005) |