|
|
|
Entry Year in EU: |
2004 |
|
|
Seats: |
5 |
|
|
Seats Percentage of EU: |
0.7 |
|
|
Votes: |
3 |
|
|
Votes Percentage
of EU: |
0.9 |
|
|
Population: |
0.4 |
|
|
Population Percentage of EU: |
0.1 |
|
|
Area: |
316 |
|
|
Area Percentage
of EU: |
|
|
|
Density: |
1261 |
|
|
Budget Contribution: |
57409269 |
|
|
Budget Contribution of EU: |
0.05 |
|
|
GDP: |
8273 |
|
|
GDP Capita: |
20793 |
|
|
GDP Nominal: |
13923 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Malta
|
|
Malta (Maltese: Malta), officially the Republic of Malta, is a small and densely populated island nation consisting of an archipelago of seven islands in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Malta lies directly south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, and the country's official languages are Maltese and English. The strategically located islands constituting the Maltese nation have been ruled by various powers and fought over for centuries. Malta has been a member state of the European Union since May 1, 2004. It is currently the smallest European Union country in both population and area. Malta is the only nation in the world whose flags bear a decoration awarded by a foreign country.
|
|
|
|
[
TOP ] |
History
|
|
Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC. A significant prehistoric culture, that predates the Pyramids of Giza by a millennium, is believed to have existed on the islands. Phoenicians colonized the islands around 1000 BC, using them as an outpost from which they expanded sea explorations and trade in the Mediterranean.
|
|
|
|
[
TOP ] |
Politics
|
|
Malta is a republic enjoying representative democracy, whose parliamentary system and public administration is closely modelled on the Westminster system. The unicameral House of Representatives, known in Maltese as il-Kamra tad-Deputati, is elected by direct universal suffrage through single transferable vote every five years, unless the House is dissolved earlier by the President on advice of the Prime Minister. The party who wins the majority forms the cabinet. The House of Representatives is made up of 65 Members of Parliament. However, where a party wins an absolute majority of votes, but does not have a majority of seats, that party (the cabinet) is given additional seats to ensure a parliamentary majority. By the Constitution of Malta, the President appoints the Prime Minister, who in general is the leader of the party forming the cabinet.
|
|
|
|
[
TOP ] |
Geography
|
|
Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean Sea, some 93 km south of Sicily. Only the three largest islands Malta Island (Malta), Gozo (Ghawdex), and Comino (Kemmuna) are inhabited. Numerous bays along the indented coastline of the islands provide good harbours. The landscape is characterised by low hills with terraced fields. The highest point, which even many locals have no idea how to locate, is the Ta' Dmejrek on Malta Island at 253 metres (830 ft) near Dingli.
|
|
|
|
[
TOP ] |
Economy
|
|
Until 1800, Malta had very few industries except the cotton, tobacco, and shipyards industry. The dockyard was later used by the British for military purposes. At times of war, Malta's economy prospered due to its strategic location.
In 1869, the opening of the Suez Canal benefited Malta's economy greatly as there was a massive increase in the shipping which entered in the port.
|
|
|
|
[
TOP ] |
Demographics
|
|
According to the last demographic survey (December 2004), the estimated population of the Malta at the end of that year (including foreign residents) was 402,668 of whom 199,580 (49.6%) were males and 203,008 (50.4%) were females. The Maltese-resident population was of 389,769, 193,917 (49.6%) male and 196,752 (50.4%) female. Malta's population density of 1,274 per square kilometre (3,301/sq mi) is one of the highest in the World.
|
|
|
|
[
TOP ] |
Education
|
|
The first years of education in Malta are done in kindergarten. Attendance is up to 5 years and not compulsory. Compulsory education starts at the age of 6 with primary education. Primary education lasts for 6 years. Following public examinations, students enter secondary education. Following a five-year course preparing for the "Secondary Education Certificate" (SEC), equivalent to the British General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), students sit for final examinations (results are used in the school-leaving certificate), and in general also sit for the SEC examinations. SEC examinations require students to be aged 16 and over, or to have a school-leaving certificate. Students who have repeated years are therefore able to apportion their SEC examinations over the last two years at school.
|
|
|
|
[
TOP ] |
|
|
|
