(1996)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: none

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@Malta
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Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 35 50 N, 14 35 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 320 sq km
land: 320 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly less than twice the size of
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 140 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry
summers

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Natural resources: limestone, salt

Land use:
arable land: 38%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 59% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment--current issues: very limited natural fresh water
resources; increasing reliance on desalination

Environment--international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

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

People

Population: 381,603 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 40,058; female 37,810)
15-64 years: 68% (male 130,282; female 128,390)
65 years and over: 12% (male 18,996; female 26,067) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.49% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 11.02 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 7.37 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 ma