Editing Malta (section)

===Independence and Republic===
{{see also|State of Malta}}
[[File:Maglio gardens.jpg|thumb|Monument to the independence of Malta in [[Floriana]]]]
[[File:Tratado de Lisboa 13 12 2007 (081).jpg|thumb|Malta joined the European Union in 2004 and signed the [[Lisbon Treaty]] in 2007.]]

Malta achieved its independence as the [[State of Malta]] on 21 September 1964 ([[Independence Day (Malta)|Independence Day]]). Under its 1964 constitution, Malta initially retained [[Elizabeth II]] as [[Queen of Malta]] and thus head of state, with a [[governor-general]] exercising executive authority on her behalf. In 1971, the [[Malta Labour Party]] led by [[Dom Mintoff]] won the general elections, resulting in Malta declaring itself a republic on 13 December 1974 ([[Republic Day (Malta)|Republic Day]]) within the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]]. A defence agreement was signed soon after independence, and after being re-negotiated in 1972, expired on 31 March 1979 ([[Freedom Day (Malta)|Freedom Day]]).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wolf |first=Eric R. |title=Religion, Power and Protest in Local Communities: The Northern Shore of the Mediterranean |date=1984 |isbn=978-3-11-086116-7 |page=206|publisher=Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG }}</ref> Upon its expiry, the British base closed and lands formerly controlled by the British were given to the Maltese government.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Fenech |first=Dominic |date=February 1997 |title=Malta's external security |journal=GeoJournal |volume=41 |issue=2 |pages=153–163 |doi=10.1023/A:1006888926016 |bibcode=1997GeoJo..41..153F |s2cid=151123282 }}</ref>

In the aftermath of the departure of the remaining British troops in 1979, the country intensified [[Malta and the Non-Aligned Movement|its participation in the Non-Aligned Movement]]. Malta adopted a policy of [[Neutral country|neutrality]] in 1980.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Breacher |first=Michael |title=A Study of Crisis |publisher=University of Michigan Press |year=1997 |isbn=978-0-472-10806-0 |page=611}}</ref> In that same year, three of Malta's sites, including the capital [[Valletta]], were inscribed on the [[UNESCO World Heritage List]]. In 1989, Malta was the venue of a [[Malta Summit|summit]] between US President [[George H. W. Bush]] and Soviet leader [[Mikhail Gorbachev]], their first face-to-face encounter, which signalled the end of the [[Cold War]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 December 1989 |title=1989: Malta summit ends Cold War |work=BBC: On This Day |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/3/newsid_4119000/4119950.stm |url-status=live |access-date=1 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003190017/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/3/newsid_4119000/4119950.stm |archive-date=3 October 2018}}</ref> [[Malta International Airport]] was inaugurated and became fully operational on 25 March 1992, boosting the local aircraft and tourism industry. A [[2003 Maltese European Union membership referendum|referendum on joining the European Union]] was held on 8 March 2003, with 53.65% in favour.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 March 2003 |title=Malta votes 'yes' to EU membership |publisher=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/03/09/malta.yes/ |access-date=1 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030313220750/http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/03/09/malta.yes/ |archive-date=13 March 2003}}</ref> Malta joined the [[European Union]] on 1 May 2004<ref>{{Cite web |title=The History of the European Union&nbsp;– 2000–today |url=http://europa.eu/abc/history/2000_today/index_en.htm  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011051104/http://europa.eu/abc/history/2000_today/index_en.htm |archive-date=11 October 2007 |access-date=12 October 2007}}</ref> and the [[eurozone]] on 1 January 2008.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 May 2007 |title=Cyprus and Malta set to join eurozone in 2008 |url=http://www.euractiv.com/en/euro/cyprus-malta-set-join-eurozone-2008/article-163836 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130041939/http://www.euractiv.com/en/euro/cyprus-malta-set-join-eurozone-2008/article-163836 |archive-date=30 January 2009 |access-date=12 October 2007|work=Euractiv}}</ref>