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 is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

It has been a member state of the European Union (EU) since 2004 and it is currently the smallest EU country in both population and area.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 401,880 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.7% (male 34,559/female 32,707) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 141,265/female 137,951) 65 years and over: 13.8% (male 23,802/female 31,596) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 39 years male: 37.6 years female: 40.4 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 0.413% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 10.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 8.19 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: 2.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.057 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.024 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.753 male(s)/female total population: 0.987 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.15 years male: 76.95 years female: 81.47 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 1.51 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2001 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 500 (2003 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (2003 est.)

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Nationality: noun: Maltese (singular and plural) adjective: Maltese

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

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Religions: Roman Catholic 98%

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Languages: Maltese (official), English (official)

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Literacy: definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 92.8% male: 92% female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has few domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing (especially electronics and pharmaceuticals), and tourism. Continued sluggishness in the European economy is holding back exports, tourism, and overall growth.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $8.411 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $5.447 billion (2006 est.)

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GDP - real growth rate: 2.4% (2006 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $21,000 (2006 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 23% services: 74% (2003 est.)

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Labor force: 164,000 (2006 est.)

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 3% industry: 22% services: 75% (2005 est.)

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Unemployment rate: 6.8% (2005 est.)

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Population below poverty line: NA%

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2006 est.)

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Investment (gross fixed): 25.1% of GDP (2006 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $2.503 billion expenditures: $2.703 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

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

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Industries: tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco

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Industrial production growth rate: NA%

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Electricity - production: 2.291 billion kWh (2004)

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Electricity - consumption: 2.13 billion kWh (2004)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 19,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Current account balance: -$966.2 million (2006 est.)

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Exports: $2.425 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Exports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

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Exports - partners: France 15.3%, Singapore 13.2%, US 13%, Germany 12.5%, UK 9.5%, Japan 4.9%, Hong Kong 4.2% (2006)

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Imports: $4.077 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

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Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, tobacco

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Imports - partners: Italy 28%, UK 10.5%, France 8.7%, Germany 7.6%, Singapore 6.8%, US 5.6% (2006)

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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.065 billion (2006 est.)

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Debt - external: $188.8 million (2005)

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Economic aid - recipient: $NA

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Currency (code): Maltese lira (MTL)

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Exchange rates: Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003), 0.43362 (2002)

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Fiscal year: calendar year