Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.
Country Name
Conventional long form:Republic of Malta
Conventional short form:Malta
Local long form:Repubblika ta' Malta
Local short form:Malta
Government Type
republic
Capital
Name:Valletta
Geographic coordinates:35 53 N, 14 30 E
Time difference:UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions
none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders and have some responsibility for local road and other public maintenance
Independence
21 September 1964 (from the UK)
National Holiday
Independence Day, 21 September (1964); Republic Day, 13 December (1974)
Constitution
1964; amended many times
Legal system
based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state:President George ABELA (since 4 April 2009)
Head of government:Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March 2004)
Cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
(For more information visit the World Leaders website)
Elections:president elected by a resolution of the House of Representatives for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 January 2009 (next to be held by April 2014); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Election results:George ABELA elected president by the House of Representatives
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Representatives (normally 65 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms; note - the Parliament elected in 2008 is composed of 69 seats; when the political party winning the plurality of votes does not win a majority of seats, the constitution provides that a sufficient number of seats will be added to Parliament to ensure that the party that won the elections has a majority in Parliament)
Elections: last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013)
Election results:percent of vote by party - PN 49.3%, PL 48.8%, other 1.9%; seats by party - PN 35, PL 34
Judicial branch
Constitutional Court; Court of First Instance; Court of Appeal
note: magistrates and judges for the courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Political Parties and Leaders
Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Michael BRIGUGLIO]; Azzjoni Nazzjonaili or AN [Josi MUSCAT]; Malta Labor Party or PL [Joseph MUSCAT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Alleanza Liberal-Demokratika Maltra or ALDM (for divorce, abortion, gay marriage, the rights existent in other EU member states); Alleanza Nazzionali Repubblikana or ANR (for traditional values, anti-immigration); Alternattiva Demokratika (pro-environment); Azzjoni Nazzjonali or AN (freedom to participate in democratic government); Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar (pro-environment); Ghazda tal-Konsumaturi (consumer rights)
Other:environmentalists
International organization participation
Australia Group, C, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission:Ambassador Mark MICELI-FARRUGIA
Chancery:2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Telephone:[1] (202) 462-3611 through 3612
FAX:[1] (202) 387-5470
Consulate(s) general:New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission:Ambassador Douglas W. KMIEC
Embassy:3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, FRN 9010
Mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, VLT1000
Telephone:[356] 2561 4000
FAX:[356] 2124 3229
Flag description
two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red; according to legend, the colors are taken from the red and white checkered banner of Count Roger of Sicily who removed a bi-colored corner and granted it to Malta in 1091; an uncontested explanation is that the colors are those of the Knights of Saint John who ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798; in 1942, King George VI of the United Kingdom awarded the George Cross to the islanders for their exceptional bravery and gallantry in World War II; since independence in 1964, the George Cross bordered in red has appeared directly on the white field
