President: George Abela Prime minister: Lawrence Gonzi
Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by Governor-General Prime minister: Denzil Douglas
Population
409,836
50,726
Life Expectancy
79.850 years
74.840 years
Capital City
Valletta
Largest city
Birkirkara (population: 21,676)
Basseterre (population: 12,920)
Human Development Index
0.894
0.83
GDP per capita
$25,800 US
Literacy Rate
92.8%
97.8%
Corruption Perception Index
5.8
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
8.7%
6.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
Unemployment Rate
6.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Legal
Political System
republic
parliamentary democracy
Independence date
21 September 1964 (from UK)
Religions
Roman Catholic 98%
Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic
Languages
Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.8% (2005 census)
English
Exports
machinery and transport equipment, manufactures
External Debt
$48,790,000,000 $
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
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago
