Welcome to Malta!
Malta is an island country forming an archipelago in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Positioned between Sicily and North Africa, the country is the smallest member of the European Union by population, with only half a million people, but also by area, making it the fourth-most densely populated country in the world while being the tenth-smallest. Despite its diminutive size, Malta is an important freight trans-shipment point, financial centre and tourist destination.
Thanks to its strategic position, Malta has been continuously inhabited since prehistoric times, as well as conquered by pretty much all the civilisations with interest in Mediterranean domination, including the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Sicilians and, most recently, the British. All of them, as well as intensive trading across the region, left both material and cultural heritage on the islands, but the Maltese and their language remains unique in great many ways. With universal knowledge and use of English among the population and a wealth of both man-made structures from all eras of human existence and sites of exceptional natural beauty, Malta has been a very popular holiday destination for decades.
There are also a number of aquatic activities to enjoy. Northern Malta is home to the country's beach resorts and holiday areas. Gozo and Comino, the country's two smaller islands, are also popular beach spots, although these tend to be quieter, rockier and better for snorkelling. The Mediterranean Sea surrounding Malta is popular for diving, and experienced divers may be able to find historical artefacts from World War II or earlier.
Malta (officially known as the Republic of Malta, Maltese: Repubblika ta' Malta) and formerly Melita, is a Southern European island country consisting of an archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. It lies 80 km (50 mi) south of Sicily, 284 km (176 mi) east of Tunisia, and 333 km (207 mi) north of Libya. With a population of about 515,000 over an area of 316 km2 (122 sq mi), Malta is the world's tenth smallest country in area and fourth most densely populated sovereign country. Its capital is Valletta, which is the smallest national capital in the European Union by area at 0.61 km2 (0.24 sq mi). The official and national language is Maltese, which is descended from Sicilian Arabic that developed during the Emirate of Sicily, while English serves as the second official language. Italian and Sicilian also previously served as official and cultural languages on the island for centuries, with Italian being an official language in Malta until 1934 and a majority of the current Maltese population being at least conversational in the Italian language.
Malta has been inhabited since approximately 5900 BC. Its location in the centre of the Mediterranean has historically given it great strategic importance as a naval base, with a succession of powers having contested and ruled the islands, including the Phoenicians and Carthaginians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Normans, Aragonese, Knights of St. John, French, and British, amongst others. Most of these foreign influences have left some sort of mark on the country's ancient culture.
Malta became a British colony in 1813, serving as a way station for ships and the headquarters for the British Mediterranean Fleet. It was besieged by the Axis powers during World War II and was an important Allied base for operations in North Africa and the Mediterranean. The British parliament passed the Malta Independence Act in 1964, giving Malta independence from the United Kingdom as the State of Malta, with Elizabeth II as its queen. The country became a republic in 1974. It has been a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations since independence, and joined the European Union in 2004, it became part of the eurozone monetary union in 2008.
Malta has had Christians since the time of Early Christianity, though was predominantly Muslim while under Arab rule, at which time Christians were tolerated. Muslim rule ended with the Norman invasion of Malta by Roger I in 1091. Today, Catholicism is the state religion, but the Constitution of Malta guarantees freedom of conscience and religious worship.Malta is a tourist destination with its warm climate, numerous recreational areas, and architectural and historical monuments, including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Valletta, and seven megalithic temples which are some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world.