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 became an EU member in May 2004 and began
using the euro as currency in 2008.
(Source: The World Factbook 2009.
Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency, 2009)
For more information about Malta:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html
