Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
With a civilization that dates back thousands of years, Malta boasts some of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. Situated in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta’s islands have long served as a strategic military asset, with the islands at various times falling under the control of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, and French. Most recently a British colony (since 1814), Malta gained its independence in 1964 and declared itself a republic 10 years later.
- Capital
- Valletta
- Government
- parliamentary republic
- Population
- 521,828
- Area
- 316 sq km
- Location
- Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
- Climate
- Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers
- Natural resources
- limestone; salt; arable land
- Languages
- Maltese (official) 90.1%; English (official) 6%; multilingual 3%; other 0.9%
- Religions
- Roman Catholic (official) more than 90%
- Independence
- 21 September 1964 (from the UK)
- Administrative divisions
- 68 localities (Il-lokalita); Attard, Balzan, Birgu, Birkirkara, Birzebbuga, Bormla, Dingli, Fgura, Floriana, Fontana, Gh…
- Currency
- euros (EUR)
- Export partners
- Nigeria 28%; Germany 10%; China 6%; Singapore 5%…
- Import partners
- Italy 18%; China 10%; Germany 8%; France 7%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain