Valletta

Merchant marine:
total: 1,361 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,436,956
GRT/40,706,665 DWT
ships by type: bulk 370, cargo 400, chemical tanker 49, combination
bulk 18, combination ore/oil 17, container 56, liquefied gas tanker
2, livestock carrier 3, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil
tanker 302, passenger 7, refrigerated cargo 46, roll-on/roll-off
cargo 47, short-sea passenger 19, specialized tanker 4, vehicle
carrier 18
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 49
countries among which includes Greece 445, Russia 51, Switzerland
45, Italy 44, Norway 40, Croatia 26, Turkey 35, Germany 32, Georgia
23, and Monaco 24 (1998 est.)

Airports: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Armed Forces (including an air squadron, a
maritime squadron, and the Revenue Security Corps), Maltese Police
Force

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 99,067 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 78,855 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $65.5 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 2.7% (FY96/97)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: Malta and Tunisia are discussing the
commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their
countries, particularly for oil exploration

Illicit drugs: minor transshipment point for hashish from North
Africa to Western Europe

======================================================================

@Man, Isle of
------------

Geography

Location: Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great
Britain and Ireland

Geographic coordinates: 54 15 N, 4 30 W

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 588 sq km
land: 588 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area--comparative: slightly more than three times the size of
Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 113 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: cool summers and mild winters; humid; overcast about
half the time

Terrain: hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 620 m

Natural resources: lead, iron ore

Land use:
arable land: 12%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 56%
forest