permanent crops:
3%
meadows and pastures:
0%
forest and woodland:
0%
other:
59%
Irrigated land: 10 km2 (1989)
Environment:
numerous bays provide good harbors; fresh water very scarce; increasing
reliance on desalination
Note:
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the 3 largest islands
(Malta, Gozo, and Comino) being inhabited

*Malta, People

Population:
363,791 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.84% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
13.9 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
7.52 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
1.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
76.52 years
male:
74.32 years
female:
78.9 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.97 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Maltese
Ethnic divisions:
Arab, Sicilian, Norman, Spanish, Italian, English
Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%
Languages:
Maltese (official), English (official)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1985)
total population:
84%
male:
86%
female:
82%
Labor force:
127,200
by occupation:
government (excluding job corps) 37%, services 26%, manufacturing 22%,
training programs 9%, construction 4%, agriculture 2% (1990)

*Malta, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Malta
conventional short form:
Malta
Digraph:
MT
Type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Valletta
Administrative divisions:
none (administration directly from Valletta)
Independence:
21 September 1964 (from UK)
Constitution:
26 April 1974, effective 2 June 1974
Legal system:
based on English common law and Roman civil law; has accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September
Political parties and leaders:
Nationalist Party (NP), Edward FENECH ADAMI; Malta Labor Party (MLP), Alfred
SANT
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Elections:
House of Representatives:
last held on 22 February 1992 (next to be held by February 1997); results -
NP 51.8%, MLP 46.5%; seats - (usually 65 total) MLP 36, NP 29; note -
additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to
ensure a legislative majority; current total 69 (MLP 33, NP 36 after