Malta - Country information


		Malta	Population Government Economy Geography Communication Transportation

Population		Top of page

Inhabitants		Life expectancy
401,880 (July 2007 est.)		total population: 79.15 years male: 76.95 years female: 81.47 years (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups		Religions
Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)		Roman Catholic 98%

Languages		Literacy
Maltese (official), English (official)		definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 92.8% male: 92% female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Government		Top of page

Government type		Capital
republic		Valletta

Independance		National day
21 September 1964 (from UK)		Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Constitution		Legal system
1964 constitution; amended many times		based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Economy		Top of page

GDP (purchasing power parity)		Growth rate
$5.39 billion (2006 est.)		1.3% (2006 est.)

GDP per inhabitant		Unemployment rate
$20,300 (2006 est.)		6.8% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line		Inflation rate
NA%		2.6% (2006 est.)

Exports		Imports
$2.425 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)		$4.077 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold		Currency
$3.065 billion (2006 est.)		Maltese lira (MTL)

Military expenditures
0.7% (2006 est.)

Geography		Top of page

Location		Area
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)		316 sq km

Climate		Natural resources
Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers		limestone, salt, arable land

Le Monde en Fiches