Malta

With a civilization that dates back thousands of years, Malta boasts some of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. Situated in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta’s islands have long served as a strategic military asset, with the islands at various times falling under the control of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, and French. Most recently a British colony (since 1814), Malta gained its independence in 1964 and declared itself a republic 10 years later. While under British rule, the island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars. Since the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination, as its key industries moved toward more service-oriented activities. Malta became an EU member in 2004 and joined the eurozone in 2008.

Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)

35 50 N, 14 35 E

Europe

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, D.C.

196.8 km (excludes 56 km for the island of Gozo)

Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

limestone, salt, arable land

39 sq km (2022)

most of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islands

occasional droughts

the country is an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors

Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Maltese (official) 90.1%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.9% (2005 est.)

Roman Catholic (official) more than 90% (2006 est.)

0.65% (2025 est.)

7.67 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

7.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

most of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islands

213,000 VALLETTA (capital) (2018)

29.3 years (2020 est.)

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

1.18 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.57 (2025 est.)

7.86 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

4.4 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

28.9% (2016)

0.7% (2022 est.)

52% (2021 est.)

limited natural freshwater resources; deforestation; wildlife preservation

Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

13.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

50.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

parliamentary republic

68 localities (<em>Il-lokalita</em>); Attard, Balzan, Birgu, Birkirkara, Birzebbuga, Bormla, Dingli, Fgura, Floriana, Fontana, Ghajnsielem, Gharb, Gharghur, Ghasri, Ghaxaq, Gudja, Gzira, Hamrun, Iklin, Imdina, Imgarr, Imqabba, Imsida, Imtarfa, Isla, Kalkara, Kercem, Kirkop, Lija, Luqa, Marsa, Marsaskala, Marsaxlokk, Mellieha, Mosta, Munxar, Nadur, Naxxar, Paola, Pembroke, Pieta, Qala, Qormi, Qrendi, Rabat, Rabat (Ghawdex), Safi, San Giljan/Saint Julian, San Gwann/Saint John, San Lawrenz/Saint Lawrence, Sannat, San Pawl il-Bahar/Saint Paul's Bay, Santa Lucija/Saint Lucia, Santa Venera/Saint Venera, Siggiewi, Sliema, Swieqi, Tarxien, Ta' Xbiex, Valletta, Xaghra, Xewkija, Xghajra, Zabbar, Zebbug, Zebbug (Ghawdex), Zejtun, Zurrieq

mixed system of English common law and civil law based on the Roman and Napoleonic civil codes; subject to European Union law

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age (16 in local council elections); universal

AD+PD or ADPD (formed from the merger of Democratic Alternative or AD and Democratic Party (Partit Demokratiku) or PD)<br>Labor Party (Partit Laburista) or PL <br>Nationalist Party (Partit Nazzjonalista) or PN 

Australia Group, C, CD, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO (partner), NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

21 September 1964 (from the UK)

Independence Day, 21 September (1964); Republic Day, 13 December (1974)

<strong>description:</strong> two equal vertical bands of white (left side) and red; in the upper-left corner is the George Cross, edged in red<br><br><strong>history:</strong> according to legend, the colors come from the red-and-white checkered banner of Count Roger of Sicily, who removed a bicolored corner and granted it to Malta in 1091, but the colors more likely come from the Knights of Saint John, who ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798; in 1942, Britain's King George VI awarded the George Cross to the islanders for their exceptional bravery and gallantry in World War II, and the George Cross bordered in red was added to the flag after independence in 1964 

Maltese eight-pointed cross

red, white

<p>Adopted in 1988, Malta’s coat of arms has a shield displaying the national flag, with olive and palm branches on each side symbolizing peace. On top of the shield is a golden crown in the shape of a fortification with five turrets, representing Malta's forts. The white ribbon below the shield displays the name <em>Repubblika ta' Malta</em> (<em>Republic of Malta</em>).</p>

high-income, EU-member European economy; diversified portfolio; euro user; dependent on food and energy imports; strong tourism, trade, and manufacturing sectors; high North African immigration; large welfare system; educated workforce

$24.322 billion (2024 est.)

milk, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, chicken, cauliflower/broccoli, cabbages, pork, pumpkins/squash, watermelons (2023)

tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, aviation services, financial services, information technology services

5.6% (2024 est.)

318,200 (2024 est.)

16.7% (2021 est.)

21.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Nigeria 28%, Germany 10%, China 6%, Singapore 5%, Hong Kong 4% (2023)

refined petroleum, integrated circuits, packaged medicine, ships, postage stamps/documents (2023)

Italy 18%, China 10%, Germany 8%, France 7%, Turkey 7% (2023)

ships, refined petroleum, integrated circuits, aircraft, packaged medicine (2023)

2 publicly owned TV stations, Television Malta and an educational channel; several privately owned national television stations, 2 of which are owned by political parties; Italian and British broadcast programs are available; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are available; publicly owned radio broadcaster operates 3 stations; roughly 20 commercial radio stations (2019)

.mt

9H

1 (2025)

2 (2025)

the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM): Land Component (combat, combat support, and combat service support divided into three regiments), Maritime Squadron, Air Wing; Volunteer Reserve Force (2025)

approximately 2,000 active Armed Forces of Malta (2025)

the military has a small inventory of armaments from a mix of European countries, particularly Italy, and the US (2025)

18-30 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2026)

the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) are responsible for external security but also have some domestic security responsibilities; the AFM’s primary roles include maintaining the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, monitoring and policing its territorial waters, participating in overseas peacekeeping and stability operations, and providing search and rescue and explosive ordnance disposal capabilities; secondary missions include assisting civil authorities during emergencies, supporting the police and other security services, and providing ceremonial and other public support duties<br><br>Malta maintains a security policy of neutrality but contributes to EU, Organization for the Security and Cooperation (OSCE), and UN military missions and joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1995 (suspended in 1996, but reactivated in 2008); it also participates in various bilateral and multinational military exercises; Malta cooperates closely with Italy on defense matters; in 1973, Italy established a military mission in Malta to provide advice, training, and search and rescue assistance (2025)