The Chamber of Commerce is located in Valletta. There are several professional and trade organizations representing a variety of occupations. The largest independent private business organization is the General Retailers and Traders' Union Malta's. The Malta Federation of Industry also has some influence. The Medical Association of Malta represents the interests of doctors and patients.

The Malta Cultural Institute promotes primarily the arts of music and dance. Sports associations include organizations for football and badminton. National youth organizations include the Malta Youth Labor Brigade, Nationalist Party Youth Movement, Scout Association of Malta, Student Democrats of Malta, University Student Council of Malta, University Students' Catholic Movement, and the Young Christians.

Multinational organizations based in Malta include the International Ocean Institute and Greenpeace Mediterranean. The Red Cross is active in the country.

The city of Valletta derives its nomenclature from Jehan Parisot de la Vallette (1494–1568), Grand Master of the Knights of St. John, who successfully withstood a great Turkish siege in 1565. Dominic (Dom) Mintoff (b.1916), a founder of Malta's Labour Party, was prime minister during 1955–58 and 1971–84. Agatha Barbara (b.1923), a former cabinet minister, was elected the first woman president of Malta on 16 February 1982. Alfred Sant(b.1948) became prime minister in 1996.

The National Library of Malta (founded in 1555) is located in Valetta and held 380,000 volumes in 2002. The University of Malta Library (1769) is in Msidaan and contains over 700,000 volumes. The largest public library is the Central Public Library in Beltissebh with 362,000 volumes. There are over 50 school libraries throughout Malta. In 2001, Malta counted 21 total museums. Valletta is the site of the National Museum, with an archaeological collection, the Palace Armory, and the St. John's Museum. The Folk Museum and the Museum of Political History are at Vittoriosa, where a maritime museum also opened in 1992. There is an archeological museum located in a copper age temple in Mgarr and a museum of Zomon antiquities in Rabat.

In 1997, there were 187,000 main line phones in use throughout the country along with 17,691 mobile cellular phones.

Malta's government radio service transmits on two channels (one Maltese, one English). There are also eight private radio stations in operation. Television programs are received primarily from a local service and from Italy. As of 2001 there were 1 AM and 18 FM radio stations and 6 television stations, plus one commercial cable network. In 1997, there were 255,000 radios and 280,000 television sets throughout the country. In 2000, two Internet service providers served about 40,000 users.

The press includes daily and Sunday newspapers, published in both Maltese and English. Leading papers (with estimated 2002 circulations) are It-Torca (Maltese, 30,000 daily), L'Orizzont (Maltese, 25,000 weekly), the Times (English, 23,000 daily), Il-Mument (Maltese, 25,000 weekly), and In-Nazzion Taghna (Maltese, 20,000 daily).

The constitution provides for freedom of speech and press, and the government is said to respect these rights in practice.

The Nationalist government's primary aim was to radically transform Malta's economy in an effort to meet EU standards in time for the next round of enlargement. The elimination of trade barriers, deficit reduction, and more efficient tax collection comprise the most significant elements of the government's EUharmonization plan. Malta was formally invited to join the EU in December 2002, with accession planned for May 2004.

The National Insurance Act of 1956, as amended in 1987, provides benefits for sickness, unemployment, old age, widowhood, orphanhood, disability, and industrial injuries. Coverage includes all residents aged 16 and over, and excludes full time students and unemployed married women. Pensions are funded by contributions from employers, employees, and the government. These benefits are supplemented by social assistance under the National Assistance Act of 1956. Legislation establishing family allowances was enacted in 1974, and maternity benefits were mandated in 1981. As of 1999, employers were required to provide 13 weeks of maternity leave with pay set at a flat weekly rate.

Women make up a growing portion of the labor force due to changing social patterns and economic necessity. However, they are often channeled into traditionally female occupations or work in family-owned businesses, and remain underrepresented at the management level. Working women generally earn less than men. Domestic violence against women remains a problem but is addressed by the government through specialized police units, legal assistance, shelters, and legislation. Women have equality in matters of family law, although divorce is not legal.

The law mandates protection of all groups against economic, social, and political discrimination. The government is committed to protecting human rights, and human rights organizations are free to operate in Malta.

Primary education is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16 and is free in public schools. Maltese law requires that the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church be included in the public school curriculum, and legislation passed in 1983 requires all schools to provide free education.

In 1997, there were 35,374 pupils enrolled in primary schools. In the same year, secondary school students numbered 34,211, with approximately 3,200 teachers. The pupil-teacher ratio at the primary level was 20 to 1 in 1999. In the same year, virtually 100% of primary-school-age children were enrolled in school, while 79% of those eligible attended secondary school. All higher-level institutions and universities had 709 teaching staff and 8,260 pupils in 1997. For the year 2000, adult illiteracy was estimated at 7.9% (males, 8.6%; females, 7.2%). As of 1999, public expenditure on education was estimated at 4.8% of GDP.

Institutes of higher education include the University of Malta, the International Maritime Law Institute, and the School of Art.