About Malta

Geography

The Maltese archipelago consists of three islands:  Malta, Gozo and Comino. They are situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, about 100Km  south of Italy.  The total area of the islands is 316 sq.km. Malta, the main island,  is 27 km long and 14 km at  its widest point and occupies a total area of 246 sq.km.  The capital of Malta is Valletta,  which  contains  buildings  from  the 16th century onwards,  built  during  the rule of the Order of  St. John of Jerusalem,  which  city  was officially  recognised  as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980.

EU

Malta became a member of the European Union  with  effect  from  the  1st May 2004  and  has adopted the Euro as its currency, as of 1st January 2008.

Government and Legal Systems

Malta is  an  established  parliamentary  democracy,  with  the  executive  power  being  vested  in the Prime Minister and the  Cabinet.  The  Judiciary  enjoys  complete independence from the legislative and executive sectors.  The legal structure is based on the civil-law pattern of continental Europe, but most administrative and fiscal legislation is based on well-tried British laws.

Population and Language

Malta  has a population of around 514,000, with two official languages being  Maltese and English. English is spoken  fluently  by  virtually  all  Maltese citizens and is the language primarily used  in the business sector. Most of the population is also fluent in Italian and knowledge of French and German is common.

The Economy

Malta  enjoys a  varied and thriving economy.  The economy of  Malta is largely based on the manufacturing sector,  particularly  high technology industries  and  tourism.  Several  internationally renowned companies have  established their operations in Malta and the  Island  is  increasingly attracting hi-tech companies with leading edge technology. Malta boasts of an advanced telecommunications infrastructure and this, together with a highly  educated professional community,  supports the success of the economy.  Malta is committed to develop a strong and stable economy.  It is within this  setting that the course for the development of the Island as an international financial centre was envisaged.  The  financial  services  sector has become one of the major components of the economy. 

The  liberalisation  of  the economy  has  provided  the  backdrop  for  Malta’s  success  in  the  international business activities.  Malta  has developed a regulatory framework that integrates the most effective aspects of investment management regulation from around the world.