+356 is the dialing code for Malta.
The small island nation of Malta in the middle of the Mediterranean is the EU’s smallest member state. With its strategic location between Sicily and the north coast of Africa, Malta forms a bridge between Europe and Africa and the country has received a stream of refugees and migrants en route north from Africa and the Middle East. Tourism is Malta’s most important industry.
- Abbreviationfinder: Brief profiles of Malta, including geography, history, politics, economics as well as common acronyms about this country.
Geography and climate
As one of countries that start with M, Malta is a small island, strategically located in the middle of the Mediterranean. The nearest neighbor is the Italian island of Sicily, just over nine miles north. To the west it is 29 km to the coast of Tunisia and about 20 km to the south is Libya.
The country consists of the islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino as well as some uninhabited small islands. In total, the land area is no larger than the West Swedish island of Orust. The main island of Malta constitutes just over three quarters of the land area. There, the longest distance from the southeast to the northwest is 2.7 km. Gozo is at most only 1.4 miles. Comino is less than three square kilometers in area.
The bedrock consists mainly of limestone and nature is dominated by heaths with poor bush vegetation. The barren plain landscape sometimes turns into low hills with terraced gardens along the slopes. There are a total of only 300 hectares of forest on the islands. In the smallest islands, almost no trees grow.
The country completely lacks lakes and rivers. Access to drinking water is severely limited and great efforts are being made to increase access.
Country Facts
Geography
| Cultivated land | 32.3 % |
| Land area | 316 km 2 |
Population and health
| Population development | 0.31 ‰ |
| Urban population (Urbanization) | 95.4 % |
| Death rate | 9.09 per 1000 residents |
| Life expectancy: Women | 82.71 years |
| Life expectancy: Men | 77.92 years |
| Birth rate | 10.18 births per 1000 residents |
| HDI index | 0.839 |
| Population | 413965 |
| Infant mortality | 3.56 deaths / 1000 births |
Population Graph Source: Countryaah.com
Energy
| Electricity, production | 2170 million kWh |
| Energy consumption per resident | 1599.3 kg. oil per resident |
| Natural gas, production | million cubic meters |
| Crude oil, production | million tons |
Infrastructure
| Internet users | 40.2 per 100 residents |
| Mobile subscriptions | 132 per 100 residents |
| Passenger cars | 693 per 1000 residents |
Business and economics
| Unemployment | 5.2% of the workforce |
| GDP | 35900 per resident |
| Primary occupations | 1.5 % |
| Secondary profession | 24.7 % |
| Tertiary professions | 73.9 % |
The islands’ northern and eastern sides have deep sea coves with protected natural harbors. In the west, on the other hand, the coasts are steep and difficult to reach, while the plains reach the south coast.
Every spring, some bird species are hunted, including quail and turf pigeons. The hunting of these birds is controversial and prohibited in the rest of the EU.
Malta has a typical Mediterranean climate. The summers are hot and dry, while the autumn and short winters are lukewarm and rainy.
Desert winds from the Sahara mean that the daytime temperatures in July and August are often above 30 degrees. Nearly all precipitation falls between October and March. October is the rainiest month. It blows a lot, and the islanders have given each wind their own name. The northwest wind Majjistral is most common. Another, dry northwest wind is called Grigal, and a warm, moist wind from the southeast is called Xlokk.
FACTS – GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Surface
316 km2 (2018)
Time
Swedish
Adjacent country (s)
Neighboring countries are missing
Capital with number of residents
Valletta 5700
Other major cities
Birkirkara 20,500, Mosta 19,500, San Pawl il-Bahar 19,000 (Estimated 2012)
Highest mountain
Benghiza Point (253 m asl)
Important rivers
Malta lacks rivers
Largest lake
Malta lacks lakes
Average Precipitation / month
124 mm (Oct), 1 mm (July)
Average / day
Valletta 26 °C (Aug), 12 °C (Jan)
2015
April
No for hunting bans
In a referendum, the Maltese say with very little margin “no” to a proposal in Parliament that would prohibit the controversial, and traditionally-bound, spring hunting of certain bird species, among other quail and trip pigeons. The hunt is prohibited in other EU countries.