Malta |  |
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Malta | |
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| capital: | Valletta |
| geographic coordinates: | 35 53 N, 14 30 E |
| time difference: | UTC + 1 |
| daylight saving time: | +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
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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 to use the euro as currency in 2008. |