Location:
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:
35 50 N, 14 35 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 316 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 316 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 209

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
196.8 km (excludes 56 km for the island of Gozo)
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]
exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive fishing zone country ranks ]

Climate:
Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers
More Climate Details

Terrain:
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Elevation:
mean elevation: NA
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Ta'Dmejrek on Dingli Cliffs 253 m

Natural resources:
limestone, salt, arable land

Land use:
agricultural land: 32.3% arable land 28.4%; permanent crops 3.9%; permanent pasture 0%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 0.9%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 66.8% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
35 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
most of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islands

Natural hazards:
occasional droughts

Environment - current issues:
limited natural freshwater resources; increasing reliance on desalination

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil exploration