Editing Malta (section)

==Infrastructure==

===Transport===
{{Main|Transport in Malta|Buses in Malta}}

Owing to the British colonial rule, traffic in Malta [[Driving on the left or right|drives on the left]]. Car ownership in Malta is exceedingly high, considering the very small size of the islands; it is the fourth-highest in the European Union. There were 182,254 registered cars in 1990, giving an automobile density of {{Pop density|182254|316|km2|sqmi|prec=0}}.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sammut, Michael |last2=Savona-Ventura, Charles |year=1996 |title=Petrol Lead in a Small Island Environment |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/33384971 |journal=International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=33–40 |doi=10.3233/JRS-1996-9104 |pmid=23512022}}</ref> Malta has {{convert|2254|km|0|abbr=off}} of road, {{convert|1972|km|0|abbr=on}} (87.5 per cent) of which are paved (as of December 2003).<ref>{{Cite web |title=''NationMaster''&nbsp;– Transportation statistics |url=http://www.nationmaster.com/country/mt-malta/tra-transportation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926213223/http://www.nationmaster.com/country/mt-malta/tra-transportation |archive-date=26 September 2007 |access-date=19 February 2007}}</ref>
[[File:Malta Buses (cropped).jpg|thumb|Maltese ''[[Otokar]]'' and ''[[King Long]]'' buses]]
[[Malta bus|Buses]] (''xarabank'' or ''karozza tal-linja'') are the primary method of public transport, established in 1905. Malta's vintage buses operated in the Maltese islands up to 2011 and became popular tourist attractions.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Simons |first=Jake Wallis |date=1 July 2011 |title=End of the road: no more fares for Malta's vintage buses |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/malta/8606494/End-of-the-road-no-more-fares-for-Maltas-vintage-buses.html |url-status=live |access-date=23 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524154249/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/malta/8606494/End-of-the-road-no-more-fares-for-Maltas-vintage-buses.html |archive-date=24 May 2018 |website=Telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> To this day they are depicted on many Maltese advertisements and merchandise for tourists.

The bus service underwent extensive reform in July 2011. The management structure changed from having self-employed drivers driving their own vehicles to a service being offered by a single company through a public tender.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ministeru għall-Infrastruttura Transport u Komunikazzjoni&nbsp;– Transport Pubbliku |url=https://mitc.gov.mt/page.aspx?pageid=52  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113172538/https://mitc.gov.mt/page.aspx?pageid=52 |archive-date=13 January 2012 |access-date=15 September 2011 |website=Mitc.gov.mt}}</ref> The public tender was won by [[Arriva Malta]], which introduced a fleet of brand new buses, built by [[King Long]] especially for service by Arriva Malta and including a smaller fleet of [[articulated bus]]es brought in from [[Arriva London]]. It also operated two smaller buses for an intra-Valletta route only and 61 nine-metre buses, which were used to ease congestion on high-density routes. Overall Arriva Malta operated 264 buses. On 1 January 2014 Arriva ceased operations in Malta due to financial difficulties, having been nationalised as ''Malta Public Transport''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=22 December 2013 |title=Arriva Future Decided |work=di-ve.com news |url=http://www.di-ve.com/news/arriva-future-decided |url-status=live |access-date=25 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160627050948/http://www.di-ve.com/news/arriva-future-decided |archive-date=27 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Sansone |first=Kurt |date=23 December 2013 |title=New Year in, Arriva out |work=[[The Times (Malta)|The Times]] |url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131223/local/New-Year-in-Arriva-out.500112 |url-status=live |access-date=25 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323134727/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20131223/local/New-Year-in-Arriva-out.500112 |archive-date=23 March 2016}}</ref> The government chose Autobuses Urbanos de León ([[Alsa (bus company)|Alsa]] subsidiary) as its preferred bus operator for the country in October 2014.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dalli |first=Kim |date=1 October 2014 |title=New bus operator to start in January |work=[[The Times (Malta)|The Times]] |url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141001/local/New-bus-operator-to-start-in-January.537947 |url-status=live |access-date=4 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006092710/http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20141001/local/New-bus-operator-to-start-in-January.537947 |archive-date=6 October 2014}}</ref> From October 2022, the bus system is free of charge for residents of Malta.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/budget-2022-free-bus-service-for-all-by-next-year.907165|title=Budget 2022: Free bus service for all by October 1 next year|newspaper=[[Times of Malta]]|access-date=25 June 2022|archive-date=16 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220616142249/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/budget-2022-free-bus-service-for-all-by-next-year.907165|url-status=live}}</ref>

As of 2021, an underground [[Malta Metro]] is being planned, with a projected total cost of €6.2 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/watch-live-government-announces-metro-study-results.905092|title=Government unveils 25-station, €6.2 billion underground Metro proposal|website=Times of Malta|date=October 2021|access-date=2 October 2022|archive-date=1 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001234913/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/watch-live-government-announces-metro-study-results.905092|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:047.Freeport.jpg|thumb|[[Malta Freeport]], one of the largest European ports]]

Malta has three large natural harbours on its main island:
* The [[Grand Harbour]] (or Port il-Kbir), located at the eastern side of the capital city of Valletta, has been a harbour since [[Roman Empire|Roman]] times. It has several extensive [[Dock (maritime)|docks]] and [[Wharf|wharves]], as well as a cruise liner terminal. A terminal at the Grand Harbour serves ferries that connect Malta to [[Pozzallo]] & [[Catania]] in Sicily.
* [[Marsamxett Harbour]], located on the western side of Valletta, accommodates a number of yacht marinas.
* [[Marsaxlokk Harbour]] (Malta Freeport), at [[Birżebbuġa]] on the south-eastern side of Malta, is the islands' main cargo terminal. Malta Freeport is the [[List of world's busiest container ports|11th busiest container ports in continent of Europe and 46th in the World]] with a trade volume of 2.3&nbsp;million [[Twenty-foot equivalent unit|TEU's]] in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AAPA World Port Rankings 2008 |url=http://aapa.files.cms-plus.com/Statistics/WORLD%20PORT%20RANKINGS%2020081.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323125150/http://aapa.files.cms-plus.com/Statistics/WORLD%20PORT%20RANKINGS%2020081.pdf |archive-date=23 March 2014 |access-date=14 November 2010}}</ref>

There are also two human-made harbours that serve a passenger and car ferry service that connects [[Ċirkewwa]] Harbour on Malta and [[Mġarr (Gozo)|Mġarr Harbour]] on [[Gozo]].

[[Malta International Airport]] (Ajruport Internazzjonali ta' Malta) is the only airport serving the Maltese islands. It is built on the land formerly occupied by the [[RAF Luqa]] air base. A heliport is also located there. The heliport in Gozo is at [[Xewkija]]. The former [[RAF Ta Kali]] airfield at [[Ta' Qali]] houses a national park, [[Ta' Qali Stadium|stadium]], the Crafts Village visitor attraction and the [[Malta Aviation Museum]].
[[File:9H-AEP A320 Air Malta (14806272801).jpg|thumb|left|An Air Malta [[Airbus A320]]]]

From 1 April 1974 to 30 March 2024, the national airline was [[Air Malta]], which was based at Malta International Airport and operated services to 22 destinations in Europe and North Africa. The owners of Air Malta were the [[Government of Malta]] (98 percent) and private investors (2 percent).

On 31 March 2024, [[KM Malta Airlines]] took over as the national airline of Malta. All former [[Air Malta]] Airplanes and other assets were transferred to the new airline, together with the staff. KM Malta Airlines is based at Malta International Airport and operates services to 18 destinations in Europe.

In June 2019, [[Ryanair]] has invested into a fully-fledged airline subsidiary, called [[Malta Air]], operating a low-cost model. The Government of Malta holds one share in the airline.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Updated {{!}} Ryanair setting up fully-fledged Malta subsidiary|url=http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/95535/ryanair_setting_up_fullyfledged_malta_subsidiary|access-date=3 August 2021|website=MaltaToday.com.mt|language=en|archive-date=10 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610144159/http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/95535/ryanair_setting_up_fullyfledged_malta_subsidiary|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Communications===
The mobile penetration rate in Malta exceeded 100% by the end of 2009.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101114021810/http://www.nso.gov.mt/statdoc/document_file.aspx?id=2701 Post and Telecommunications: Q4/2009], nso.gov.mt {{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Malta uses the [[GSM]]900, UMTS(3G) and LTE(4G) mobile phone systems, which are compatible with the rest of the European countries, Australia and New Zealand.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

In early 2012, the government called for a national Fibre to the Home (FttH) network to be built, with a minimum broadband service being upgraded from 4&nbsp;Mbit/s to 100&nbsp;Mbit/s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 November 2012 |title=Investment in fibre networks stimulates national FttH ambitions in Malta – BuddeBlog |url=http://www.buddeblog.com.au/frompaulsdesk/investment-in-fibre-networks-stimulates-national-ftth-ambitions-in-malta/  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201213926/http://www.buddeblog.com.au/frompaulsdesk/investment-in-fibre-networks-stimulates-national-ftth-ambitions-in-malta/ |archive-date=1 February 2014 |access-date=26 March 2013 |website=Buddeblog.com.au}}</ref>

=== Energy ===
{{Main|Energy in Malta}}
Malta relied on [[coal]] until 1996 for electricity generation. In 1992, a new power station was built on the Delimara peninsula in [[Marsaxlokk]]. Originally the [[Delimara Power Station]] in 2015 used [[oil]] for electricity generation, before being converted to [[LNG]] in 2017. The power station also includes two [[gasoil]]-fired plants, which are used as standby power generation capacity during emergencies or lack of other power sources. Since 2015, the [[Malta–Sicily interconnector]] allows Malta to be connected to the [[Synchronous grid of Continental Europe|European power grid]] and import a significant share of its electricity.{{citation needed|date=March 2025}}

Rooftop solar power, for electricity and water heating, is the main renewable source of energy in Malta that is on the rise. It accounts for 10% of the generated electricity.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://nso.gov.mt/energy/electricity-supply-2023/ | title=Electricity Supply: 2023 | date=8 October 2024 }}</ref> There are efforts to boost this renewable generation share to 25% by leveraging offshore platforms and battery storage by 2030.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Policy for the Deployment of Offshore Renewable Energy Launched at the National Energy Conference |url=https://energywateragency.gov.mt/national-policy-for-the-deployment-of-offshore-renewable-energy-launched-at-the-national-energy-conference/ |website=The Energy & Water Agency |publisher=Government of Malta |access-date=7 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250307150228/https://energywateragency.gov.mt/national-policy-for-the-deployment-of-offshore-renewable-energy-launched-at-the-national-energy-conference/ |archive-date=7 March 2025 |language=English |date=24 October 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> A waste-to-energy plant that runs off of biogas generated by organic waste is planned to contribute a further 4.5% to the electricity grid as a source of net carbon-neutral energy.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ecohive.com.mt/#sectionEnergy | title=Welcome to EcoHive &#124; ECOHIVE }}</ref>

=== Healthcare ===

{{Main|Healthcare in Malta}}
Malta has a long history of providing [[publicly funded health care]]. The first hospital recorded in the country was already functioning by 1372.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Civil Hospitals in Malta in the Last Two Hundred Years |url=http://www.geocities.com/hotsprings/2615/medhist/hospital2.htm  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091020134711/http://geocities.com/HotSprings/2615/medhist/hospital2.htm |archive-date=20 October 2009 |access-date=31 March 2009 |website=Geocities.com}}</ref>
Today, Malta has both a public healthcare system, where healthcare is free at the point of delivery, and a private healthcare system.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Health Care System in Malta_1 |url=http://www.sahha.gov.mt/pages.aspx?page=156  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070711220500/http://www.sahha.gov.mt/pages.aspx?page=156 |archive-date=11 July 2007 |access-date=31 March 2009 |website=Sahha.gov.mt}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Government of Malta&nbsp;– Health Services |url=http://www.gov.mt/servicecluster.asp?s=4&l=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305122930/http://www.gov.mt/servicecluster.asp?s=4&l=2 |archive-date=5 March 2005 |access-date=31 March 2009 |website=Gov.mt}}</ref> Malta has a strong general practitioner-delivered primary care base and the public hospitals provide secondary and tertiary care. The Maltese Ministry of Health advises foreign residents to take out private medical insurance.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 October 2006 |title=Healthcare in Malta&nbsp;– Allo' Expat Malta |url=http://www.alloexpat.com/moving_to_malta_forum/healthcare-in-malta-t162.html  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101065622/http://www.alloexpat.com/moving_to_malta_forum/healthcare-in-malta-t162.html |archive-date=1 January 2016 |access-date=31 March 2009 |url-status=usurped |website=Alloexpat.com}}</ref>
[[File:Mater Dei 01.jpg|thumb|[[Mater Dei Hospital]]|left]]
Malta also boasts voluntary organisations such as Alpha Medical (Advanced Care), the Emergency Fire & Rescue Unit (E.F.R.U.), St John Ambulance and Red Cross Malta who provide first aid/nursing services during events involving crowds, Malta's primary hospital, opened in 2007. It has one of the largest medical buildings in Europe.

The [[University of Malta]] has a medical school and a Faculty of [[Health Sciences]]. The [[Medical Association of Malta]] represents practitioners of the medical profession. The [[Foundation Program]]me followed in the UK has been introduced in Malta to stem the 'brain drain' of newly graduated physicians to the British Isles.