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General Information
Area: 316 sq km (122 sq miles).
Population: 382,525 (official estimate 2000).
Population density: 1210 per sq km.
Capital: Valletta. Population: 7048 (official estimate 2000).
GEOGRAPHY: The Maltese archipelago is situated in the middle of the Mediterranean, with the largest inhabited island, Malta, lying 93km (58 miles) south of Sicily and 290km (180 miles) from North Africa. Gozo and Comino are the only other inhabited islands. The landscape of all three is characterised by low hills with terraced fields. Malta has no mountains or rivers. Its coastline is indented with harbours, bays, creeks, sandy beaches and rocky coves. Gozo is connected to Malta by ferry and is more thickly vegetated, with many flat-topped hills and craggy cliffs. Comino, the smallest island, is connected to Malta and Gozo by ferry and is very sparsely populated.
Government: Republic. Gained independence from the UK in 1964. Head of State: President Guido de Marco since 1999. Head of Government: Prime Minister Edward Fenech Adami since 1998.
Language: Maltese (a Semitic language) and English are the official languages. Italian is also widely spoken.
Religion: Roman Catholic.
Time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz. UK-style three-pin plug are in use.
Communications:
Telephone
IDD is available. Country code: 356. There are no area codes. Outgoing international code: 00. Public telephone booths are widely available.
Mobile telephone
GSM 900 and 1800 networks exist, with extensive coverage of land and sea. Network providers include Vodafone Malta (website: www.vodafonemalta.com) and GoMobile (website: www2.go.com.mt).
Fax
Maltacom PLC provides an international service through its offices and branches. Also available at hotels.
Internet
ISPs include Maltanet (website: www.maltanet.net). There are a few Internet cafes.
Telegram
Can be sent from Maltacom PLC, St Georges Road, St Julian’s.
Post
Good postal services exist within the island.
Press
Maltese dailies include L’Orizzont and In-Nazzjon Taghna. The daily English-language newspapers published on the island are The Times and The Malta Independent. The Malta Business Weekly, The Malta Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Times are also available.
BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
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