Country Sheet : Malta

Information file

Last Update on 9th July 2024

MALTA

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In English - version of 9th July 2024

Geography

Area : 316 km²

Coastline : 197 km

Capital : Valletta

Official language : Maltese, English

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Population

Population : 467,138 inhabitants (2023 est.)

Crude natural change rate : 5.9‰ (2023 est.)

Population repartition: 14.5% under 15 years old, 22.7% over 65 years old (2023 est.)

Foreign residents: 8% EU nationals, 12% non-EU nationals (2021)

Crude net migration rate: 5‰ (2023 est.)

First time asylum applicants: 1 320 (2022)

Life expectancy: men 81.3 years, women 85.6 years (2023 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic over 90%

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

Source : Eurostat, CIA World Factbook

Economy

Currency: Euro

GDP: € 19,382 billion (2023)

GDP per capita (PPS): € 25,160 (2023)

GDP growth : 5.6% of GDP (2023)

Inflation: 2.3% (May 2024)

Public debt: 52.3% (December 2022)

Unemployment: 3.1% (May 2024)

Stock of foreign direct investment from the entire world: 2.723% of GDP (2022)

Budget balance: -5.3% of GDP (2022)

Source : Eurostat

Political system

Republic, parliamentary democracy (Constitution of 1964, revised in 1974 when the island became a Republic and once again in 1994 ; bipartisan political system, inspired by the British system.

Head of State Myriam Spiteri Debono (Labour Party), elected in April 2024 by the Parliament for a period of five years

Head of Government JRobert Abela (Labour Party) since 13th January 2020, after Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has left his office following themurder of an investigative journalist.

Unicameral parliamentary system The House of Representatives (Il Kamra Tad Deputati) comprises 79 members, elected for five years through direct universal suffrage by proportional representation