Official Name: Repubblika ta' Malta (Republic of Malta)

Area: Europe

Size: 316 km²

Coastline: 196.8 km

Independence: from the UK September 21, 1964

Form of Govt.: Unitary multiparty republic

Head of Govt.: Prime Minister

Capital: Valletta

Largest City: Birkirkara

Demographics (2005): 404,500.   1,282 /km²

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

GDP per Capita (2005): $19,302

Languages: Maltese, English

Geography: Malta is an archipelago of five islands located in the central Mediterranean Sea. It consists of the islands of Malta, Gozo, Comino, Cominotto Filfa and St. Paul. The islands are generally low lying with no mountains or rivers and the coastlines of Malta and Gozo are well indented with numerous bays and rocky coves.

Climate: Malta has a typical Mediterranean climate characterized by a dry summer season and a mild rainy winter season with occasional fog from November to March. Average annual precipitation is 559 mm and occurs almost entirely between October and April. Average temperature ranges in Valletta are from 10 to 14 degrees in January to 23 to 29 degrees in August.