President: George Abela Prime minister: Lawrence Gonzi
Population
73,599,190
409,836
Life Expectancy
55.740 years
79.850 years
Capital City
Valletta
Largest city
Kinshasa (population: 7,785,960)
Birkirkara (population: 21,676)
Human Development Index
0.361
0.894
GDP per capita
$25,800 US
Literacy Rate
67.2%
92.8%
Corruption Perception Index
1.7
5.8
Percentage of Women in Parliament
7.7%
8.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
6.400%
Death Penalty
NA
Abolished
Political System
republic
republic
Independence date
21 September 1964 (from UK)
Religions
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10%
Roman Catholic 98%
Languages
French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.8% (2005 census)
Exports
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures
External Debt
$48,790,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6494 (2008 est.), 0.6795 (January 2008), Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3106 (2007), 0.37 (2006), 0.34578 (2005), 0.34466 (2004), 0.37723 (2003)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.700%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
Area
2,344,858 km sq
316 km sq
Coastline
37 km
197 km
Climate
tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)
