Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.

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

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

196.8 km (excludes 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

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

limestone, salt, arable land

limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination

the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being 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

405,165 (July 2010 est.)

10.36 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

8.38 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

1.52 children born/woman (2010 est.)

fewer than 500 (2007 est.)

fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.8% (2005 census)

none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils carry out administrative orders and have some responsibility for local road and other public maintenance

21 September 1964 (from the UK)

Independence Day, 21 September (1964); Republic Day, 13 December (1974)

1964; amended many times

based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

18 years of age; universal

unicameral House of Representatives (normally 65 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms; note - the Parliament elected in 2008 is composed of 69 seats; when the political party winning the plurality of votes does not win a majority of seats, the constitution provides that a sufficient number of seats will be added to Parliament to ensure that the party that won the elections has a majority in Parliament)

Constitutional Court; Court of First Instance; Court of Appeal

Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Michael BRIGUGLIO]; Azzjoni Nazzjonaili or AN [Josi MUSCAT]; Malta Labor Party or PL [Joseph MUSCAT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]

Alleanza Liberal-Demokratika Maltra or ALDM (for divorce, abortion, gay marriage, the rights existent in other EU member states); Alleanza Nazzionali Repubblikana or ANR (for traditional values, anti-immigration); Alternattiva Demokratika (pro-environment); Azzjoni Nazzjonali or AN (freedom to participate in democratic government); Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar (pro-environment); Ghazda tal-Konsumaturi (consumer rights)

Australia Group, C, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in red; according to legend, the colors are taken from the red and white checkered banner of Count Roger of Sicily who removed a bi-colored corner and granted it to Malta in 1091; an uncontested explanation is that the colors are those of the Knights of Saint John who ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798; in 1942, King George VI of the United Kingdom awarded the George Cross to the islanders for their exceptional bravery and gallantry in World War II; since independence in 1964, the George Cross bordered in red has appeared directly on the white field

Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. Malta's geographic position between the EU and Africa makes it a target for illegal immigration, which has strained Malta's political and economic resources. Malta adopted the euro on 1 January 2008. Malta's financial services industry has grown in recent years and in 2008-09 it escaped significant damage from the international financial crisis, largely because the sector is centered on the indigenous real estate market and is not highly leveraged. Locally, the restricted damage from the financial crisis has been attributed to the stability of the Maltese banking system and to its prudent risk-management practices. The global economic downturn and high electricity and water prices have hurt Malta's real economy, which is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing - especially electronics and pharmaceuticals - and tourism. Following a few years of modest growth, Malta's economy contracted by 2.2% in 2009, and the government of Malta took steps to provide direct grants to struggling local businesses.

$9.833 billion (2009 est.)

$10.01 billion (2008 est.)

$9.811 billion (2007 est.)

$7.955 billion (2009 est.)

13.4% of GDP (2009 est.)

69.4% of GDP (2009 est.)

63.6% of GDP (2008 est.)

1% (31 December 2009)

5% (31 December 2008)

5.89% (31 December 2008)

6.24% (31 December 2007)

$4.639 billion (31 January 2008)

$4.603 billion (31 December 2007)

$8.771 billion (31 January 2008 est.)

$7.645 billion (31 December 2007)

$13.41 billion (31 December 2009)

$12.31 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$NA (31 December 2009)

$3.572 billion (31 December 2008)

$5.633 billion (31 December 2007)

potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, aviation services, financial services, information technology services

2.146 billion kWh (2007 est.)

1.832 billion kWh (2007 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

19,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

17,910 bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

-$570 million (2009 est.)

-$52.5 million (2008)

$2.678 billion (2009 est.)

$3.102 billion (2008 est.)

electrical machinery, mechanical appliances, fish and crustaceans, pharmaceutical products, printed material

Singapore 12.45%, Germany 12.11%, France 12.1%, US 10.07%, Hong Kong 6.93%, UK 6.07%, Libya 5.38% (2009)

$3.973 billion (2009 est.)

$4.827 billion (2008 est.)

mineral fuels and oils, electrical machinery, non-electrical machinery, aircraft and other transport equipment, plastic and other semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco

Italy 24.29%, UK 11.8%, Germany 9.28%, France 7.99%, China 4.56%, Singapore 4.11%, Switzerland 4.05% (2009)

$538.7 million (31 December 2009 est.)

$373.4 million (31 December 2008 est.)

$3.75 billion (2008)

$188.8 million (2005)

$8.24 billion (31 December 2009)

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7338 (2009), 0.6827 (2008), Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3106 (2007), 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.37723 (2003)

1 publicly-owned television station, Television Malta (TVM); several national television stations, two of which are owned by political parties; Italian and British broadcast programs are available; multi-channel cable and satellite TV services are obtainable; publicly-owned radio broadcaster operates 2 stations; roughly 50 commercial radio stations functioning (2008)

Marsaxlokk (Malta Freeport), Valletta

Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements) (2010)

17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)

0.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western Europe