Country Profile

MALTA
Contents

 Malta
 Fast Facts
 Leaders
 Country Profile
 History of Malta
 Time line
 Independence and Republic
 Politics
 Administrative divisions
 Military
 Human rights
 Geography
 Climate
 Urbanization
 Flora
 Economy
 Banking and finance
 Currency
 Tourism
 Science and technology
 Demographics
 Languages
 Religion
 Migration
 Education
 Infrastructure
 Communications
 Healthcare
 Culture
 Music
 Literature
 Architecture
 Art
 Cuisine
 Customs
 Traditions
 Festivals and events
 Media
 Sport
 Malta in the EU
 Economic freedom
 At a Glance
 Key Developments in 2023
 Foreign policy
 Trade and investment
 Top 10 Banks in Malta
 List of banks in Malta
 List of companies of Malta
 Government Procurement in Malta
 Public Procurement in Malta
Malta

Destination Malta, a Nations Online country profile about the small archipelago steeped in history in
the Mediterranean and one of the smallest countries in Europe.
The island group is situated east of Tunisia and about 100 km (60 mi) south of the island of Sicily (Italy).
Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, consists of the main island Malta and the smaller islands of Gozo
and Comino. The country covers an area of 316 km²; compared, it is about twice the size of Washington,
DC, and would fit into Luxembourg eight times.
Malta has a population of 515,000 people (in 2020). The island nation is in the Top10 of the most
densely populated countries in the world. The capital city is Valletta on the island of Malta.
Spoken languages are Maltese and English.
Malta is a popular tourist destination and known for its warm climate and breathtaking landscapes that
serve as locations for major film productions. The archipelago is home to some of the oldest temples in
the world, such as the Megalithic Temples of Malta. The medieval capital Valletta is the site of
the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Barrakka Gardens.
Dolphins, sea lions and other marine life populate the famed natural beach of the Blue Lagoon on the
West coast of Comino.

Malta is a parliamentary democracy with regular, competitive elections and periodic rotations of power.
New and smaller political parties encounter difficulties in challenging the dominance of the two main
parties, and official corruption is a serious problem. While civil liberties are generally respected,
mistreatment of migrant workers and asylum seekers remains a concern.

Fast Facts
OFFICIAL NAME: Republic of Malta

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary republic

INDEPENDENCE: 21 September 1964 (from UK).

PRESIDENT: Myriam Spiteri Debono

PRIME MINISTER: Robert Abela

PARLIAMENT SPEAKER: Angelo Farrugia

CAPITAL: Valletta
POPULATION: 519,500 million

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES: Maltese, English

MONEY: Euro

AREA: 122 square miles (316 square kilometers

LIFE EXPECTANCY: 80 years (men) 84 years (women)

Country Calling Code: +356

Climate: Mediterranean: subtropical summer, with mild, rainy winters.

Natural resources: Limestone, salt, arable land.

Agriculture products: Potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers,

Green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs.

Industries: Tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food and

Beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco.

Exports: Commodities: machinery and mechanical appliances; mineral fuels, oils and

Petroleum products; pharmaceutical products; books and newspapers;

Aircraft/spacecraft and parts; toys, games, and sports equipment

Exports partners: Germany 12%, France 9%, and Italy 9% (2019)

Imports: Commodities: mineral fuels, oils and products; electrical machinery;

Aircraft/spacecraft and parts thereof; machinery and mechanical appliances;

Plastic and other semi-manufactured goods; vehicles and parts

Imports partners: Russia 22%, Italy 12%, United Kingdom 11%, Germany 6% ,

Turkey 5%, France 5%, China 5%, South Korea 5% (2019)

The Maltese archipelago has a history of colonial control spanning centuries.

Located south of the Italian island of Sicily between Europe and North Africa, the islands have been
occupied by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, the Knights of Malta, and latterly France and Britain.

Independence from Britain was achieved in 1964, after the Maltese people were awarded the George
Cross for defending the crucial military bases there during World War Two.

Over the centuries, Malta's strategic position has fostered its development as an important trading post,
and it remains a leading centre for container and freight transhipment.

Malta is a popular holiday destination, and tourism is the nation's main source of income.
Leaders
President: George Vella

George Vella was elected unopposed as Malta's tenth president in April 2019 in a parliamentary vote.

He is a veteran Labour Party politician, who has served variously as deputy prime minister and foreign
minister.

The presidency is a largely symbolic post.

Prime Minister: Robert Abela

Robert Abela took over as prime minister and Labour Party leader in January 2020, when his
predecessor Joseph Muscat resigned in the fallout from the murder of investigative journalist Daphne
Caruana Galizia.

In March 2022, the ruling Labour party, led by Abela, won its third successive election.

Muscat had been credited with boosting Malta's economy, but criticized for failing to rein in the
corruption that Ms Caruana Galizia was investigating when she was killed by a car bomb in 2017.
Country Profile

The Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe, located in the Mediterranean Sea. It
consists of an archipelago between Italy, Tunisia and Libya. It lies 80 km (50 mi) south of Sicily and Italy,
284 km (176 mi) east of Tunisia, and 333 km (207 mi) north of Libya. The two official languages
are Maltese, the only Semitic language in Europe and the European Union, and English. The country's
capital is Valletta.

With a population of about 519,000 over an area of 316 km2 (122 sq mi), Malta is the tenth-smallest
country by area and the fifth most densely populated sovereign state. Its capital Valletta is the smallest
capital city in the European Union by area and population. According to 2021 data by Eurostat, the
Functional Urban Area and metropolitan region covered the whole island and had a population of
480,134.According to the United Nations, ESPON and EU Commission, "the whole territory of Malta
constitutes a single urban region". Malta increasingly is referred to as a city-state.

Malta has been inhabited since about 5900 BC. Its location in the centre of the Mediterranean has
historically given it great strategic importance as a naval base, with a succession of powers having
contested and ruled the islands, including
the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Aragonese, Knights of St. John,
French, and British. While Christianity has been present since the time of the early Christians [broken
anchor], Malta was predominantly a Muslim country under Arab rule during the early Middle Ages.
Muslim rule ended with the Norman invasion of Malta by Roger I in 1091. Malta became a British
colony in 1813, serving as the headquarters for the British Mediterranean Fleet. It was besieged by the
Axis powers during World War II and was an important Allied base for operations in North Africa and the
Mediterranean. The British parliament passed the Malta Independence Act in 1964, giving Malta
independence, with Elizabeth II as its queen. The country became a republic in 1974. It has been a
member state of the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations since independence, and joined
the European Union in 2004; it became part of the eurozone monetary union in 2008. Malta is also
closely tied historically and culturally to Italy and especially Sicily, with between 62 and 66 percent of
Maltese people speaking or having significant knowledge of the Italian language, which was one of the
official languages of Malta until 1934.

Catholicism is the state religion but the Constitution of Malta guarantees freedom of conscience and
religious worship. The economy of Malta is heavily reliant on tourism, and the country promotes itself as
a Mediterranean tourist destination with its warmer climate compared to the rest of Europe, numerous
recreational areas and architectural and historical monuments, including three UNESCO World Heritage
Sites: Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Valletta, and seven megalithic temples which are some of the oldest free-
standing structures in the world.

Name
َ ‫) َما ِل‬,
The English name Malta derives from Italian and Maltese Malta, from medieval Arabic Māliṭā (‫طا‬
from classical Latin Melita, from latinised or Doric forms of the ancient Greek Melítē (Μελίτη) of
uncertain origin. The name Melítē—shared by the Croatian island Mljet in antiquity—literally means
"place of honey" or "sweetness", derived from the combining form of méli (μέλι, "honey" or any
similarly sweet thing) and the suffix -ē (-η). The ancient Greeks may have given the island this name
after Malta's endemic subspecies of bees. Alternatively, other scholars argue for derivation of the Greek
name from an original Phoenician or Punic Maleth, meaning "haven" or "port" in reference to the Grand
Harbour and its primary settlement at Cospicua following the sea level rise that separated the Maltese
islands and flooded its original coastal settlements in the 10th century BC.The name was then applied to
all of Malta by the Greeks and to its ancient capital at Mdina by the Romans.

Malta and its demonym Maltese are attested in English from the late 16th century. The Greek name
appears in the Book of Acts in the Bible's New Testament. English translations including the 1611 King
James Version long used the Vulgate Latin form Melita, although William Tyndale's 1525
translation from Greek sources used the transliteration Melite instead. Malta is widely used in more
recent versions. The name is attested earlier in other languages, however, including some
medieval manuscripts of the Latin Antonine Itinerary.

History of Malta
Prehistory

See also: Megalithic Temples of Malta, Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, and Għar Dalam

Malta has been inhabited from circa 5900 BC, since the arrival of settlers originating from European
Neolithic agriculturalists. Pottery found by archaeologists at the Skorba Temples resembles that found in
Italy, and suggests that the Maltese islands were first settled in 5200 BC by Stone Age hunters or
farmers who had arrived from Sicily, possibly the Sicani. The extinction of the dwarf hippos, giant
swans and dwarf elephants has been linked to the earliest arrival of humans on Malta. Prehistoric
farming settlements dating to the Early Neolithic include Għar Dalam. The population on Malta
grew cereals, raised livestock and, in common with other ancient Mediterranean cultures, worshipped
a fertility figure.

A culture of megalithic temple builders then either supplanted or arose from this early period. Around
3500 BC, these people built some of the oldest existing free-standing structures in the world in the form
of the megalithic Ġgantija temples on Gozo; other early temples include those at Ħaġar
Qim and Mnajdra. The temples have distinctive architecture, typically a complex trefoil design, and were
used from 4000 to 2500 BC. Tentative information suggests that animal sacrifices were made to the
goddess of fertility, whose statue is now in the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. Another
archaeological feature of the Maltese Islands often attributed to these ancient builders is equidistant
uniform grooves dubbed "cart tracks" or "cart ruts" which can be found in several locations throughout
the islands, with the most prominent being those found in Misraħ Għar il-Kbir. These may have been
caused by wooden-wheeled carts eroding soft limestone. The culture apparently disappeared from the
islands around 2500 BC, possibly due to famine or disease.

After 2500 BC, the Maltese Islands were depopulated for several decades until an influx of Bronze
Age immigrants, a culture that cremated its dead and introduced smaller megalithic structures
called dolmens. They are claimed to belong to a population certainly different from that which built the
previous megalithic temples. It is presumed the population arrived from Sicily because of the similarity
of Maltese dolmens to some small constructions found there.
Timeline
Some key dates in Malta's history:

5200BC - Arrival of European Neolithic settlers, mainly from Sicily. A significant prehistoric Neolithic
culture emerges marked by the building of Megalithic temples such as Gigantija, Hagar Qim, Mnajdra
and Ta Hagrat between 3600-2500BC.

800-700BC - Phoenicians and subsequently their successors the Carthaginians colonise the islands, using
the archipelago as a base from which to expand their trade across the Mediterranean.

216BC - Rome conquers the islands, which then become part of the Roman empire from 1st-4th
Centuries.

4th-9th Centuries - Islands under Byzantine rule.

870-1091 - Arab invasion and occupation of the islands.

1091 - Normans conquer the islands, which then become part of the Kingdom of Sicily.

1530 - Holy Roman Emperor Charles V gives the islands to the Order of Knights of the Hospital of St John
of Jerusalem in perpetual lease - in return for an annual fee of one Maltese falcon.

1551 - Unsuccessful Ottoman attempt to invade Malta

1565 - Great Siege of Malta: the climax of an escalating contest during the 16th Century between allied
Christian states and and the Islamic Ottoman Empire for control of the Mediterranean. The Ottoman
Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent, sends a 40,000-strong force to besiege the outnumbered defenders
on Malta. The four-month attempt ends in failure for the Ottomans.

1798 - French forces capture Malta from the Knights of Malta,

1800 - French troops surrender to British forces after a Royal Navy blockade.

1814 - The Treaty of Vienna ends the Napoleonic Wars, and grants Malta as a crown colony to Britain.
Along with Gibraltar, Malta becomes Britain's key naval base in the Mediterranean.

1939-1945 - Malta suffers heavy bombing by German and Italian air forces targeting Allied bases. King
George VI awards colony the George Cross - Britain's highest civilian decoration - for heroism.

1947 - Self-government granted.

1964-71 - Independence granted. Conservative Nationalist Party pursues pro-Western policies.

1971 - Dom Mintoff's Labour Party takes power, and reorients Malta towards Libya and the Communist
bloc.

1974 - Malta becomes republic.

1979 - Closure of last British military base.

1987 - Victory of Nationalist Party marks move toward European integration, three years after Dom
Mintoff resigns.

2004 May - Malta is one of 10 new states to join the EU.

2008 - Malta adopts the euro.

2011 - Maltese parliament passes law allowing divorce after the move is approved in a referendum. The
overwhelmingly Catholic country was the last in Europe to maintain a divorce ban.

2017 - Reporter Daphne Caruana Galizia is killed by a car bomb after campaigning against corruption in
high places. Mass protests in Malta lead to pressure on the authorities to allow an independent public
inquiry.

2020 - Labour Prime Minister Joseph Muscat quits in a political scandal over the murder of investigative
journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Independence and Republic

Malta achieved its independence as the State of Malta on 21 September 1964 (Independence Day).
Under its 1964 constitution, Malta initially retained Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Malta and thus head
of state, with a governor-general exercising executive authority on her behalf. In 1971, the Malta Labour
Party led by Dom Mintoff won the general elections, resulting in Malta declaring itself a republic on 13
December 1974 (Republic Day) within the Commonwealth. A defence agreement was signed soon after
independence, and after being re-negotiated in 1972, expired on 31 March 1979 (Freedom Day). Upon
its expiry, the British base closed and lands formerly controlled by the British were given to the Maltese
government.

In the aftermath of the departure of the remaining British troops in 1979, the country intensified its
participation in the Non-Aligned Movement. Malta adopted a policy of neutrality in 1980. In that same
year, three of Malta's sites, including the capital Valletta, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage
List. In 1989, Malta was the venue of a summit between US President George H. W. Bush and Soviet
leader Mikhail Gorbachev, their first face-to-face encounter, which signalled the end of the Cold
War. Malta International Airport was inaugurated and became fully operational on 25 March 1992,
boosting the local aircraft and tourism industry. A referendum on joining the European Union was held
on 8 March 2003, with 53.65% in favour. Malta joined the European Union on 1 May 2004 and
the eurozone on 1 January 2008.

Politics

Main articles: Politics of Malta, Government of Malta, Law of Malta, and Foreign relations of Malta

Malta is a republic [35] whose parliamentary system and public administration are closely modelled on
the Westminster system.

The unicameral Parliament is made up of the President of Malta and the House of
Representatives (Maltese: Kamra tad-Deputati).

The President of Malta, a largely ceremonial position, is appointed for a five-year term by a resolution of
the House of Representatives carried by a simple majority. The House of Representatives has 65
members, elected for a five-year term in 13 five-seat electoral divisions, called distretti elettorali, with
constitutional amendments that allow for mechanisms to establish strict proportionality amongst seats
and votes of political parliamentary groups. Members of the House of Representatives are elected by
direct universal suffrage through single transferable vote every five years, unless the House is dissolved
earlier by the president either on the advice of the prime minister or through a motion of no confidence.
Malta had the second-highest voter turnout in the world (and the highest for nations
without mandatory voting), based on election turnout in national lower house elections from 1960 to
1995. Since Malta is a republic, the head of state in Malta is the President of the Republic.

The current President of the Republic is George Vella, who was appointed in 2019 after being nominated
both by the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party as opposition. The 80th article of the Constitution of
Malta provides that the president appoint as prime minister "the member of the House of
Representatives who, in his judgment, is best able to command the support of a majority of the
members of that House".

Maltese politics is a two-party system dominated by the Labour Party (Maltese: Partit Laburista), a
centre-left social democratic party, and the Nationalist Party (Maltese: Partit Nazzjonalista), a centre-
right Christian democratic party.

The Labour Party has been the governing party since 2013 and is currently led by Prime Minister Robert
Abela, who has been in office since 13 January 2020. There are a number of small political parties in
Malta which have no parliamentary representation.
Administrative divisions

Administrative divisions of Malta

Malta has had a system of local government since 1993, based on the European Charter of Local Self-
Government. The country is divided into six regions (one of them being Gozo), with each region having
its own Regional Council, serving as the intermediate level between local government and national
government. The regions are divided into local councils, of which there are currently 68 (54 in Malta and
14 in Gozo). The six districts (five on Malta and the sixth being Gozo) serve primarily statistical purposes.

Each council is made up of a number of councilors (from 5 to 13, depending on and relative to the
population they represent). A mayor and a deputy mayor are elected by and from the councilors. The
executive secretary, who is appointed by the council, is the executive, administrative and financial head
of the council. Councilors are elected every four years through the single transferable vote. Due to
system reforms, no elections were held before 2012. Since then, elections have been held every two
years for an alternating half of the councils.

Local councils are responsible for the general upkeep and embellishment of the locality (including
repairs to non-arterial roads), allocation of local wardens, and refuse collection; they also carry out
general administrative duties for the central government such as the collection of government rents and
funds and answer government-related public inquiries. Additionally, a number of individual towns and
villages in the Republic of Malta have sister cities.
Military

The objectives of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) are to maintain a military organisation with the
primary aim of defending the islands' integrity according to the Defence roles as set by the government
in an efficient and cost-effective manner. This is achieved by emphasizing the maintenance of Malta's
territorial waters and airspace integrity.

The AFM also engages in combating terrorism, fighting against illicit drug trafficking, conducting anti-
illegal immigrant operations and patrols, and anti-illegal fishing operations, operating search and
rescue (SAR) services, and physical or electronic security and surveillance of sensitive locations. Malta's
search-and-rescue area extends from east of Tunisia to west of Crete, an area of around
250,000 km2 (97,000 sq mi).

As a military organisation, the AFM provides backup support to the Malta Police Force (MPF) and other
government departments/agencies in situations as required in an organised, disciplined manner in the
event of national emergencies (such as natural disasters) or internal security and bomb disposal.

In 2020, Malta signed and ratified the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Human rights

Malta is regarded as one of the most LGBT-supportive countries in the world, and was the first nation in
the European Union to prohibit conversion therapy. Malta also constitutionally bans discrimination
based on disability. Maltese legislation recognises both civil and canonical (ecclesiastical) marriages.
Annulments by the ecclesiastical and civil courts are unrelated and are not necessarily mutually
endorsed. Malta voted in favour of divorce legislation in a referendum held on 28 May 2011.

In Malta, life from conception is protected, and as such abortion in Malta is illegal. It is the only
European Union member state with a total ban on the procedure. There are no exceptions for rape or
incest. On 21 November 2022, the government led by the Labour Party proposed a bill that "introduces
a new clause into the country's criminal code allowing for the termination of a pregnancy if the mother's
life is at risk or if her health is in serious jeopardy". As of 2023, an exception was added to allow abortion
only if the mother's life is at risk.

Geography

Topographic map of Malta

Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean (in its eastern basin), some 80 km (50 mi) from
southern Italy across the Malta Channel. Only the three largest islands—
Malta (Maltese: Malta), Gozo (Għawdex), and Comino (Kemmuna)—are inhabited. The islands of the
archipelago lie on the Malta plateau, a shallow shelf formed from the high points of a land
bridge between Sicily and North Africa that became isolated as sea levels rose after the last ice age. The
archipelago is located on the African tectonic plate. Malta was considered an island of North Africa for
centuries.

Numerous bays along the indented coastline of the islands provide good harbours. The landscape
consists of low hills with terraced fields. The highest point in Malta is Ta' Dmejrek, at 253 m (830 ft),
near Dingli. Although there are some small rivers at times of high rainfall, there are no permanent rivers
or lakes on Malta. However, some watercourses have fresh water running all year round
at Baħrija near Ras ir-Raħeb, at l-Imtaħleb and San Martin, and at Lunzjata Valley in Gozo.

Phytogeographically, Malta belongs to the Liguro-Tyrrhenian province of the Mediterranean region

within the Boreal Kingdom. According to the WWF, the territory of Malta belongs to the
terrestrial ecoregion of Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests.

Maltese landscape, Mġarr

The following uninhabited minor islands are part of the archipelago:

 Barbaġanni Rock (Gozo)

 Cominotto (Kemmunett)
 Dellimara Island (Marsaxlokk)
 Filfla (Żurrieq)/(Siġġiewi)
 Fessej Rock
 Fungus Rock (Il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral), (Gozo)
 Għallis Rock (Naxxar)
 Ħalfa Rock (Gozo)
 Large Blue Lagoon Rocks (Comino)
  Islands of St. Paul/Selmunett Island (Mellieħa)
 Manoel Island, which connects to the town of Gżira, on the mainland via a bridge
 Mistra Rocks (San Pawl il-Baħar)
 Taċ-Ċawl Rock (Gozo)
 Qawra Point/Ta' Fraben Island (San Pawl il-Baħar)
 Small Blue Lagoon Rocks (Comino)
 Sala Rock (Żabbar)
 Xrobb l-Għaġin Rock (Marsaxlokk)
 Ta' taħt il-Mazz Rock

Climate
Malta has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa), with mild winters and hot
summers, hotter in the inland areas. Rain occurs mainly in autumn and winter, with summer being
generally dry.

The average yearly temperature is around 23 °C (73 °F) during the day and 15.5 °C (59.9 °F) at night. In
the coldest month – January – the typical maximum temperature ranges from 12 to 18 °C (54 to 64 °F)
during the day and minimum 6 to 12 °C (43 to 54 °F) at night. In the warmest month – August – the
typical maximum temperature ranges from 28 to 34 °C (82 to 93 °F) during the day and minimum 20 to
24 °C (68 to 75 °F) at night. Amongst all capitals in the continent of Europe, Valletta – the capital of
Malta has the warmest winters, with average temperatures of around 15 to 16 °C (59 to 61 °F) during
the day and 9 to 10 °C (48 to 50 °F) at night in the period January–February. In March and December
average temperatures are around 17 °C (63 °F) during the day and 11 °C (52 °F) at night. Large
fluctuations in temperature are rare. Snow is very rare, although snowfalls have been recorded in the
last century, the last one in 2014.
The average annual sea temperature is 20 °C (68 °F), from 15–16 °C (59–61 °F) in February to 26 °C
(79 °F) in August. In the 6 months – from June to November – the average sea temperature exceeds
20 °C (68 °F).

The annual average relative humidity is high, averaging 75%, ranging from 65% in July (morning: 78%
evening: 53%) to 80% in December (morning: 83% evening: 73%).

Sunshine duration hours total around 3,000 per year, from an average 5.2 hours of sunshine duration
per day in December to an average above 12 hours in July. This is about double that of cities in the
northern half of Europe,[original research?] for comparison: London – 1,461; however, in winter it has
up to four times more sunshine; for comparison: in December, London has 37 hours of
sunshine whereas Malta has above 160.
Urbanization

The main urban area of Malta. Valletta is the central peninsula.

According to Eurostat, Malta is composed of two larger urban zones nominally referred to as "Valletta"
(the main island of Malta) and "Gozo". The main urban area covers the entire main island, with a
population of around 400,000. The core of the urban area, the greater city of Valletta, has a population
of 205,768.

According to the data from 2020 by Eurostat, the Functional Urban Area and metropolitan region
covered the whole island and has a population of 480,134. According to the United Nations, about 95
percent of the area of Malta is urban and the number grows every year. According to ESPON and EU
Commission studies, "the whole territory of Malta constitutes a single urban region".

Malta, with area of 316 km2 (122 sq mi) and population of over 0.5 million, is one of the most densely
populated countries worldwide. It is in some sources referred to as a city-state. Sometimes Malta is
listed in rankings concerning cities or metropolitan areas.
Flora

The Maltese islands are home to a wide diversity of indigenous, sub-endemic and endemic plants. They
feature many traits typical of a Mediterranean climate, such as drought resistance. The most common
indigenous trees on the islands are olive (Olea europaea), carob (Ceratonia siliqua), fig (Ficus carica),
holm oak (Quericus ilex) and Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis), while the most common non-native trees
are eucalyptus, acacia and opuntia. Endemic plants include the national flower widnet il-
baħar (Cheirolophus crassifolius), sempreviva ta' Malta (Helichrysum
panormitanum subsp. melitense), żigland t' Għawdex (Hyoseris frutescens) and ġiżi ta' Malta (Matthiola
incana subsp. melitensis) while sub-endemics include kromb il-baħar (Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula)
and xkattapietra (Micromeria microphylla). The biodiversity of Malta is severely endangered by habitat
loss, invasive species and human intervention.
Economy

The dolphin show at Mediterraneo Marine Park. Tourism generates a significant part of the GDP of
Malta.

Malta is classified as an advanced economy according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Malta's
major resources are limestone, a favourable geographic location and a productive labour force. Malta
produces only about 20 percent of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies because of the
drought in the summer, and has no domestic energy sources, aside from the potential for solar energy
from its plentiful sunlight.

The economy is dependent on foreign trade (serving as a freight trans-shipment point), manufacturing
(especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Film production has contributed to the Maltese
economy.

Access to biocapacity in Malta is below the world average. In 2016, Malta had 0.6 global hectares of
biocapacity per person within its territory, contrasted with a global average of 1.6 hectares per person.
Additionally, residents of Malta exhibited an ecological footprint of consumption of 5.8 global hectares
of biocapacity per person, resulting in a sizable biocapacity deficit.
Malta is part of a monetary union, the eurozone (dark blue).

In preparation for Malta's membership in the European Union, which it joined on 1 May 2004,
it privatised some state-controlled firms and liberalised markets. Malta has a financial regulator,
the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), with a strong business development mindset, and the
country has been successful in attracting gaming businesses, aircraft and ship registration, credit-card
issuing banking licences and also fund administration.

Malta has made strong headway in implementing EU Financial Services Directives including UCITs IV and
Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFMs). As a base for alternative asset managers who must
comply with new directives, Malta has attracted a number of key players including IDS, Iconic Funds,
Apex Fund Services and TMF/Customs House.

As of 2015, Malta did not have a property tax. Its property market, especially around the harbour area,
was booming, with the prices of apartments in some towns like St Julian's, Sliema and Gzira
skyrocketing.

According to Eurostat data, Maltese GDP per capita stood at 88 per cent of the EU average in 2015 with
€21,000.

The National Development and Social Fund from the Individual Investor Programme, a citizenship by
investment programme also known as the "citizenship scheme", became a significant income source for
the government of Malta, adding 432,000,000 euro to the budget in 2018.

Banking and Finance

The two largest commercial banks are Bank of Valletta and HSBC Bank Malta. Digital banks such
as Revolut have also increased in popularity. The Central Bank of Malta (Bank Ċentrali ta' Malta) has two
key areas of responsibility: the formulation and implementation of monetary policy and the promotion
of a sound and efficient financial system. The Maltese government entered ERM II on 4 May 2005, and
adopted the euro as the country's currency on 1 January 2008.

Currency

Maltese euro coins feature the Maltese cross on €2 and €1 coins, the coat of arms of Malta on the
€0.50, €0.20 and €0.10 coins, and the Mnajdra Temples on the €0.05, €0.02 and €0.01 coins.

Malta has produced collectors' coins with face value ranging from 10 to 50 euros. These coins continue
an existing national practice of minting of silver and gold commemorative coins. Unlike normal issues,
these coins are not accepted in all the eurozone.

From its introduction in 1972 until the introduction of the Euro in 2008, the currency was the Maltese
lira, which had replaced the Maltese pound. The pound replaced the Maltese scudo in 1825.

Tourism

Malta is a popular tourist destination, with 1.6 million tourists per year. Three times more tourists visit
than there are residents. Tourism infrastructure has increased dramatically over the years and a number
of hotels are present on the island, although overdevelopment and the destruction of traditional
housing is of growing concern. In 2019, Malta had a record year in tourism, recording over 2.1 million
tourists in one single year.

In recent years, Malta has advertised itself as a medical tourism destination, and a number of health
tourism providers are developing the industry. However, no Maltese hospital has undergone
independent international healthcare accreditation. Malta is popular with British medical
tourists, pointing Maltese hospitals towards seeking UK-sourced accreditation, such as with the Trent
Accreditation Scheme.

Tourism in Malta contributes around 11.6 percent of the country's gross domestic product.

Science and technology

Malta signed a co-operation agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) for more-intensive co-
operation in ESA projects. The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) is the civil body
responsible for the development of science and technology on an educational and social level.

Most science students in Malta graduate from the University of Malta and are represented by S-Cubed
(Science Student's Society), UESA (University Engineering Students Association) and ICTSA (University of
Malta ICT Students' Association). Malta was ranked 25th in the Global Innovation Index in 2023.

Demographics

As of the 2021 census, Maltese-born natives make up the majority of the island with 386,280 people out
of a total population of 519,562. However, there are minorities, the largest of which by birthplace were:
15,082 from the United Kingdom, Italy (13,361), India (7,946), Philippines (7,784) and Serbia (5,935).
Among racial origins for the non-Maltese, 58.1% of all identified as Caucasian, 22.2% Asian, 6.3% Arab,
6.0% African, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino and 2.9% more than one race.

As of 2005, 17 percent were aged 14 and under, 68 percent were within the 15–64 age bracket whilst
the remaining 13 percent were 65 years and over. Malta's population density of 1,282 per square km
(3,322/sq mi) is by far the highest in the EU and one of the highest in the world.
The Maltese-resident population for 2004 was estimated to make up 97.0 per cent of the total resident
population. All censuses since 1842 have shown a slight excess of females over males. Population
growth has slowed down, from +9.5 per cent between the 1985 and 1995 censuses, to +6.9 per cent
between the 1995 and 2005 censuses (a yearly average of +0.7 per cent). The birth rate stood at 3860 (a
decrease of 21.8 per cent from the 1995 census) and the death rate stood at 3025. Thus, there was a
natural population increase of 835 (compared to +888 for 2004, of which over a hundred were foreign
residents). The population's age composition is similar to the age structure prevalent in the EU.
Malta's old-age-dependency-ratio rose from 17.2 percent in 1995 to 19.8 percent in 2005, reasonably
lower than the EU's 24.9 percent average; 31.5 percent of the Maltese population is aged under 25
(compared to the EU's 29.1 percent); but the 50–64 age group constitutes 20.3 percent of the
population, significantly higher than the EU's 17.9 percent. Malta's old-age-dependency-ratio is
expected to continue rising steadily in the coming years.

In 2021, the population of the Maltese Islands stood at 519,562.

The total fertility rate (TFR) as of 2016 was estimated at 1.45 children born/woman, which is below the
replacement rate of 2.1. In 2012, 25.8 per cent of births were to unmarried women. The life
expectancy in 2018 was estimated at 83.

Languages

Il-Kantilena by Pietru Caxaro, the oldest text in Maltese language, 15th century
The Maltese language (Maltese: Malti) is one of the two constitutional languages of Malta and is
considered the national language. The second official language is English and hence laws are enacted
both in Maltese and English. However, article 74 of the Constitution states that "if there is any conflict
between the Maltese and the English texts of any law, the Maltese text shall prevail."

Maltese is a Semitic language descended from the now extinct Sicilian-Arabic (Siculo-Arabic) dialect
(from southern Italy) that developed during the Emirate of Sicily. The Maltese alphabet consists of 30
letters based on the Latin alphabet.

In 2022, Malta National Statistics Office states that 90 percent of the Maltese population has at least a
basic knowledge of Maltese, 96 percent of English, 62 percent of Italian, and 20 percent of French. This
widespread knowledge of second languages makes Malta one of the most multilingual countries in
the European Union. A study collecting public opinion on what language was "preferred" discovered that
86 percent of the population preferred Maltese, 12 percent English, and 2 percent Italian. Italian
television channels from Italy-based broadcasters, such as Mediaset and RAI, reach Malta and remain
popular.

Maltese Sign Language is used by signers in Malta.

Religion
Further information: History of the Jews in Malta, Christianity in Malta, and Islam in Malta

The predominant religion in Malta is Catholicism. The second article of the Constitution of
Malta establishes Catholicism as the state religion and it is also reflected in various elements of Maltese
culture, although there are entrenched provisions for the freedom of religion. There are more than 360
churches in Malta, Gozo, and Comino, or one church for every 1,000 residents. The parish church
(Maltese: "il-parroċċa", or "il-knisja parrokkjali") is the architectural and geographic focal point of every
Maltese town and village.

Malta is an Apostolic See; the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 28) tells of how St. Paul was shipwrecked on the
island of "Melite", which many Bible scholars identify with Malta, an episode dated around AD 60. The
Maltese saint, Saint Publius is said to have been made Malta's first bishop. Further evidence of Christian
practices and beliefs during the period of Roman persecution appears in catacombs that lie beneath
various sites around Malta, including St. Paul's Catacombs. There are also a number of cave churches,
including the grotto at Mellieħa, which is a Shrine of the Nativity of Our Lady where, according to
legend, St. Luke painted a picture of the Madonna. It has been a place of pilgrimage since the medieval
period.

For centuries, the Church in Malta was subordinate to the Diocese of Palermo, except when it was
under Charles of Anjou, who appointed bishops for Malta, as did – on rare occasions – the Spanish and
later, the Knights. Since 1808 all bishops of Malta have been Maltese. The patron saints of Malta
are Saint Paul, Saint Publius, and Saint Agatha. Although not a patron saint, St George Preca (San Ġorġ
Preca) is greatly revered as the second canonised Maltese saint after St. Publius. Various Catholic
religious orders are present in Malta, including
the Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites and Little Sisters of the Poor.

Most congregants of the local Protestant churches are not Maltese; their congregations draw on
vacationers and British retirees living in the country. There is also a Seventh-day Adventist church
in Birkirkara, and a New Apostolic Church congregation founded in 1983 in Gwardamangia. There are
approximately 600 Jehovah's Witnesses. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is also
represented.
The Beheading of Saint John, by Caravaggio. Oil on canvas, 361 cm × 520 cm (142.13 in × 204.72 in).
Oratory of the Co-Cathedral.

The Jewish population of Malta reached its peak in the Middle Ages under Norman rule. In 1479, Malta
and Sicily came under Aragonese rule and the Alhambra Decree of 1492 forced all Jews to leave the
country. Today, there are two Jewish congregations. In 2019 the Jewish community in Malta gathered
around 150 persons, slightly more than the 120 (of which 80 were active) estimated in 2003, and mostly
elderly. Many among the newer generations decided to settle abroad, including in England and Israel.
Most contemporary Maltese Jews are Sephardi, however, an Ashkenazi prayer book is used. In 2013 the
Chabad Jewish Center in Malta was founded.

There is one Muslim mosque, the Mariam Al-Batool Mosque. Of the estimated 3,000 Muslims in Malta,
approximately 2,250 are foreigners, approximately 600 are naturalised citizens, and approximately 150
are native-born Maltese. Zen Buddhism and the Baháʼí Faith claim some 40 members.

In a survey held by Malta Today, the overwhelming majority of the Maltese population adheres to
Christianity (95.2%) with Catholicism as the main denomination (93.9%); 4.5% of the population
declared themselves either atheist or agnostic, one of the lowest figures in Europe. According to a
2019 Eurobarometer survey, 83% of the population identified as Catholic. The number of atheists has
doubled from 2014 to 2018. Non-religious people have a higher risk of suffering from discrimination. In
the 2015 edition of the annual Freedom of Thought Report from the International Humanist and Ethical
Union, Malta was in the category of "severe discrimination". In 2016, following the abolishment of
blasphemy law, Malta was shifted to the category of "systematic discrimination" (same as most EU
countries).
Migration

Main articles: Immigration to Malta and Emigration from Malta

Historically a land of emigration, since the early 21st century Malta has seen a significant increase in net
migration; the foreign-born population has grown nearly eightfold between 2005 and 2020. Most of the
foreign community in Malta consists of active or retired British nationals and their dependents, centred
on Sliema and surrounding suburbs. Other smaller foreign groups include Italians, Libyans, and Serbians,
many of whom have assimilated into the Maltese nation over the decades.

Malta is also home to a large number of foreign workers who migrated to the island for economic
opportunity. This migration was driven predominantly in the early 21st century, when the Maltese
economy was steadily booming yet the cost and quality of living on the island remained relatively stable.
In recent years however the local Maltese housing index has doubled pushing property and rental prices
to very high and almost unaffordable levels. Consequently, some expats in Malta have seen their
relative financial fortunes decline, with others relocating to other European countries altogether.

Since the late 20th century, Malta has become a transit country for migration routes from Africa
towards Europe. As a member of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement, Malta is bound by
the Dublin Regulation to process all claims for asylum by those asylum seekers that enter EU territory
for the first time in Malta.

However, irregular migrants who land in Malta are subject to a compulsory detention policy, being held
in several camps organised by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM), including those near Ħal Far and Ħal
Safi. The compulsory detention policy has been denounced by several NGOs, and in July 2010,
the European Court of Human Rights found that Malta's detention of migrants was arbitrary, lacking in
adequate procedures to challenge detention, and in breach of its obligations under the European
Convention on Human Rights. On 8 September 2020, Amnesty International criticized Malta for "illegal
tactics" in the Mediterranean, against immigrants who were attempting to cross from North Africa. The
reports claimed that the government's approach might have led to avoidable deaths.
In January 2014, Malta started granting citizenship for a €650,000 contribution plus investments,
contingent on residence and criminal background checks. This "golden passport" citizenship scheme has
been criticized as a fraudulent act by the Maltese Government Concerns as to whether the Maltese
citizenship scheme is allowing an influx of such individuals into the greater European Union have been
raised by both the public as well as the European Council on multiple occasions.

Child Migrants' Memorial at the Valletta Waterfront, commemorating the 310 child migrants who
travelled to Australia between 1950 and 1965

In the 19th century, most emigration from Malta was to North Africa and the Middle East, although
rates of return migration to Malta were high. In the 20th century, most emigrants went to destinations
in the New World, particularly to Australia, Canada, and the United States.

Post Second World War, Malta's Emigration Department would assist emigrants with the cost of their
travel. Between 1948 and 1967, 30 percent of the population emigrated. Between 1946 and the late-
1970s, over 140,000 people left Malta on the assisted passage scheme, with 57.6% migrating to
Australia, 22% to the UK, 13% to Canada and 7% to the United States Emigration dropped dramatically
after the mid-1970s and has since ceased to be a social phenomenon of significance. However, since
Malta joined the EU in 2004 expatriate communities emerged in a number of European countries,
particularly in Belgium and Luxembourg.
Education

University of Malta

National Library in Valletta

Primary schooling has been compulsory since 1946; secondary education up to the age of sixteen was
made compulsory in 1971. The state and the Church provide education free of charge, both running a
number of schools in Malta and Gozo. As of 2006, state schools are organized into networks known as
Colleges and incorporate kindergarten schools, primary and secondary schools.

A number of private schools are run in Malta. St. Catherine's High School, Pembroke offers an
International Foundation Course for students wishing to learn English before entering mainstream
education. As of 2008, there are two international schools, Verdala International School and QSI Malta.
The state pays a portion of the teachers' salary in Church schools.

Education in Malta is based on the British model. Primary school lasts six years. Pupils sit for SEC O-
level examinations at the age of 16, with passes obligatory in mathematics, a minimum of one science
subject, English and Maltese. Pupils may opt to continue studying at a sixth form college for two years,
at the end of which students sit for the matriculation examination. Subject to their performance,
students may then apply for an undergraduate degree or diploma.
The adult literacy rate is 99.5 per cent.

Maltese and English are both used to teach pupils at the primary and secondary school level, and both
languages are also compulsory subjects. Public schools tend to use both Maltese and English in a
balanced manner.

Private schools prefer to use English for teaching, as is also the case with most departments of
the University of Malta; this has a limiting effect on the capacity and development of the Maltese
language. Most university courses are in English. The College of Remote and Offshore Medicine based in
Malta teaches exclusively in English.

Of the total number of pupils studying a first foreign language at secondary level, 51 per cent take Italian
whilst 38 per cent take French. Other choices include German, Russian, Spanish, Latin, Chinese and
Arabic.

Malta is also a popular destination to study the English language, attracting over 83,000 students in
2019.

Infrastructure

Transport

Traffic in Malta drives on the left. Car ownership in Malta is exceedingly high, considering the very small
size of the islands; it is the fourth-highest in the European Union. There were 182,254 registered cars in
1990, giving an automobile density of 577/km2 (1,494/sq mi).Malta has 2,254 kilometres (1,401 miles)
of road, 1,972 km (1,225 mi) (87.5 per cent) of which are paved (as of December 2003)

Maltese Otokar and King Long buses

Buses (xarabank or karozza tal-linja) are the primary method of public transport, established in 1905.
Malta's vintage buses operated in the Maltese islands up to 2011 and became popular tourist
attractions. To this day they are depicted on many Maltese advertisements and merchandise for
tourists.
The bus service underwent extensive reform in July 2011. The management structure changed from
having self-employed drivers driving their own vehicles to a service being offered by a single company
through a public tender. The public tender was won by Arriva Malta, which introduced a fleet of brand
new buses, built by King Long especially for service by Arriva Malta and including a smaller fleet
of articulated buses brought in from Arriva London. It also operated two smaller buses for an intra-
Valletta route only and 61 nine-meter bus, which were used to ease congestion on high-density routes.
Overall Arriva Malta operated 264 buses. On 1 January 2014 Arriva ceased operations in Malta due to
financial difficulties, having been nationalised as Malta Public Transport. The government chose
Autobuses Urbanos de León (Alsa subsidiary) as its preferred bus operator for the country in October
2014.From October 2022, the bus system is free of charge for residents of Malta.

As of 2021, an underground Malta Metro is being planned, with a projected total cost of €6.2 billion.

Malta Freeport, one of the largest European ports

Malta has three large natural harbours on its main island:

The Grand Harbour (or Port il-Kbir), located at the eastern side of the capital city of Valletta, has been a
harbour since Roman times. It has several extensive docks and wharves, as well as a cruise liner
terminal. A terminal at the Grand Harbour serves ferries that connect Malta to Pozzallo & Catania in
Sicily.

Marsamxett Harbour, located on the western side of Valletta, accommodates a number of yacht
marinas.

Marsaxlokk Harbour (Malta Freeport), at Birżebbuġa on the south-eastern side of Malta, is the islands'
main cargo terminal. Malta Freeport is the 11th busiest container ports in continent of Europe and 46th
in the World with a trade volume of 2.3 million TEU's in 2008.

There are also two human-made harbours that serve a passenger and car ferry service that
connects Ċirkewwa Harbour on Malta and Mġarr Harbour on Gozo.

Malta International Airport (Ajruport Internazzjonali ta' Malta) is the only airport serving the Maltese
islands. It is built on the land formerly occupied by the RAF Luqa air base. A heliport is also located there.
The heliport in Gozo is at Xewkija. A former airfield at Ta' Qali houses a national park, stadium, the
Crafts Village visitor attraction and the Malta Aviation Museum.

An Air Malta Airbus A320

From 1 April 1974 to 30 March 2024, the national airline was Air Malta, which was based at Malta
International Airport and operated services to 22 destinations in Europe and North Africa. The owners of
Air Malta were the Government of Malta (98 percent) and private investors (2 percent).

On 31 March 2024, KM Malta Airlines took over as the national airline of Malta. All former Air
Malta Airplanes and other assets were transferred to the new airline, together with the staff. KM Malta
Airlines is based at Malta International Airport and operates services to 18 destinations in Europe.

In June 2019, Ryanair has invested into a fully-fledged airline subsidiary, called Malta Air, operating a
low-cost model. The Government of Malta holds one share in the airline.

Communications

The mobile penetration rate in Malta exceeded 100% by the end of 2009. Malta uses the GSM900,
UMTS(3G) and LTE(4G) mobile phone systems, which are compatible with the rest of the European
countries, Australia and New Zealand.

In early 2012, the government called for a national Fibre to the Home (FttH) network to be built, with a
minimum broadband service being upgraded from 4 Mbit/s to 100 Mbit/s.

Healthcare

Malta has a long history of providing publicly funded health care. The first hospital recorded in the
country was already functioning by 1372. Today, Malta has both a public healthcare system, where
healthcare is free at the point of delivery, and a private healthcare system. Malta has a strong general
practitioner-delivered primary care base and the public hospitals provide secondary and tertiary care.
The Maltese Ministry of Health advises foreign residents to take out private medical insurance.
Mater Dei Hospital

Malta also boasts voluntary organisations such as Alpha Medical (Advanced Care), the Emergency Fire &
Rescue Unit (E.F.R.U.), St John Ambulance and Red Cross Malta who provide first aid/nursing services
during events involving crowds, Malta's primary hospital, opened in 2007. It has one of the largest
medical buildings in Europe.

The University of Malta has a medical school and a Faculty of Health Sciences. The Medical Association
of Malta represents practitioners of the medical profession. The Foundation Program followed in the UK
has been introduced in Malta to stem the 'brain drain' of newly graduated physicians to the British Isles.

Culture

The culture of Malta reflects the various cultures, from the Phoenicians to the British, that have come
into contact with the Maltese Islands throughout the centuries.

Music

Manoel Theatre, Europe's third-oldest working theatre. Now Malta's National Theatre and home to
the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

While Maltese music today is largely Western, traditional Maltese music includes what is known
as għana. This consists of background folk guitar music, while a few people, generally men, take it in
turns to argue a point in a sing-song voice. Music plays an important part in Maltese culture as each
locality parades its own band club, on various occasions these being multiple per locality, and function
to establish the thematic musical background to the various village feasts. The Malta Philharmonic
Orchestra is recognized as Malta's foremost musical institution and is notable for being called to
participate in important state events.

Contemporary music in Malta spans a variety of styles and sports international classical talents such
as Miriam Gauci and Joseph Calleja, as well as non-classical music bands such as Winter Moods, and Red
Electric, and singers like Ira Losco, Fabrizio Faniello, Glen Vella, Kevin Borg, Kurt Calleja, Chiara Siracusa,
and Thea Garrett.

Literature

Documented Maltese literature is over 200 years old. However, a recently unearthed love ballad
testifies to literary activity in the local tongue from the Medieval period. Malta followed a Romantic
literary tradition, culminating in the works of Dun Karm Psaila, Malta's national poet. Subsequent writers
like Ruzar Briffa and Karmenu Vassallo tried to estrange themselves from the rigidity of formal themes
and versification.

The next generation of writers, including Karl Schembri and Immanuel Mifsud, widened the tracks
further, especially in prose and poetry.

Architecture

Lower Barrakka Gardens

Maltese architecture has been influenced by many different Mediterranean cultures and British
architecture over its history. The first settlers on the island constructed Ġgantija, one of the oldest
manmade freestanding structures in the world. The Neolithic temple builders (3800–2500 BC) endowed
the numerous temples of Malta and Gozo with intricate bas-relief designs.

The Roman period introduced highly decorative mosaic floors, marble colonnades, and classical
statuary, remnants of which are beautifully preserved and presented in the Roman Domus, a country
villa just outside the walls of Mdina. The early Christian frescoes that decorate the catacombs beneath
Malta reveal a propensity for eastern, Byzantine tastes. These tastes continued to inform the endeavors
of medieval Maltese artists, but they were increasingly influenced by the Romanesque and Southern
Gothic movements. Malta is currently undergoing several large-scale building projects, while areas such
as the Valletta Waterfront and Tigné Point have been or are being renovated.

Art

Towards the end of the 15th century, Maltese artists, like their counterparts in Sicily, came under the
influence of the School of Antonello da Messina, which introduced Renaissance ideals and concepts to
the decorative arts in Malta.

The Siege of Malta – Flight of the Turks, by Matteo Perez d'Aleccio

The artistic heritage of Malta blossomed under the Knights of St. John, who brought Italian and
Flemish Mannerist painters to decorate their palaces and the churches of these islands, most
notably, Matteo Perez d'Aleccio, whose works appear in the Magisterial Palace and in the Conventual
Church of St. John in Valletta, and Filippo Paladini, who was active in Malta from 1590 to 1595. For many
years, Mannerism continued to inform the tastes and ideals of local Maltese artists.

The arrival in Malta of Caravaggio, who painted at least seven works during his 15-month stay on these
islands, further revolutionised local art. Two of Caravaggio's most notable works, The Beheading of Saint
John the Baptist and Saint Jerome Writing, are on display in the Conventual Church of St. John. His
legacy is evident in the works of local artists Giulio Cassarino and Stefano Erardi. However,
the Baroque movement that followed was destined to have the most enduring impact on Maltese art
and architecture. The vault paintings of the Calabrese artist Mattia Preti transformed the Conventual
Church St. John into a Baroque masterpiece. Melchior Gafà emerged as one of the top Baroque
sculptors of the Roman School.
Francesco Noletti's Still Life of Pomegranates, Peaches and other Fruits

During the 17th and 18th century, Neapolitan and Rococo influences emerged in the works of the Italian
painters Luca Giordano and Francesco Solimena, and these developments can be seen in the work of
their Maltese contemporaries such as Gio Nicola Buhagiar and Francesco Zahra. The Rococo movement
was greatly enhanced by the relocation to Malta of Antoine de Favray, who assumed the position of
court painter to Grand Master Pinto in 1744.

Neo-classicism made some inroads among local Maltese artists in the late-18th century, but this trend
was reversed in the early 19th century, as the local Church authorities – perhaps in an effort to
strengthen Catholic resolve against the perceived threat of Protestantism during the early days of British
rule in Malta – favoured and avidly promoted the religious themes embraced by the Nazarene
movement. Romanticism, tempered by the naturalism introduced to Malta by Giuseppe Calì, informed
the "salon" artists of the early 20th century, including Edward and Robert Caruana Dingli.

Parliament established the National School of Art in the 1920s. During the reconstruction period that
followed the Second World War, the emergence of the "Modern Art Group", whose members included
Josef Kalleya, George Preca, Anton Inglott, Emvin Cremona, Frank Portelli, Antoine Camilleri, Gabriel
Caruana and Esprit Barthet greatly enhanced the local art scene. This group came together forming an
influential pressure group known as the Modern Art Group, which played a leading role in the renewal
of Maltese art. Most of Malta's modern artists have in fact studied in Art institutions in England, or on
the continent, leading to a diversity of artistic expression that has remained characteristic of
contemporary Maltese art. In Valletta, the National Museum of Fine Arts featured work from artists
such as H. Craig Hanna. In 2018 the national collection of fine arts was put on display in the new
National Museum of Art, MUŻA, at Auberge d'Italie in Valletta.
Cuisine

Pastizzi, a typical Maltese snack

Maltese cuisine shows strong Sicilian and Italian influences as well as influences
of English, Spanish, Maghrebin and Provençal cuisines. A number of regional variations can be noted as
well as seasonal variations associated with the seasonal availability of produce and Christian feasts (such
as Lent, Easter and Christmas). Food has been important historically in the development of a national
identity in particular the traditional fenkata (i.e., the eating of stewed or fried rabbit). Potatoes are a
staple of the Maltese diet as well.

A number of grapes are endemic to Malta, including Girgentina and Ġellewża. There is a strong wine
industry, with significant production of wines using these native grapes, as well as locally grown grapes
of other more common varietals. A number of wines have achieved Protected Designation of Origin,
with wines produced from grapes cultivated in Malta and Gozo designated as "DOK" wines, that
is Denominazzjoni ta' l-Oriġini Kontrollata.

Customs

A 2010 Charities Aid Foundation study found that the Maltese were the most generous people in the
world, with 83% contributing to charity.

Maltese folktales include various stories about mysterious creatures and supernatural events. These
were most comprehensively compiled by the scholar (and pioneer in Maltese archaeology) Manwel
Magri in his core criticism "Ħrejjef Missirijietna" ("Fables from our Forefathers"). This collection of
material inspired subsequent researchers and academics to gather
traditional tales, fables and legends from all over the Archipelago. While giants, witches, and dragons
feature in many of the stories, some contain entirely Maltese creatures like the Kaw kaw, Il-
Belliegħa and L-Imħalla among others.
Traditions

Traditional Maltese proverbs reveal cultural importance of childbearing and fertility: "iż-żwieġ mingħajr
tarbija ma fihx tgawdija" (a childless marriage cannot be a happy one). This is a belief that Malta shares
with many other Mediterranean cultures. In Maltese folktales the local variant of the classic closing
formula, "and they all lived happily ever after" is "u għammru u tgħammru, u spiċċat" (and they lived
together, and they had children together, and the tale is finished).

Maltese carnival has been celebrated since the 1400s.

Rural Malta shares in common with the Mediterranean society a number of superstitions regarding
fertility, menstruation, and pregnancy, including the avoidance of cemeteries leading up to childbirth,
and avoiding the preparation of certain foods during menses. Pregnant women are encouraged to
satisfy their food cravings, out of fear that their unborn child will bear a representational birth mark
(Maltese: xewqa, literally "desire" or "craving"). Maltese and Sicilian women also share certain traditions
that are believed to predict the sex of an unborn child.

Traditionally, Maltese newborns were baptised as promptly as possible. Traditional Maltese delicacies
served at a baptismal feast include biskuttini tal-magħmudija (almond macaroons), it-torta tal-
marmorata (a spicy, heart-shaped tart of chocolate-flavoured almond paste), and a liqueur known
as rożolin, made with rose petals, violets, and almonds.

On a child's first birthday, in a tradition that still survives today, Maltese parents would organise a game
known as il-quċċija, where a variety of symbolic objects would be randomly placed around the seated
child. These may include a hard-boiled egg, a Bible, crucifix or rosary beads, a book, and so on.
Whichever object the child shows the most interest in is said to reveal the child's path and fortunes in
adulthood.
Traditional Maltese weddings featured the bridal party walking in procession beneath an ornate canopy,
from the home of the bride's family to the parish church, with singers trailing behind (il-ġilwa). New
wives would wear the għonnella, a traditional item of Maltese clothing. Today's couples are married in
churches or chapels in the village or town of their choice, usually followed by a lavish wedding
reception. Occasionally, couples will try to incorporate elements of the traditional Maltese wedding in

their celebration. A resurgent interest in the traditional wedding was evident in May 2007, when
thousands of Maltese and tourists attended a traditional Maltese wedding in the style of the 16th
century, in Żurrieq.

Festivals and events

The statue of St. George at the festa of Victoria, Gozo

Local festivals, similar to those in Southern Italy, are commonplace in Malta and Gozo, celebrating
weddings, christenings and, most prominently, saints' days. On saints' days, in the morning,
the festa reaches its apex with a High Mass featuring a sermon on the life and achievements of the
patron saint. In the evening, a statue of the religious patron is taken around the local streets in solemn
procession, with the faithful following in prayer. The atmosphere of religious devotion is preceded by
several days of celebration and revelry: band marches, fireworks, and late-night parties.
The statue of Santa Marija at the festa of Mġarr, Malta

Carnival (Maltese: il-karnival ta' Malta) has had an important place on the cultural calendar after Grand
Master It is held during the week leading up to Ash Wednesday, and typically includes masked balls,
fancy dress and grotesque mask competitions, lavish late-night parties, a colourful, ticker-tape parade of
allegorical floats presided over by King Carnival (Maltese: ir-Re tal-Karnival), marching bands and
costumed revellers.

Holy Week (Maltese: il-Ġimgħa Mqaddsa) starts on Palm Sunday (Ħadd il-Palm) and ends on Easter
Sunday (Ħadd il-Għid).

Mnarja, or l-Imnarja (pronounced lim-nar-ya) is one of the most important dates on the Maltese cultural
calendar. Officially, it is a national festival dedicated to the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. Its roots can
be traced back to the pagan Roman feast of Luminaria (literally, "the illumination"), when torches and
bonfires lit up the early summer night of 29 June.The festivities still commence today with the reading of
the "bandu", an official governmental announcement, which has been read on this day in Malta since
the 16th century. It is said that under the Knights, this was the one day in the year when the Maltese
were allowed to hunt and eat wild rabbit, which was otherwise reserved for the hunting pleasures of the
Knights. The close connection between Mnarja and rabbit stew (Maltese: "fenkata") remains strong
today.
Holy Week procession in Żebbuġ

Isle of MTV is a one-day music festival produced and broadcast on an annual basis by MTV. The festival
has been arranged annually in Malta since 2007, with major pop artists performing each year. 2012 saw
the performances of worldwide acclaimed artists Flo Rida, Nelly Furtado and Will.i.am. Over 50,000
people attended, which marked the biggest attendance so far.

The Malta International Fireworks Festival has been arranged annually in the Grand Harbour of Valletta
since 2003.

Media

Further information: List of newspapers in Malta, List of radio stations in Malta, and Television in
Malta

The most widely read and financially the strongest newspapers are published by Allied Newspapers Ltd.,
mainly The Times of Malta (27 percent) and its Sunday edition The Sunday Times of Malta (51.6
percent). Due to bilingualism half of the newspapers are published in English and the other half
in Maltese. The Sunday newspaper It-Torċa ("The Torch") published by a subsidiary of the General
Workers' Union, is the widest Maltese language paper. Its sister paper, L-Orizzont ("The Horizon"), is the
Maltese daily with the biggest circulation. There is a high number of daily or weekly newspapers—one
for every 28,000 people. Advertising, sales, and subsidies are the three main methods of financing.

There are nine terrestrial television channels in Malta: TVM, TVMNews+, Parliament TV, One, NET
Television, Smash Television, F Living, TVMSport+ and Xejk. The state and political parties subsidise most
of the funding of these channels. TVM, TVMNews+, and Parliament TV are operated by Public
Broadcasting Services, the national broadcaster, and members of the EBU. Media.link Communications
Ltd., the owner of NET Television, and One Productions Ltd., the owner of One, are affiliated with
the Nationalist and Labour parties, respectively. The rest are privately owned. The Malta Broadcasting
Authority supervises all local broadcasting stations and ensures their compliance with legal and licence
obligations as well as the preservation of due impartiality

Sport

Football (soccer) is one of the most popular sports in Malta. Other popular sports include boċċi, horse
racing, gostra, regatta, water polo, clay pigeon shooting, and motorsports.

In 2018 Malta hosted its first Esports tournament, 'Supernova CS:GO Malta', a Counter-Strike: Global
Offensive tournament. Also since 2018, Malta has become the primary location for hosting ESL Pro
League.

Malta in the EU
European Parliament

There are 6 representatives from Malta in the European Parliament. Find out who these Members of the
European Parliament are and follow the activities of the European Parliament’s office in Malta.

Council of the EU

In the Council of the EU, national ministers meet regularly to adopt EU laws and coordinate
policies. Representatives from the Maltese government attend Council meetings focused on their area
of responsibility several times a year.

Presidency of the Council of the EU

The Council of the EU does not have a permanent, single-person president (like the Commission or
Parliament). Instead, its work is led by the country holding the Council presidency, which rotates every 6
months.

During these 6 months, ministers from that country's government chair and help determine the agenda
of Council meetings in the different policy areas, and facilitate dialogue with the other EU institutions.

Dates of Maltese presidencies:

Jan-Jun 2017 | July-Dec 2030

European Commission

The European Commissioner nominated by Malta is Helena Dalli, who is responsible for Equality. The
Commission is represented in each EU country by a local office, called a "representation". Find out more
about the Commission's representation in Malta.

European Economic and Social Committee

Malta has 5 representatives on the European Economic and Social Committee. This advisory body –
representing employers, workers and other interest groups – is consulted on proposed laws, to get a
better idea of the possible changes to work and social situations in different countries.

European Committee of the Regions

Malta has 5 representatives on the European Committee of the Regions, the EU's assembly of regional
and local representatives. This advisory body is consulted on proposed laws, to ensure these laws take
account of the perspective from each region of the EU.

Permanent representation to the EU

Malta also communicates with the EU institutions through its permanent representation in Brussels. As
Malta's "embassy to the EU", its main task is to ensure that the country's interests and policies are heard
and pursued as much as possible in the EU.

Political system

Malta is a single-chamber parliamentary republic. The president's role is largely ceremonial. The prime
minister is the head of government.

Trade and economy

Malta ranks tenth in the European Union in terms of GDP per capita with €36 900, well above the EU
average (€35 500). It accounts for 0.1% of the EU's total GDP.
Economic freedom
WORLD RANK: 50

(OUT OF 184 COUNTRIES)

Malta’s economic freedom score is 64.5, making its economy the 50th freest in the 2024 Index of
Economic Freedom. Its rating has decreased by 3 points from last year, and Malta is ranked 28th out of
44 countries in the Europe region. The country’s economic freedom score is higher than the world
average and lower than the regional average. Malta’s economy is considered “moderately free”
according to the 2024 Index.

Malta’s openness to international trade and investment enhances its competitiveness. Despite relatively
good performance in many areas of economic freedom, some of its institutional foundations remain
weak. The court system is transparent and relatively free of corruption but inefficient. Bureaucracy still
discourages dynamic entrepreneurial activity. Malta has adopted transparent and effective regulations
to foster competition, but the pace of reform has slowed. Business regulations are relatively
straightforward. The labor market remains relatively rigid. The government mandates a minimum wage.
At a Glance
 2024 Projected Real GDP (% Change) : 5.0
 2024 Projected Consumer Prices (% Change): 2.9
 Country Population: 0.545 million
 Date of Membership: September 11, 1968
 Article IV/Country Report: January 29, 2024
 Special Drawing Rights (SDR): 262.49 million
 Quota (SDR): 168.3 million
Key Developments in 2023
The criminal code was amended in June to ease the country’s harsh restrictions on abortion, allowing
the termination of a pregnancy if it endangers the woman’s life.

In September and October, media reports described ongoing police investigations that implicated senior
members of the governing Labour Party (LP) in alleged schemes to grant social benefits and drivers’
licenses to hundreds of undeserving applicants.

Foreign policy
Since accession to the EU in 2004 and the Euro zone in 2008, Malta has devoted considerable energy to
developing its relations with EU institutions and member states. Malta held the Presidency of the
Council of the EU for the first time in 2017.

Malta has a long-standing, active commitment to multilateralism. It supports international cooperation,

notably through the United Nations, the Commonwealth, the EU and the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Malta has been elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security
Council for a two year term from January 2023 – December 2024 and has assumed the 2024
Chairperson of the OSCE.
Fast facts

 Maltese visitors to Australia (2022): 1,250

 Australian resident returns from Malta (2022): 5,360
 Australian residents born in Malta (2021 Census): 35,413
 Australian residents of Maltese descent (2021 Census): 198,989
 Maltese students in Australia (2022): 23
 Maltese working holidaymakers in Australia (2022): 70

High level engagements

 2023 – President of the Republic of Malta. H. E. Dr George Vella, visited Australia and met with
Prime Minister Albanese and Governor-General Hurley.
 2018 – Malta’s Prime Minister Dr Joseph Muscat and Mr Carmelo Abela, Minister for Foreign
Affairs and Trade Promotion, visited Australia for bilateral meetings and to attend the opening
of the Commonwealth Games
 2015 – then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visited Malta for the Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting

Trade and investment

Trade with Malta is modest, due to a combination of distance and the small size of the Maltese market.
In 2022, two-way goods and services trade was valued at $116.9 million. Imports from Malta were
valued at $104.3 million and mainly comprised services, medical instruments, and musical instruments.
Exports from Australia were valued at $12.6 million and mainly comprised services, margarine, and
education-related travel. The stock of Australian investments in Malta was valued at $33 million.

Malta's business landscape consists of a consumer market of over 520,000 people, including foreign
workers, and a vibrant services sector especially in tourism, maritime transhipment and IT.

Favorable operating costs, low corporate taxes, and a highly-educated, English-speaking, low-cost
workforce, offer incentives to foreign investors and make the services sector the prime driver of
economic growth in Malta. Malta also regulated the use of block chain and cryptocurrencies in 2018.

Further opportunities may exist for Australian exporters and investors in areas such as EU-funded
infrastructure projects, joint ventures with Maltese partners accessing third country markets in the
resources sector and the services sectors, particularly fintech and i-gaming. Malta may also offer
opportunities for Australian expertise in environmental and water resource management, and in
emerging technologies for water and energy supply.

Top 10 Banks in Malta

 Bank of Valletta plc

 HSBC Bank Malta
 FIMBank plc (First International Merchant Bank)
 Sparkasse Bank
 IIG Bank (Malta) Ltd.
 Akbank TAŞ
 Credorax
 AgriBank PLC
 BNF Bank p.l.c. (Banif Bank)
 FCM Bank Ltd.

1. Bank of Valletta plc

Bank of Valletta plc was previously known as the National Bank of Malta. Its headquarters are in Santa
Venera. It is the oldest and largest financial service provider with specialized retail and loans, checking
accounts, and different financial products like savings accounts, bank overdrafts, and certificates of
deposits.” url=”https://www.wallstreetmojo.com/commercial-bank/”]commercial banking[/wsm-
tooltip] and representative offices in Italy, Australia, and Belgium. The Bank of Valletta was established
in 1974 with employee strength of over 1500. Apart from traditional banking services of accepting
deposits and giving loans, they also offer: –

 Life insurance and retirement products

 Card services
 Wealth management services and stock broking
 Bancassurance
 Foreign exchange services
 Internet and mobile banking services
The 12 monthly profits from 1st Oct’16 – 30th Sept’17 is €97.923 billion.

2. HSBC Bank Malta

A subsidiary of HSBC Europe BV, Malta’s leading international banking and financial services group. The
headquarters are in Valletta, Malta, offering Retail banking and wealth management, commercial
banking, and global banking and market segments. The bank manages 28 branches and entities in Malta,
including 3 in Gozo. For the six months ended 30th June 2017, the HSBC Bank Malta has recorded a net
profit of €16.85 billion.

3. FIMBank plc (First International Merchant Bank)

The bank was established in 1994 and commenced operations from 1995 onwards. It is one of the
leading providers of: –

 Trade finance
 Factoring
 Forfaiting
 Treasury

In June 2001, the shares were listed on the Malta stock exchange, which subsequently changed the
name to FIMBank P.L.C. For Year to Date (YTD) 2017, the net profit was $4.12 million.

4. Sparkasse Bank

Established in 2000, the bank offers private banking, investment, and custody/depositary services. It is a
licensed credit institution headquartered in Sliema, Malta, and is also in possession of two investment
service licenses: –

Category 2: Authorized to provide any investment service and hold or control the clients’ money or
assets but not deal or underwrite on their behalf.

Category 4a: Authorized to act as trustees or custodians of collective investment schemes.

5. IIG Bank (Malta) Ltd

The bank was established in Malta in March 2010 and rapidly earned a reputation as a trustworthy
financial institution offering the highest classes of services. It is a participant in the depositor
compensation scheme and is fully licensed. The bank specializes in: –

 Prime accounts
  Trade finance
 Corporate banking
 Currency exchange
 Internet banking
 Term deposit accounts

Its headquarters in St. Julian serves customers in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. For 2016, IIG
Bank recorded a net profit of $2.8 million.

6. Akbank T.A.Ş

It is one of the largest banks in Turkey, established in 1948. It has evolved from offering funding services
to local cotton growers to a full-fledged universal bank. Akbank T.A.Ş. has a presence around the globe,
offering services such as: –

 Consumer banking
 Corporate banking
 Private banking
 Investment banking
 Mortgage loans
 Foreign exchange
 Securities trading
 International financing

For 2016, the net income recorded was 3.7 billion Lira.

7. Credorax

Established in 2007 by technological experts, Credorax is one of the world’s first hi-tech firms to be a
principal member of Visa Europe, Mastercard, and a financial institution licensed under the PSD
(Principal Services Directive). The bank provides integrated, acquiring, and payment processing services
to merchants within the European Union (EU) and other EEC (European Economic Community) states.
The bank will focus on end-to-end business services and tools required to grow an online business with
maximum success.

8. AgriBank PLC

Founded in 2012 by an experienced banker, the bank is a regulated credit institution with a primary
focus on providing asset finance to the agricultural industry of the UK. The main business is: –

 Financing landowners (farmers) in the UK

 Purchase of farm machinery and equipment
 Financing construction of buildings
 Purchase of land
 Financing of farm energy projects

They operate solely through an online platform and obtain their funding through equity, bonds, retail
deposits, and wholesale funding.

9. BNF Bank plc (Banif Bank)

Banif Bank, now known as BNF Bank plc, was established in 2008 based in Gzira, with 12 branches across
the Maltese regions managing three corporate and Business banking centers and a localized trading
room. It has a network of retail and business branches supported by electronic banking facilities
and trade finance solutions to offer innovative banking solutions for both personal and business
consumers. The bank operates as a subsidiary of Al Faisal International Investment Co.

10. FCM Bank Ltd

The bank is a Maltese credit institution operating since 2010 and specializes in savings and fixed deposit
products. The bank operates online with low penetration of brick and mortar branches, which keeps the
costs down and benefits the end customers. In 2015, the total assets of FCM Bank Ltd. were €5,700
million, giving a market share of 0.23%. With its headquarters in St. Julian, the focus is on delivering
simple and high-value products. The flagship products are the fixed-term deposit accounts, where a
minimum of €2,000 is deposited for a one-to-five-year term, with highly-competitive interest rates
ranging between 2.8% to 3.7% per annum.
List of banks in Malta
Central bank

1. Central Bank of Malta

Commercial banks

2. AgriBank plc
3. AKBANK T.A.S.
4. APS BANK P.L.C.
5. Bank of Valletta plc
6. BNF Bank plc
7. CREDORAX BANK LIMITED
8. ECCM BANK PLC
9. FCM BANK LIMITED
10. FIMBank p.l.c.
11. HSBC BANK MALTA P.L.C.
12. IIG BANK (MALTA) LTD
13. IZOLA BANK P.L.C.
14. LOMBARD BANK MALTA P.L.C.
15. MEDIRECT BANK (MALTA) PLC (formerly Mediterranean Bank)
16. MERKANTI BANK LIMITED
17. MULTITUDE BANK P.L.C.
18. NOVUM BANK LIMITED
19. SPARKASSE BANK MALTA PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
20. TURKIYE GARANTI BANKASI ANONIM SIRKETI
21. Investkredit International Bank plc
22. Banks in liquidation
23. CommBank Europe Limited
24. Deutsche Bank (Malta) Limited
25. MEDITERRANEAN CORPORATE BANK LIMITED Merged with MEDIRECT BANK (MALTA) PLC
26. NBG Bank Malta Limited
27. Nemea Bank plc
28. Pilatus Bank Ltd.
 29. Saadgroup Bank Europe Limited
30. Satabank
31. YAPI KREDI MALTA LTD.

List of companies of Malta

This list includes notable companies with primary headquarters located in Malta. The industry and
sector follow the Industry Classification Benchmark taxonomy. Organizations which have ceased
operations are included and noted as defunct.
Government Procurement in Malta

Introduction

As a Member State of the European Union, Malta is bound by both EU law, including the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union, and has duly transposed the 2014 Procurement Directives into
Maltese law, and the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA).

The domestic legal framework consists of the Public Finance Management Act, together with several
regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the Regulations), namely:

1. the Public Procurement Regulations (PPRs);

2. the Concession Contracts Regulations (CCRs);

3. the Public Procurement of Entities operating in the Water, Energy, Transport and Postal Services
Sectors Regulations (the Utilities Regulations); and

4. the Public Procurement of Contracting Authorities or Entities in the fields of Defence and
Security Regulations (the Defence and Security Regulations).

In addition to the Regulations, the domestic public procurement framework includes the Procurement
of Property Regulations (the Property Regulations) and the Emergency Procurement Regulations (EPRs).

The Office of the Prime Minister sets the agenda for public procurement policy, working through the
Department of Contracts (DOC), which falls within the remit of the Ministry for Finance. The DOC,
headed by the Director of Contracts (the Director), is the central government authority responsible for
the regulation, administration and oversight of public procurement in Malta.

The DOC has developed the General Rules Governing Tenders (GRs), which supplement the Regulations
and are customarily incorporated by reference in competitive processes administered by the DOC. The
DOC also regularly publishes procurement policy notes.2

In terms of adjudicating bodies, the Public Contracts Review Board (PCRB) is responsible for hearing
objections in the first instance, while appeals from the PCRB are heard by the Court of Appeal (Superior
Jurisdiction).

Other bodies include:

 1. the Commercial Sanctions Tribunal, which determines the sanctions attributable to persons
found in breach of Procurement Regulations and Employment legislation and has the authority
to blacklist such persons;

2. the Procurement (Energy and Fuels) Appeals Board; and

3. the Procurement (Health Service Concessions) Review Board.

Public Procurement in Malta

Core and supplementary procurement functions are mostly addressed in Malta within the DoC. Some
gaps have been identified in the advisory and operations support functions and the professionalization
function. In addition, DoC is responsible for vetting tender documents through two directorates who are
performing similar tasks: The Operations Directorate (OD) and the Sectoral procurement Directorate
(SPD).

The responsibility of each Directorate depends on three parameters:

i) the estimated value of the procurement, ii) the procurement procedure and iii) the schedule of the
public procurement regulation under which the entity is listed. The SPD value for vetting is low (EUR
10,000), which creates an administrative burden for the SPD and contracting authorities (CAs). CAs were
categorised into different schedules based on their capability without detailed criteria. Furthermore,
there are no formal and regular exchanges with key public procurement stakeholders.

Malta could benefit from:

 Further strengthening the professionalization of public procurement functions

 Creating a helpdesk to provide support to the users of the public procurement system
 Rethinking the organizational structure of DoC, for instance by centralising the vetting process
within one directorate
 Gradually increasing the SPD value for vetting to decrease the workload and progressively
restructuring the SPD by purchasing categories
 Introducing clear criteria for CAs to be assigned to each schedule; and
 Establishing formal and regular exchanges with key stakeholders of the public procurement system

Enhancing public procurement processes:

Gaps have been identified in the planning of procurement activities and in the assessment of needs and
market analysis. The vetting process faces several challenges, including conflict of opinions among
different vetting officials and the lack of standardized procedures between SPD (3-layer vetting system)
and OD (2-layer one).

In addition, the use of best price-quality ratio (BPQR) criteria is also subject to prior approval by DoC. All
increase the length and burden of the vetting process. In addition, procurement processes are not fully
digitized and efficiency tools are not widely used.

Therefore, Malta could benefit from:

• Asking CAs to prepare procurement plans

• Streamlining the vetting processes by

i) Standardizing and reducing the layers of the vetting process,

ii) Reinforcing vetting officials’ capacity to ensure coherent feedback and,
iii) Setting minimum and maximum timelines for vetting processes

• Promoting the use of BPQR criteria in tenders for different procurement categories and gradually
removing DoC’s approval

• Further digitising all procurement processes by introducing, for instance, e-signature and making the
use of ePPS mandatory for some procurement actions such as challenging procurement decisions

• Promoting the use of efficiency tools such as centralised procurement, framework agreements and
dynamic purchasing systems

Implementing a risk-based approach in public procurement

Risk management practices in public procurement are not deeply rooted in Malta. The country has not
yet developed a dedicated strategy and tools in this area.

Malta could benefit from:

• Developing a national public procurement risk management strategy covering all CAs

• Developing risk management tools to be used by CAs.

Strengthening the strategic use of public procurement

Malta has taken steps to promote green public procurement (GPP) since 2011 through the development
of GPP National Action Plans (NAP). In October 2021, Malta launched the 2nd NAP, which is more
ambitious than the 1st NAP and could face implementation challenges. It is critical to support and
monitor the 2nd NAP implementation. Public procurement for innovation (PPI) is still underused due to
the lack of an enabling environment including institutional frameworks, strategies, and capability.
Therefore, Malta could benefit from:

• Monitoring the implementation of the 2 nd NAP to identify potential bottlenecks.

• Increasing the GPP capability through providing improved and updated guidelines and training that
could gradually be made mandatory.

• Strengthening the enabling environment of PPI by

i) Assigning the leading role to one entity and ensuring co-ordination with other stakeholders,
ii) Developing a comprehensive strategy to promote PPI, and
iii) Reinforcing the capability-building system of PPI by developing a practical manual; establishing a
competence centre for innovation procurement; and ensuring effective monitoring of PPI through
ePPS.

Reinforcing the capability of the public procurement workforce

Malta has been professionalizing the public procurement workforce through various initiatives; including
the classification of four job profiles for the public procurement career stream, a pilot programme on
Recognition for Prior Learning, and the organisation of training.

However, the capacity of the procurement workforce is still a challenge in Malta.

The country could benefit from:

• Developing a public procurement professionalization strategy

• Reinforcing the training system based on the ProcurCompEU self-assessment survey

• Offering training to procurement officials and to key stakeholders within CAs

• Developing a national certification framework aligned with the training system and the competency
matrix to be developed by adapting ProcurCompEU matrix to the local context

Developing a comprehensive measurement framework in Malta

There is no comprehensive public procurement measurement framework implemented by the DoC.

Many CAs do not see the benefits of measuring the performance of public procurement.

Malta could benefit from:

• Developing a comprehensive measurement framework for public procurement and raising awareness
of its benefits

• Improving data availability and quality in ePPS

Improving the organizational structure of public procurement

International good practices promote the need for coherent and stable institutional, legal and regulatory
frameworks regardless of the policy area. That is also the case for public procurement where efficient
and functional systems benefit from this approach.

The functions, structures, status within the government, and capacity of central public procurement
bodies are key elements to consider for the well-functioning of a public procurement system. Indeed,
key stakeholders in public procurement systems rely extensively on the capability of public procurement
bodies to support the development of national procurement systems.

To make the public procurement system work at all levels, a set of functions needs to be performed at
the central level.

It is possible to identify two sets of functions: core functions and supplementary ones. On the one hand,
core functions usually comprise primary policy and legislative functions, secondary policy and regulatory
functions, international coordination functions, and monitoring and compliance assessment functions.
On the other hand, supplementary functions include the remaining functions such as advisory and
operations support, publication and information, professionalisation and capacity strengthening

Core functions: The need to strengthen the monitoring functions Core functions should be covered at
the central government level. In Malta, the primary procurement policy and legislative functions are
covered by the Department of Contracts (DoC) within the Ministry of Finance and Employment, more
particularly by the Directorate for Procurement Policy and Quality Assurance (DPPQA). This directorate
is responsible for public procurement policy development and implementation and for ensuring
compliance with legislative and administrative requirements.

It is also responsible for the secondary policy and regulatory functions. The international coordination
functions are covered by the DoC. Indeed, the DoC is the body representing Malta on public
procurement matters in different international organisations and fora such as the working groups on
Public Procurement organized by the European Commission and the Organisation for Co-operation and
Development (OECD).

Mapping of Core Functions in Malta

Supplementary functions: Reinforcing the advisory, operations support and professionalisation

functions

Supplementary functions cover all the other functions that are not included in the core functions.
Nevertheless, their existence is no less key than the core functions for the well-functioning of the
procurement system. The advisory and operations support functions are crucial to support both
contracting authorities and economic operators in conducting public procurement processes in
compliance with the regulatory framework.

This function is partially addressed in Malta primarily in relation to IT support on the ePPS, and the
provision of guidance notes by DoC. However, some gaps exist in relation to help-desk for legal and
professional support. Based on discussions with selected contracting authorities, this gap results in
individuals trying alternative means to contact DoC to seek assistance.
Mapping of Supplementary functions in Malta

An evolving public procurement institutional framework in Malta

In Malta, the public procurement system has been strongly reformed in the past five years. The main
reform started in 2016 with the transposition of the European Public Procurement Directives 2014/24,
the Concession Contracts Directive 2014/23 and the Utilities Contracts Directive 2014/25

The roles of OD and SPD when administrating public procurement processes

Categories of processing Public Tenders in Malta

Public Procurement Process under the actual and previous system

Public Procurement Process for open tender in Malta
The Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA):
https://procurement.mita.gov.mt/

The Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) is the central driver of Government’s Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) policy, programmes and initiatives in Malta.
MITA’s role is to deliver and implement the assigned programmes as set out in the Digital
Malta National ICT Strategy 2014 - 2020, and as directed by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Financial
Services, Digital Economy and Innovation from time to time.
MITA manages the implementation of IT programmes in Government to enhance public service delivery
and provides the infrastructure needed to execute ICT services to Government. MITA is also responsible
to propagate further use of ICT in society and economy and to promote and deliver programmes to
enhance ICT education and the use of ICT as a learning tool.
MITA officially took over the operations of MITTS Ltd on 1st January 2009. Whilst MITTS Ltd (and its
predecessor) was solely devoted in providing a service for the Government, MITA’s role is extended to
cover projects and services on a national scale. MITA shall therefore continue to excel in providing ICT
infrastructure and services, professional project management and consulting services to the
Government. The Agency is dedicated in assisting the Government in transforming technological
innovations into real business solutions. Its unique approach combines an innovative array of ICT and
project management services with focused delivery capabilities using tried and tested methodologies to
help fulfil Government’s strategies and projects and maximise the benefits of investment in technology.

e-PPS:
https://www.etenders.gov.mt/epps/home.do
e-PPS is a web-based, collaborative system to facilitate the full lifecycle of a tendering process, for both
buyers and suppliers. It offers a secure, interactive, dynamic environment for procurements of any
nature, complexity or value (above or below EU thresholds), enforcing (where appropriate) and
encouraging recognised best practices.
e-PPS supports the process of procuring works, services and supplies electronically. All public
procurement procedures foreseen by the law are supported for both one-off or repetitive purchases
through several dedicated sub-modules providing facilities for user registration, competition
notification, tender preparation and submission, online tender evaluation, upholding of auctions,
contract awarding, contract management, creation and management of catalogues, placement of
electronic orders, and much more.
e-PPS can support the effort for achieving efficiency gains, while promotes core principles of the laws
and regulations on public procurement such as transparency, security, availability, non-discrimination
and equality of treatment.

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