Malta at a glance

• Area:  316 Km2.
• Population: 402,000
• Location: Central Mediterranean, ca 100 Km south of Sicily.
• Political: Independent, Parliamentary Republic, EU member.
• Languages: Maltese & English.  Italian widely spoken.  Many speak a fourth language such as French or German.
• Education: British model but with a University with roots dating back to the Knights of St John.  Literacy level is 92.6%.
• Culture: Western European.
• Economy: Based on tourism, manufacturing and services.
• GDP/capita: US$ 21,300 PPP (2006 est).
• Growth: Real terms: 2006 = 2.9%, Q2 2007 = 3.7%.
• Currency: From January 1, 2008 = Euro.