Long-form name: Republic of Malta

Type: parliamentary democracy, independent republic within the Commonwealth

Capital: Valletta

Administrative divisions: none (administration directly from Valletta)

Independence: 21 September 1964 (from UK)

Constitution: 26 April 1974, effective 2 June 1974

Legal system: based on English common law; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

National holiday: Freedom Day, 31 March

Branches: executive, consisting of prime minister and Cabinet; unicameral legislature (65-member House of Representatives); independent judiciary

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--President Vincent (Censu) TABONE (since 4 April 1989); @m5Head of Government--Prime Minister Dr. Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 12 May 1987); Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Guido DE MARCO (since 14 May 1987)

Suffrage: universal over age 18; registration required

Elections: at the discretion of the prime minister, but must be held before the expiration of a five-year electoral mandate; last election May 1987

Political parties and leaders: Nationalist Party, Edward Fenech Adami; Malta Labor Party, Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici

Voting strength: (1987 election) House of Representatives--Nationalist (51% of the vote), 31 seats plus 4 extra seats for getting more than 50% of the vote; Labor (49% of the vote), 34 seats

Communists: fewer than 100 (est.)

Member of: CCC, Commonwealth, Council of Europe, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NAM,UN, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Salvatore J. STELLINI; Chancery at 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 462-3611 or 3612; there is a Maltese Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador Peter R. SOMMER; Embassy at 2nd Floor, Development House, St. Anne Street, Floriana, Valletta (mailing address is P. O. Box 535, Valletta); telephone Õ356å 623653 or 620424, 623216

Flag: two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red

NOTE: The information regarding Malta on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Malta Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Malta Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.