| Country name: |
conventional long form:
Republic of Malta
conventional short form:
Malta
local long form:
Repubblika ta' Malta
local short form:
Malta
|
| Government type: |
republic
|
| Administrative divisions: |
none (administered directly from Valletta)
|
| Independence: |
21 September 1964 (from UK)
|
| National holiday: |
Independence Day, 21 September (1964)
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| Constitution: |
1964 constitution substantially amended on 13 December 1974
|
| Legal system: |
based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
|
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
|
| Executive branch: |
chief of state:
President Guido DE MARCO (since 4 April 1999)
head of government:
Prime Minister Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 6 September 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence GONZE (since 4 April 1999)
cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
elections:
president elected by the House of Representatives for a five-year term; election last held NA April 1999 (next to be held by NA April 2004); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
election results:
Guido DE MARCO elected president; percent of House of Representatives vote - 54%
|
| Legislative branch: |
unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note - additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held 5 September 1998 (next to be held by September 2003)
election results:
percent of vote by party - PN 51.8%, MLP 46.9%, AD 1.2%; seats by party - PN 35, MLP 30
|
| Judicial branch: |
Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
|
| Political parties and leaders: |
Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Edward FENECH ADAMI]
|
| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA
|
| International organization participation: |
C, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
|
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador George SALIBA
chancery:
2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 462-3611, 3612
FAX:
[1] (202) 387-5470
consulate(s):
New York
|
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador George SALIBA
embassy:
3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana, Malta VLT 01
mailing address:
P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta, CMR 01
telephone:
[356] 235960 through 235965
FAX:
[356] 243229
|
| Flag description: |
two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the Saint George Cross, edged in red
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