Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country located in the central Mediterranean Sea. It consists of a number of islands, with Malta and Gozo as the two main ones—south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two official languages are Maltese—recognised as the national language—and English. Valletta is the country's capital. Malta is the world's tenth-smallest country by area, ninth-most densely populated, and 166th most populated. It consists of a single urban region, because of which it is often described as a city-state. The island of Malta has been inhabited since at least 6500 BC, during the Mesolithic period. Its location at the centre of the Mediterranean Sea has historically given it great geostrategic importance, with multiple powers having ruled the islands and shaped its culture and society. These powers include the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and Romans in antiquity; the Arabs, Normans, and Aragonese during the Middle Ages; and the Knights Hospitaller, French, and British in the modern era. Malta came under British rule as a crown colony in the early 19th century and served as the headquarters for the British Mediterranean Fleet. It was sieged by the Axis powers during World War II and was an Allied base for its area. Malta gained independence in 1964, and established its current parliamentary republic in 1974. It has been a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations since its independence, joining the European Union in 2004 and the eurozone monetary union in 2008. Malta's history of foreign rule and its proximity to both Europe and North Africa have influenced its art, music, cuisine, and architecture. The country has close historical and cultural ties to Italy, especially to the island of Sicily, with 66 per cent of Maltese people speaking or having significant knowledge of the Italian language. It was an early centre of Christianity, and Catholicism is the state religion, although the country's constitution guarantees freedom of religion. Malta is now a developed country with an advanced, high-income economy. It is heavily reliant on tourism, attracting travellers because of its warm climate, recreational areas, and architectural and historical monuments. == Etymology == The English name Malta derives from classical Latin Melita, from Latinised forms of the ancient Greek Melítē (Μελίτη), of uncertain meaning, possibly from the Phoenician Maleth. The name Melítē—shared by the Croatian island Mljet in antiquity—literally means "place of honey" or "place of sweetness", derived from the combining form of méli (μέλι, "honey" or any similarly sweet thing) and the suffix -ē (-η). The ancient Greeks may have named the island this after Malta's endemic subspecies of bees. Alternatively, other scholars argue for derivation of the Greek name from an original Phoenician or Punic Maleth (𐤌𐤋𐤈, mlṭ), meaning "haven", "refuge", or "port", in reference to the Grand Harbour and its primary settlement at Cospicua following the sea level rise that separated the Maltese islands and flooded their original coastal settlements in the 10th century BC. The name was then applied to all of Malta by the Greeks and to its ancient capital by the Romans. == History == === Prehistory === Malta was first inhabited between 8000 and 6500 BC, with the arrival of Mesolithic era hunter-gatherers, which likely came from Sicily. Neolithic farmers, also originating from Sicily, are thought to have arrived on the islands by around 5400 BC. Prehistoric settlements dating to the Early Neolithic include the Għar Dalam cave site in the uppermost layers associated with domesticated animals. The Neolithic population of Malta grew cereals, raised livestock and, like many other European civilisations, worshipped a mother goddess. Later, the Maltese started to build megalithic temples. Around 3500 BC, these people built some of the world's oldest existing free-standing structures in the form of the Ġgantija temples on Gozo. Other early temples include those at Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra. These temples are the oldest free standing megalithic structures in the world, constructed even before the Egyptian pyramids. After 2500 BC, Malta was depopulated for multiple decades until an influx of Bronze Age immigrants, a culture that cremated its dead and introduced smaller structures called dolmens as tombs. They likely belonged to a different population from the builders of the previous temples. It is presumed that this newer population arrived from Sicily due to the similarity of Maltese dolmens to small constructions there. === Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Romans === Phoenician traders colonised the islands at some time after 1000 BC under the name Ann (𐤀𐤍𐤍‎, ʾnn) as a stop on their trade routes from the eastern Mediterranean to the Strait of Gibraltar. Their seat of government was at Mdina, and their primary port Cospicua on the Grand Harbour, which they called Maleth. After the fall of Phoenicia in 332 BC, the area came under the control of Carthage. During this time, the people of Malta mostly produced olives, carob, and textiles. During the First Punic War, the island was conquered by Roman general Marcus Atilius Regulus. After the failure of his expedition, the island returned to Carthaginian control, only to be conquered again during the Second Punic War in 218 BC by Tiberius Sempronius Longus, a Roman consul. Malta became a Foederata Civitas, meaning that it fell within the jurisdiction of the Roman province of Sicily and was exempted from tribute. Its capital was renamed Melita after the Greek and Roman name for the island. Punic influence, however, remained on the islands. Local Roman coinage, which ceased in the 1st century BC, indicates the slow pace of the island's Romanisation: the last locally minted coins bear inscriptions in ancient Greek and Punic motifs, showing Maltese resistance of the Greek and Roman cultures. The Roman period also introduced highly decorative mosaic floors. In 395, when the Roman Empire was divided for the last time at the death of Theodosius I, Malta and Sicily fell under the control of the Western Roman Empire. As that empire declined during Europe's Migration Period, Malta was conquered or occupied a number of times. In 454, the islands were subdued by the Vandals and the Ostrogoths (Germanic tribes) in 464. In 533, Belisarius, an Byzantine general, and his army went to conquer the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa, and reunited the islands under Byzantine rule. Little is known about Byzantine Malta: the island depended on the theme of Sicily and had Greek governors and a small Greek garrison. Although the bulk of population continued consist of the old Latinised dwellers, Malta's religious allegiance oscillated between the pope and the patriarch of Constantinople. Byzantine rule introduced Greek families to the Maltese collective. Malta remained under the Byzantine Empire until 870, when it was conquered by the Arabs. === Arab period and the Middle Ages === Malta became involved in the Arab–Byzantine wars, and its conquest is linked with the Muslim conquest of Sicily that began in 827 after Admiral Euphemius killed Constantine V. The Muslim chronicler and geographer Ibn ʿAbd al-Munʿim al-Ḥimyarī recounts that, in 870, following a violent struggle against the defending Byzantines, the Arab invaders—first led by Halaf al-Hadim and later by Sawada ibn Muhammad— pillaged the island, destroying the most important buildings and leaving it practically uninhabited until it was recolonised by the Arabs from Sicily in 1048–1049. Malta would be a settlement for Banu Matkud, a vassalised tribal city state of the Berbers, from Misrata during both the Fatimid Caliphate and the Aghlabid dynasty. It is uncertain whether this new settlement resulted from demographic expansion in Sicily, a higher standard of living in Sicily, or the civil war that broke out among the rulers of Sicily in 1038. The Arab Agricultural Revolution introduced new irrigation, cotton, and some fruits. The Siculo-Arabic language from Sicily was adopted on the island, and eventually evolved into the Maltese language. === Norman conquest === The Normans attacked Malta in 1091 as part of their conquest of Sicily. Their leader, Roger I of Sicily, was welcomed by the Christians, who were glad to re-convert to Christianity. Malta became part of the new Kingdom of Sicily, which also covered the southern Italian Peninsula. The Catholic Church was reinstated as the state religion, with Malta under the Archdiocese of Palermo, and some Norman architecture sprang up around Malta, especially in its previous capital, Mdina. Because of the islands' strategic importance, they were particularly desired, and it was during this time that the men of Malta were militarised to fend off attempted conquest. King Tancred made Malta a fief and installed a count of Malta in 1192. The early counts were privateers of Genoese ancestry. The kingdom passed on to the Hohenstaufen German dynasty from 1194 until 1266. As Emperor Frederick II began to reorganise the Sicilian kingdom, Western culture and religion started to exert their influence more intensely. Malta was declared a county and a marquisate, but its trade was destroyed and for a long time it remained solely a fortified garrison. A mass expulsion of Arabs occurred in 1224, and the entire male Christian population of Celano, Italy in Abruzzo was deported to Malta in the same year. In 1249 Frederick II decreed that all remaining Muslims be expelled from Malta or compelled to convert. In 1266, the kingdom passed to the Capetian House of Anjou, but high taxes made the dynasty unpopular in Malta, due in part to Charles of Anjou's war against the Republic of Genoa, and the island of Gozo was sacked in 1275. === Crown of Aragon and the Knights of Malta === Malta was ruled by the House of Barcelona, the ruling dynasty of the Crown of Aragon, from 1282 to 1409, with Aragon aiding Malta in the Sicilian Vespers in the naval battle in Grand Harbour in 1283. Relatives of the crown ruled the island until it formally passed to the Crown of Aragon. Early in the Aragonese ascendancy, the sons of the monarchs received the title Count of Malta. During this time, much of the local nobility was created, but by 1397 the bearing of the title of count reverted to a feudal basis with two families fighting over the distinction. This led King Martin I of Sicily to abolish the title, but it returned a few years later. The Maltese, led by the local nobility, rose up against Count Gonsalvo Monroy, a;though they voiced their loyalty to the Sicilian Crown, which impressed King Alfonso V of Aragon to the extent that he did not punish Malta, and chose never to grant the title to a third party, moving it back under control of the crown. On 23 March 1530, Charles V gave the islands to the Knights Hospitaller under the leadership of the Frenchman Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adam, for which they had to pay an annual tribute of a Maltese falcon. These knights, a military religious order also known as the Order of Saint John and later as the Knights of Malta, had been driven from the Greek island of Rhodes by the Ottoman Empire in 1522. The Knights ruled Malta until 1798. During this period, the island's strategic and military importance grew as the Knights' efficient fleet launched attacks from this new base, targeting the shipping lanes of the Ottoman territories around the Mediterranean. Led by the Frenchman Jean Parisot de Valette, the Knights withstood the Siege of Malta by the Ottomans in 1565 with the help of Portuguese, Spanish, and Maltese forces. After the siege, the Knights increased Malta's fortifications, particularly in the inner-harbour area, where the new city of Valletta was built. === French period and British conquest === The Knights' reign ended when Napoleon captured Malta on his way to Egypt during the French Revolutionary Wars in 1798. From 12 to 18 June 1798, Napoleon resided at the Palazzo Parisio in Valletta. He reformed Maltese administration with the creation of a government commission, 12 municipalities, a public finance administration, the abolition of feudal rights and slavery, and freedom to all Turkish and Jewish slaves. On the judicial level, a family code was framed and 12 judges were nominated. Public education was organised along principles set by Bonaparte, providing for primary and secondary education. He then sailed for Egypt, leaving a substantial garrison in Malta. The French forces left behind became unpopular with the Maltese, mainly due to their being anti-Catholic. French financial and religious policies so angered the Maltese that they rebelled, forcing the French to depart. Great Britain, along with Naples and Sicily, sent ammunition and aid to the Maltese, and Britain also sent a navy to blockade the islands. On 28 October 1798, British Captain Alexander Ball completed negotiations with the French garrison on Gozo for a transfer of Malta to the British. The British then transferred the island to the locals that day, and Malta was administered by Archpriest Saverio Cassar on behalf of Ferdinand III of Sicily. Gozo remained independent until Cassar was removed by the British in 1801. General Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois surrendered his French forces in 1800. Maltese leaders gave the main island to Alexander Ball, asking that it become a British dominion. The Maltese created a Declaration of Rights in which they agreed to come "under the protection and sovereignty of the King of the free people, His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland". === British Empire and World War II === In 1814, as part of the Treaty of Paris, Malta officially became a part of the British Empire. Between 1915 and 1918, during World War I, Malta became known as the Nurse of the Mediterranean due to the large number of wounded soldiers who were accommodated there. On 7 June 1919, the Maltese public rioted in response to a cost-of-living crisis, but British troops eventually managed to suppress the riots with four fatalities. The event, known as Sette Giugno (Italian: 7th of June) is commemorated every year and is one of Malta's five National Days. Until World War II, Maltese politics were dominated by the Language Question. Before World War II, Valletta was the location of the Royal Navy's Mediterranean fleet headquarters. Over Winston Churchill's objections, however, the command was moved to Alexandria, Egypt, in 1937 out of fear that Valletta was too susceptible to air attacks from Europe. During the war, Malta played an important role for the Allies; being a British colony, situated close to Sicily and the Axis shipping lanes, Malta was bombarded by the Italian and German air forces. Malta was used by the British to launch attacks on the Italian Navy and as a submarine base. It was also used as a listening post, intercepting German radio messages including Enigma traffic. The Maltese defence during the second siege of Malta moved King George VI to award the George Cross to Malta on a collective basis on 15 April 1942. Some historians argue that the award caused Britain to incur disproportionate losses in defending Malta, as British credibility would have suffered if Malta had surrendered, as occurred during the Battle of Singapore. A depiction of the George Cross now appears on the flag of Malta and the country's coat of arms. === Independence and Republic === Malta gained independence as the State of Malta on 21 September 1964. Under its 1964 constitution, Malta initially retained Elizabeth II as Queen of Malta and therefore head of state, with a governor-general exercising executive authority on her behalf. In 1971, however, the Malta Labour Party led by Dom Mintoff won the general elections, resulting in Malta's declaration of itself as a republic within the Commonwealth on 13 December 1974. A defence agreement was signed soon after, re-negotiated in 1972, and expired on 31 March 1979 (Freedom Day). Upon its expiry, the British base closed and lands formerly controlled by the British were given over to the Maltese government. After the departure of the remaining British troops in 1979, the country intensified its participation in the Non-Aligned Movement. Malta adopted a policy of neutrality in 1980. 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 summit between US and Soviet leaders George H. W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev, which precluded the end of the Cold War. A referendum on joining the European Union was held on 8 March 2003, with 53.65percent in favour, after which Malta joined the European Union on 1 May 2004 and the eurozone on 1 January 2008. == Geography == Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean (in its eastern basin), some 80 km (50 mi) from southern Italy across the Malta Channel. Only the three largest islands—Malta, Gozo, and Comino—are inhabited. The islands of the archipelago lie on the Malta plateau, a shallow shelf formed from the high points of a land bridge between Sicily and North Africa that became isolated as sea levels rose after the last ice age. The archipelago is located on the African tectonic plate. Malta is the largest of the three inhabited islands, as well as both the easternmost and the southernmost. It also has the largest population, and serves as the country's administrative centre. Gozo is the second largest island, and both the northernmost and the westernmost, as well as more rural. Comino is the smallest of the three islands, lying between the other two. Malta has a coarse, hilly environment. There are numerous harbours along the islands' indented coastline. The country's highest point is Ta' Dmejrek, at 253 m (830 ft), near Dingli. Although there are some small rivers at times of high rainfall, Malta has no permanent rivers or lakes. Some watercourses, however, have fresh water running all year round at Baħrija near Ras ir-Raħeb, l-Imtaħleb, and San Martin. Phytogeographically, Malta belongs to the Liguro-Tyrrhenian province of the Mediterranean region within the Boreal Kingdom. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (an alternate name for the World Wildlife Fund, or WWF), the territory of Malta belongs to the terrestrial ecoregion of Tyrrhenian–Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests. === Climate === Malta's climate is Mediterranean (Köppen climate classification Csa), with mild winters and warm summers. Rain occurs mainly in autumn and winter. The average temperature is around 19 °C (66 °F), with 23 °C (73 °F) during the day and 15 °C (59 °F) at night. In the coldest month, January, the typical maximum temperature ranges from around 15 °C (59 °F) during the day and minimum 9 °C (48 °F) at night. In the warmest month, August, the typical maximum temperature ranges from around 31 °C (88 °F) during the day and 22 °C (72 °F) at night. In March and December average temperatures are around 17 °C (63 °F) during the day and 11 °C (52 °F) at night. Snow is rare, although it has occurred. The average annual sea temperature is 20 °C (68 °F), from 15 °C (59 °F) in February to 26 °C (79 °F) in August. In the six months from June to November, the average sea temperature exceeds 20 °C (68 °F). The annual average relative humidity is high, averaging 75 per cent ranging from 65 percent in July to 80 per cent in December. Hours of sunshine duration total around 3,000 per year, from an average 5.2 hours of sunshine per day in December to an average above 12 hours in July. ==== Climate change ==== Over the past century, temperatures in Malta have increased by 1.4 °C (2.5 °F), and the surface temperature of the sea has increased a total of 2 °C (3.6 °F). There has also been rising water and flooding of land and infrastructure. Malta produces the equivalent of about 4.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide per person, one of the lowest per capita values in Europe. There has been a long-term drying trend, with the average annual rainfall between 2008 and 2024 being 17 per cent lower than between 1940 and 2024. === Urbanisation === According to Eurostat, Malta is composed of two larger urban zones nominally referred to as "Valletta" (the main island of Malta) and "Gozo", with the main urban area covering the entire main island. The core of the urban area, the greater city of Valletta, had a population of 205,768 in 2015. According to Eurostat's data from 2020, the metropolitan region covered the whole island and had a population of 480,134. According to the United Nations, about 95 per cent of of Malta's area was urban and growing annually. According to ESPON and EU Commission studies, "the whole territory of Malta constitutes a single urban region". It is sometimes referred to as a city-state, but is sometimes ranked as a city or metropolitan area. With area of 316 km2 (122 sq mi), Malta is one of the most densely populated countries worldwide. === Cities === ==== Valetta ==== Valetta, built after the Ottoman invasion of Malta in 1565, has been Malta's capital since 1570. When the Knights Hospitaller were removed by the French, Maltese revolt led the British to seize it. During World War II, Malta was bombed repeatedly and was where Italy surrendered in World War II. ==== St. Paul's Bay ==== Saint Paul's Bay is Malta's most populous council. Remains of beehouses, a thermae, and roads show that it was a part of Roman Malta. Later, the Knights Hospitaller built towers and batteries, such as Wignacourt Tower and Arrias Battery, both of which stand today. === Flora === Malta contains 4.6 sq km (1.8 sq mi) of naturally regenerating forest, characterised by mature trees with a height of 2 to 5 m (7 to 16 ft). The overall area occupied by trees is estimated to be 32 sq km (12 sq mi), which constitutes approximately 1.44 percent of the total land area of the archipelago. The most common indigenous tree species are the willow (Salix alba); poplar (Populus alba); olive (Olea europaea); carob (Ceratonia siliqua); oak (Quericus ilex and Quercus rotundifolia); Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis); laurel (Laurus nobilis); and fig (Ficus carica). The most common non-native trees are eucalyptus, acacia, date palm, and opuntia. The Maltese islands are also home to a wide diversity of indigenous, sub-endemic, and endemic plants. They feature many traits typical of a Mediterranean climate, such as drought resistance. Endemic plants include the national flower widnet il-baħar (Cheirolophus crassifolius), sempreviva ta' Malta (Helichrysum panormitanum subsp. melitense), żigland t' Għawdex (Hyoseris frutescens), and ġiżi ta' Malta (Matthiola incana subsp. melitensis). Sub-endemics include kromb il-baħar (Jacobaea maritima subsp. sicula), and xkattapietra (Micromeria microphylla). Malta's biodiversity is severely endangered by habitat loss, invasive species, and human intervention. === Geology === The Maltese archipelago is located on the African plate, on a shallow water continental platform. It lies about 200 km (125 mi) to the south of the subduction boundary between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate. The mainly sedimentary rocks also consist of a large amount of limestone, which has been used as a material for many buildings on the island. == Government and politics == Malta is a republic, the parliamentary system and public administration of which are modelled on the Westminster system. The Parliament is made up of the president and the House of Representatives (Maltese: Kamra tad-Deputati). The House of Representatives has 65 members, elected for a five-year term in 13 five-seat electoral divisions called distretti elettorali (Maltese: electoral districts), with constitutional amendments that establish proportionality among seats and votes of political parliamentary groups. Members are elected by direct universal suffrage through single transferable vote every five years, unless the House is dissolved earlier by the president either on the advice of the prime minister or through a motion of no confidence. Malta had the second-highest voter turnout in the world, and the highest for nations without mandatory voting, based on election turnout in national lower-House elections from 1960 to 1995. The president of Malta is appointed for a five-year term by a simple majority of the House of Representatives. The current president, Myriam Spiteri Debono, was elected on 27 March 2024 by members of Parliament. Maltese politics is a two-party system dominated by the Labour Party (Maltese: Partit Laburista), a centre-left social democratic party, and the Nationalist Party (Maltese: Partit Nazzjonalista), a centre-right Christian democratic party. The Labour Party has been the governing party since 2013, led by Prime Minister Robert Abela since 13 January 2020. According to Transparency International, Malta's earlier clean governance record has decreased significantly as of 2013. The same association reported that the country dropped to 65th place in a report published in February 2025. According to International IDEA's Global State of Democracy (GSoD) Indices and Democracy Tracker, however, Malta is in the mid-to-high range on overall democratic measures, with weaknesses in corruption and civic engagement. === Administrative divisions === Malta has had a system of local government since 1993, according to the European Charter of Local Self-Government. The country is divided into six regions, each region having its own council to serve as the intermediate level between local and national government. The regions are divided into local councils, of which there are currently 68. The six districts serve primarily statistical purposes. Each council is made up of councillors (from five to 13, depending on the population they represent). A mayor and a deputy mayor are elected from among and by the councillors. The executive secretary, who is appointed by the council, is the head. Councillors are elected every four years through the single transferable vote. Due to system reforms, no elections were held before 2012; but since then, elections have been held every two years for an alternating half of the councils. === Military === The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) have the stated objectives of trying to maintain a military organisation with the aim of defending Malta's integrity efficiently. This is achieved by emphasising the maintenance of Malta's territorial waters and airspace integrity. The AFM engages in combating terrorism, fighting against illicit drug trafficking, immigrant operations, anti-illegal fishing operations, search-and-rescue (SAR) services, and surveillance of sensitive locations. Malta's search-and-rescue area extends from east of Tunisia to west of Crete, an area of around 250,000 sq km (97,000 sq mi). . In 2020, Malta signed the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. === Human rights === Malta is regarded as one of the most LGBT-supportive countries in the world, and was the first nation in the European Union to prohibit conversion therapy. The country also constitutionally bans discrimination based on disability. Maltese legislation recognises both civil and canonical (ecclesiastical) marriages. Annulments by the ecclesiastical and civil courts are unrelated and not necessarily mutually endorsed. Malta voted in favour of divorce legislation in a referendum on 28 May 2011. Abortion in Malta is illegal, making it and Poland the only European Union members with near-total bans on the procedure. There are no exceptions for rape or incest. On 21 November 2022, the Labour Party-led government proposed a bill that "introduces a new clause into the country's criminal code allowing for the termination of a pregnancy if the mother's life is at risk or if her health is in serious jeopardy", which passed in June 2023 with amendments restricting the exception to situations where the woman's life is at risk. == Economy == Malta is classified as an advanced economy by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Its major resources are limestone, a favourable geographic location, and a productive labour force. Maltese agriculture produces only around 20 per cent of its food needs, with limited fresh water supplies in the summer and no domestic energy sources (although solar power potential). The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Film production has contributed to the Maltese economy. Access to biocapacity in Malta is below the world average. In 2024, Malta had 0.42 global hectares (__ acres) of biocapacity per person within its territory, contrasted with a global average of 1.6 hectares (4.0 acres) per person. Additionally, residents of Malta have had a sizeable biocapacity deficit. In preparation for Malta's membership in the European Union in 2004, it privatised some state-controlled firms and liberalised markets. Malta has a financial regulator, the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), with a business development mindset, and the country has been successful in attracting gaming businesses, aircraft and ship registration, credit-card issuing banking licences, and fund administration. Malta has made headway in implementing EU Financial Services Directives. In 2018, the National Developement and Social Fund gave Malta's budget €432 million (____). Malta has no property tax, although it still does tax property transactions. Maltese real estate sales totalled over €320 million (____) in May 2025. In 2024, Malta's nominal GDP per capita stood at €39,350 (____) , 9 per cent higher than the EU average. === Currency and finance === Malta's two largest commercial banks are Bank of Valletta and HSBC Bank Malta. Digital banks such as Revolut have also increased in popularity. The Maltese government entered the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II) on 4 May 2005, and adopted the euro as the country's currency on 1 January 2008. Maltese euros feature the Maltese cross on €2 and €1 coins; the coat of arms of Malta on the €0.50, €0.20 and €0.10 coins; and the Mnajdra Temples on the €0.05, €0.02 and €0.01 coins. Malta has produced collectors' coins, which stopped being legal tender in 2010. Those coins continued a national practice of minting commemorative coins. From 1825 until the 2008 introduction of the euro, the currency was the Maltese lira, also called the pound. Before that, a mix of foreign currencies was often used. === Tourism === Malta is a popular tourist destination, with 1.6 million tourists per year as of 2015, three times more tourists visit than residents. In 2017, there were over 2.3 million tourists, mainly from Britain, Italy, Australia, and the United States. Tourism contributes around 11.6 per cent of Malta's gross domestic product. In recent years, Malta has advertised itself as a medical tourism destination, and a number of health tourism providers are developing the industry. However, no Maltese hospital has undergone independent international healthcare accreditation. Malta is popular with British medical tourists. The country's variety of landscapes and destinations has also become a significant draw for filmmakers. Films shot on the island include both Gladiator films, Gladiator and Gladiator II, and several episodes of the 1970s British spy drama The Sandbaggers. === Science and technology === Malta signed a co-operation agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) for more intensive co-operation in its projects. The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) is the civil body responsible for the development of science and technology on an educational and social level. Most science students in Malta graduate from the University of Malta and are represented by S-Cubed (Science Student's Society), the University Engineering Students Association (UESA ), and the ICTSA (University of Malta ICT Students' Association). Malta was ranked 27th among the world's countries in terms of capacity for and success in innovation in the Global Innovation Index in 2025. === Transport === Malta has a high level of motorisation. According to the National Statistics Office, the number of licensed motor vehicles per 1,000 residents was 778 in 2023. In early 2026, 38 percent of car sales were electric, as the country subsidises low-emissions transport. Malta had 3,096 km (1,924 mi) of road, of which 444 km (276 mi) were classified as of 2021as "other rural unpaved roads". Due to British colonial rule, traffic in Malta is on the left. Buses are a common method of public transport in Malta. Its vintage buses operated on the Maltese islands up to 2011, becoming popular tourist attractions. The Maltese bus service underwent extensive reform in July 2011. The management structure changed from having self-employed drivers drive their own vehicles to a service offered by a single company through a public tender. The tender was won by Arriva Malta, which introduced a fleet of brand new buses built by King Long especially for service by Arriva Malta, including a smaller fleet of articulated buses brought in from Arriva London. Arriva Malta also operated two smaller buses for an intra-Valletta route only and 61 9-metre (___ ft) buses, which were used to ease congestion on high-density routes. Overall, Arriva Malta operated 264 buses. On 1 January 2014, Arriva ceased operations in Malta, having been nationalised as Malta Public Transport. The government chose Autobuses Urbanos de León (an Alsa subsidiary) as its preferred bus operator for the country in October 2014. From October 2022, the bus system has been free of charge for Maltese residents. As of 2021, an underground Malta Metro was being planned, with a projected total cost of €6.2 billion. Malta International Airport (Ajruport Internazzjonali ta' Malta) is the only airport serving the Maltese islands. It is built on the land formerly occupied by the RAF Luqa air base. A heliport is located on Gozo. From 1 April 1974 to 30 March 2024, the national airline was Air Malta, based at Malta International Airport and serving 35 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. On 31 March 2024, however, KM Malta Airlines took over as Malta's national airline. === Communications === The mobile penetration rate in Malta exceeded 100 per cent by the end of 2009, reaching 102.1 per cent. Malta's mobile sector has used GSM, UMTS (3G), and LTE (4G) technologies. In early 2012, the government called for a national fibre-to-the -home (FttH) network to be built. === Energy === Malta mainly relied on coal until 1995 for electricity generation. In 1992, a new power station was built on the Delimara peninsula in Marsaxlokk. Originally, in 2015, the Delimara Power Station used oil for electricity generation before converting to liquefied natural gas (LNG)in 2017. The power station also includes two gasoil-fired plants, which are used as standby power generation capacity during emergencies or lack of other power sources. Since 2015, the Malta–Sicily interconnector has allowed Malta to be connected to the European power grid and import a significant share of its electricity. In 2024, Malta consumed 3106 gigawatt hours (GWh), of which 970 GWh were imported through the interconnector. Of Malta's electricity in 2023, 11 percent was from domestic renewable generation, almost all solar power. There were efforts to boost this renewable generation share to 25 percent by 2030 by building offshore wind farms and increasing battery storage. A waste-to-energy plant that runs off biogas generated by organic waste is planned to contribute further to the electricity grid as a source of net carbon-neutral energy. == Demographics == As of the 2025 census, Maltese-born natives make up the majority of the island with 574,348 people out of a total population of 588,254. All in all, 89.1 per cent t are Caucasian, 5.2 per cent are Asian, 1.7 per cent t are from Arabia, 1.5 per cent are African, 1.3 per cent are Hispanic, and 1.2 per cent identify as a mix between two or more of those. Since 2000, the shift in the age composition towards an older population continued. The median age of the Maltese population increased from 38.5 in 2005 to 40.5 in 2011. This resulted from the increase in the number of persons aged 55 and over, together with a decrease in the number of persons under 25 years of age. The average in Gozo and Comino (41.6 years) was higher than that observed for Malta. Persons aged 65 and over more represent 16.3 per cent of the total population in 2011, compared to 13.7 per cent in 2005. In contrast, persons aged 14 and under make up 14.8 per cent of the population in 2011, compared to 17.2 per cent in 2005. The Maltese-resident population for 2004 was estimated to make up 97.0 per cent of the total resident population. All censuses since 1842 have shown a slight excess of females over males. Population growth has slowed down, from +9.5 per cent between the 1985 and 1995 censuses, to +6.9 per cent between the 1995 and 2005 censuses (a yearly average of +0.7 per cent). The birth rate stood at 3860 (a decrease of 21.8 per cent from the 1995 census) and the death rate stood at 3025. Thus, there was a natural population increase of 835 (compared to +888 for 2004, of which over a hundred were foreign residents). In 2021, the population of the Maltese Islands stood at 519,562. The total fertility rate (TFR) as of 2016 was estimated at 1.45 children born/woman, which is below the replacement rate of 2.1. In 2012, 25.8 per cent of births were to unmarried women. The life expectancy in 2018 was estimated at 83. === Languages === The Maltese language (Maltese: Malti) is one of the two constitutional languages of Malta and is considered the national language. The second official language is English and hence laws are enacted both in Maltese and English. However, article 74 of the Constitution states that "if there is any conflict between the Maltese and the English texts of any law, the Maltese text shall prevail." Many speakers of English use a local dialect, Maltese English. Maltese Sign Language is used in Malta. Maltese is a Semitic language descended from the now extinct Sicilian-Arabic (Siculo-Arabic) dialect (from southern Italy) that developed during the Emirate of Sicily. The Maltese alphabet consists of 30 letters based on the Latin alphabet. In 2022, Malta National Statistics Office states that 90 per cent of the Maltese population has at least a basic knowledge of Maltese, 96 per cent of English, 62 per cent of Italian, and 20 per cent of French. This widespread knowledge of second languages makes Malta one of the most multilingual countries in the European Union. A study collecting public opinion on what language was "preferred" discovered that 86 per cent of the population preferred Maltese, 12 per cent English, and 2 per cent Italian. Italian television channels from Italy-based broadcasters, such as Mediaset and RAI, reach Malta and remain popular. === Religion === The predominant religion in Malta is Catholicism. The second article of the Constitution of Malta establishes Catholicism as the state religion and it is also reflected in various elements of Maltese culture, although there are entrenched provisions for the freedom of religion. Malta is an Apostolic See; the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 28) tells of how St. Paul was shipwrecked on the island of "Melite", which many Biblical scholars identify with Malta, an episode dated around AD 60. Saint Publius is said to have been made Malta's first bishop. There exists a considerable minority of Orthodox Christians in Malta, of which there are 16,457, according to the 2021 census; the number may include both Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Christians. There are a small number of parishes belonging to each autocephalous Church, typically one for each. There are Greek, Russian, Serbian, Romanian, and Bulgarian Orthodox parishes located around Malta, mainly in Valletta. Most congregants of the local Protestant churches are not Maltese; their congregations mainly draw on vacationers and British retirees living in the country. There are also a Seventh-day Adventist church in Birkirkara, and a New Apostolic Church congregation founded in 1983 in Gwardamangia. There are approximately 600 Jehovah's Witnesses. Latter-day Saints is also represented with 241 members in one congregation in Mosta. The Jewish population of Malta reached its peak in the Middle Ages under Norman rule. In 1479, Malta and Sicily came under Aragonese rule and the Alhambra Decree of 1492 forced all Jews to leave the country. Today, there are two Jewish congregations. The 2021 census recorded 17,454 Muslims, of which 1,746 were Maltese citizens. Zen Buddhism and the Baháʼí Faith claim some 40 members. In a survey held by Malta Today, the overwhelming majority of the Maltese population adheres to Christianity (95.2 per cent) with Catholicism as the main denomination (93.9 per cent); 4.5 per cent of the population declared themselves either atheist or agnostic, one of the lowest figures in Europe. According to a 2019 Eurobarometer survey, 83 percentof the population identified as Catholic. The number of atheists has doubled from 2014 to 2018. The 2015 edition of the annual Freedom of Thought Report from the International Humanist and Ethical Union, asserted Malta was in the category of "severe discrimination", alongside seven other EU countries. In 2016, following the abolishment of blasphemy law, Malta was shifted to the category of "systematic discrimination" (same as most EU countries). === Migration === Historically a land of emigration, since the early 21st century Malta has seen a significant increase in net migration; the foreign-born population has grown nearly eightfold between 2005 and 2020. Most of the foreign community in Malta consists of active or retired British nationals and their dependents, centred on Sliema and surrounding suburbs. Other smaller foreign groups include Italians, Libyans, and Serbians, many of whom have assimilated into the Maltese nation over the decades. Since the late 20th century, Malta has become a transit country for migration routes from Africa towards Europe. As a member of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement, Malta is bound by the Dublin Regulation to process all claims for asylum by those asylum seekers that enter EU territory for the first time in Malta. However, irregular migrants who land in Malta are subject to a compulsory detention policy, being held in several camps organised by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM), including those near Ħal Far and Ħal Safi. The compulsory detention policy has been denounced by several NGOs, and in July 2010, the European Court of Human Rights found that Malta's detention of migrants was arbitrary, lacking in adequate procedures to challenge detention, and in breach of its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. On 8 September 2020, Amnesty International criticised Malta for "illegal tactics" in the Mediterranean, against immigrants who were attempting to cross from North Africa. The reports claimed that the government's approach might have led to avoidable deaths. In January 2014, Malta started granting citizenship for a €650,000 contribution plus investments, contingent on residence and criminal background checks. This "golden passport" citizenship scheme has been criticised as a fraud. Concerns as to whether the Maltese citizenship scheme is allowing an influx of such individuals into the greater European Union have been raised by both the public as well as the European Council on multiple occasions. On 29 April 2025, the European Court of Justice ruled that Malta may no longer sell citizenship through its 'golden passports' scheme. In the 19th century, most emigration from Malta was to North Africa and the Middle East, although rates of return migration to Malta were high. In the 20th century, most emigrants went to destinations in the New World, particularly to Australia, Canada, and the United States. Post World War II, Malta's Emigration Department would assist emigrants with the cost of their travel. Between 1948 and 1967, 30 per cent of the population emigrated. Between 1946 and the late-1970s, over 140,000 people left Malta on the assisted passage scheme, with 57.6 per cent migrating to Australia, 22 per cent to the UK, 13 per cent to Canada and 7 per cent to the United States. As of 2026, around 18,000 people leave emigrate from Malta each year (and around 31,000 people immigrate). === Education === Primary schooling has been compulsory since 1946; secondary education up to the age of sixteen was made compulsory in 1971. The state and the Catholic Church provide education free of charge, both running a number of schools in Malta and Gozo. As of 2006, state schools are organised into networks known as Colleges and incorporate kindergarten schools, primary and secondary schools. A number of private schools are run in Malta. St. Catherine's High School, Pembroke offers an International Foundation Course for students wishing to learn English before entering mainstream education. As of 2008, there are two international schools, Verdala International School and QSI Malta. The state pays a portion of the teachers' salary in Church schools. Primary school lasts six years in Malta. Pupils sit for SEC O-level examinations at the age of 16. Pupils may opt to continue studying at a sixth form college for two years. Maltese and English are both used to teach pupils at the primary and secondary school level, and both languages are also compulsory subjects. Public schools tend to use both Maltese and English in a balanced manner. Private schools prefer to use English for teaching, as is also the case with most departments of the University of Malta; this has a limiting effect on the capacity and development of the Maltese language. Most university courses are in English. The adult literacy rate is 99.5 per cent. Of the total number of pupils studying a first foreign language at secondary level, 51 per cent take Italian whilst 38 per cent take French. Other choices include German, Russian, Spanish, Latin, Chinese and Arabic. Malta is also a popular destination to study the English language, attracting over 83,000 students in 2019. === Health === Malta has both a public healthcare system, where healthcare is free at the point of delivery, and a private healthcare system. Malta has a strong general practitioner-delivered primary care base and the public hospitals provide secondary and tertiary care. The Maltese Ministry of Health advises foreign residents to take out private medical insurance. == Culture == === Customs === A 2010 Charities Aid Foundation study found that the Maltese were the most generous people in the world, with 83 per cent contributing to charity. Maltese folktales include various stories about mysterious creatures and supernatural events. These were most comprehensively compiled by the scholar (and pioneer in Maltese archaeology) Manwel Magri in his core criticism "Ħrejjef Missirijietna" ("Fables from our Forefathers"). This collection of material inspired subsequent researchers and academics to gather traditional tales, fables and legends from all over the Archipelago. === Festivals and traditions === Local festivals, similar to those in Southern Italy, are commonplace in Malta and Gozo, celebrating weddings, christenings and, most prominently, saints' days. The largest festa is possibly that of the Assumption of Mary, which is celebrated in 8 parishes on 15 August and in 2 other parishes the following Sunday. Carnival (Maltese: il-karnival ta' Malta) has had an important place on the cultural calendar. It is held during the week leading up to Ash Wednesday, and typically includes masked balls, fancy dress and grotesque mask competitions, lavish late-night parties, a colourful ticker-tape parade of allegorical floats presided over by King Carnival (Maltese: ir-Re tal-Karnival), marching bands and costumed revellers. Rural Malta shares in common with the Mediterranean society a number of superstitions regarding fertility, menstruation, and pregnancy, including the avoidance of cemeteries leading up to childbirth, and avoiding the preparation of certain foods during menses. Pregnant women are encouraged to satisfy their food cravings, out of fear that their unborn child will bear a representational birth mark (Maltese: xewqa, literally "desire" or "craving"). Maltese and Sicilian folk tradition includes beliefs thought to predict the sex of an unborn child, such as using the moon cycle, the way the baby is carried, or the motion of a ring suspended over the abdomen. Traditionally, Maltese newborns were baptised as soon as possible. At baptismal feasts, traditional sweets and liqueurs associated with the occasion included biskuttini tal-magħmudija, torta tal-marmorata, and rożolin. Traditional Maltese weddings included a bridal procession from the bride's home to the parish church, often accompanied by singers performing il-ġilwa beneath a decorated canopy. Historically, Maltese women wore the għonnella, a traditional form of dress. === Art === Near the end of the 15th century, Maltese artists, like their counterparts in Sicily, came under the influence of Antonello da Messina, introducing Renaissance concepts to decorative arts in Malta. The artistic heritage of Malta grew under the Knights Hospitaller, who brought Italian and Flemish Mannerist painters to decorate palaces and the churches of the islands. For many years, Mannerism continued to inform the tastes and ideals of local Maltese artists. The arrival in Malta of Caravaggio, who painted at least seven works during his 15-month stay on these islands, further revolutionised local art. Two of Caravaggio's most notable works, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist and Saint Jerome Writing, are on display in the Conventual Church of St. John, though the Baroque movement that followed had the most enduring impact on Maltese art and architecture. The vault paintings of the Calabrese artist Mattia Preti transformed the Conventual Church St. John into a Baroque style. Melchior Gafà emerged as one of the top Baroque sculptors of the Roman School. During the 17th and 18th centuries, Neapolitan and Rococo influences emerged in the works of the Italian painters Luca Giordano and Francesco Solimena, and these developments can be seen in the work of their Maltese contemporaries such as Gio Nicola Buhagiar and Francesco Zahra. The Rococo movement was greatly enhanced by the relocation to Malta of Antoine de Favray, who assumed the position of court painter to Grand Master Pinto in 1744. Parliament established the National School of Art in the 1920s. During the reconstruction period that followed World War II, the emergence of the "Modern Art Group", whose members included Josef Kalleya, George Preca, Anton Inglott, Emvin Cremona, Frank Portelli, Antoine Camilleri, Gabriel Caruana and Esprit Barthet greatly enhanced the local art scene. This group came together forming an influential pressure group known as the Modern Art Group, which played a leading role in the renewal of Maltese art. Most of Malta's modern artists have in fact studied in art institutions in England, or on the continent, leading to a diversity of artistic expression that has remained characteristic of contemporary Maltese art. In Valletta, the National Museum of Fine Arts featured work from artists such as H. Craig Hanna. In 2018 the national collection of fine arts was put on display in the new National Museum of Art, MUŻA, at Auberge d'Italie in Valletta. === Music === While Maltese music today is largely Western, traditional Maltese music includes what is known as għana. This sometimes consists of background folk guitar music, while a few people, generally men, take it in turns to argue a point in a sing-song voice. Malta has organised a festival yearly since 1960. === Literature and media === Documented Maltese literature is over 200 years old, although a recently found love ballet shows activity from medieval times. Malta followed a Romantic literary tradition, culminating in the works of Dun Karm Psaila, Malta's national poet. Later poets like Ruzar Briffa and Karmenu Vassallo tried to estrange themselves from formal themes and versification. Due to bilingualism half of the newspapers are published in English and the other half in Maltese. The Sunday newspaper It-Torċa ("The Torch") published by a subsidiary of the General Workers' Union, is the widest Maltese language paper. Its sister paper, L-Orizzont ("The Horizon"), is the Maltese daily with the biggest circulation. There is a high number of daily or weekly newspapers—one for every 28,000 people. Advertising, sales, and subsidies are the three main methods of financing. There are nine terrestrial television channels in Malta: TVM, TVMNews+, Parliament TV, One, NET Television, Smash Television, F Living, TVMSport+ and Xejk. The state and political parties subsidise most of the funding of these channels. TVM, TVMNews+, and Parliament TV are operated by Public Broadcasting Services, the national broadcaster, and members of the EBU. Media.link Communications Ltd., the owner of NET Television, and One Productions Ltd., the owner of One, are affiliated with the Nationalist and Labour parties, respectively. The rest are privately owned. The Malta Broadcasting Authority has authority to supervise all local broadcasting stations and ensures their compliance with legal and licence obligations as well as the preservation of due impartiality. === Cuisine === Maltese cuisine has strong Sicilian and Italian influences as well as influences of English, Spanish, Maghrebin and Provençal cuisines. Food has been important historically in the development of a national identity, in particular the traditional fenkata (i.e., the eating of stewed or fried rabbit). Potatoes are also Maltese staples. A number of grapes are common in Malta, including Girgentina and Ġellewża. There is a large wine industry, with significant production of wines using these native grapes. A number of wines have achieved Protected Designation of Origin, with wines produced from grapes cultivated in Malta and Gozo designated as "DOK" wines (Denominazzjoni ta' l-Oriġini Kontrollata). Although beer is not a popular beverage in Malta, there is a common one called Cisk. === Sport === Football is one of the most popular sports in Malta. Other popular sports include boċċi, horse racing, gostra, regatta, water polo, clay pigeon shooting, and motorsports. In 2018, Malta hosted its first Esports tournament, 'Supernova CS:GO Malta', a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament, and became the primary location for hosting the ESL Pro League. == See also == Outline of Malta Index of Malta-related articles Geology of Malta == Notes == == References == === Citations === === Sources === "Map of Malta and Gozo". Street Map of Malta and Gozo. Archived from the original on 16 July 2009. Retrieved 10 April 2009. "Photos of Gozo sister island of Malta". Photos of Gozo. Archived from the original on 23 October 2008. Retrieved 17 November 2006. "Photos of Malta". Archived from the original on 30 June 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2008. "Malta". The World Factbook (2021 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021. "Gov.mt". Government of Malta. Archived from the original on 16 May 2001. Retrieved 1 November 2005. Omertaa, Journal for Applied Anthropology – Volume 2007/1, Thematic Issue on Malta Antonio Lafreri map of Malta, 1565 Archived 9 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine.. Eran Laor Cartographic Collection. The National Library of Israel === Attribution === "Malta". MSN Encarta. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2005. === Bibliography === "1942: Malta gets George Cross for bravery". BBC "On this day". 15 April 1942. Archived from the original on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2006. Cassar, Carmel (2000). A Concise History of Malta. Mireva Publications. ISBN 978-1-870579-52-0. Charles Mifsud, The Climatological History of The Maltese Islands, Minerva 1984 Rudolf, Uwe Jens; Berg, W. G. (2010). Historical Dictionary of Malta. Scarecrow Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-0-8108-5317-1. Atauz, Ayse Devrim (2008). Eight Thousand Years of Maltese Maritime History: Trade, Piracy, and Naval Warfare in the Central Mediterranean. University Press of Florida. ISBN 978-0-8130-3179-8. Culican, William (1992), "Phoenicia and Phoenician Colonisation", The Cambridge Ancient History, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 461–546. Filigheddu, Paolo (2007), "Die Ortsnamen des Mittelmeerraums in der Phönizischen und Punischen Überlieferung", Ugarit-Forschungen: Internationales Jahrbuch für die Altertumskunde Syrien-Palästinas, vol. 38 2006, Munster: Ugarit Verlag, pp. 149–266. (in German) == Further reading == Hastings, Max (2021). Operation Pedestal: The Fleet that Battled to Malta, 1942. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780008364960 == External links == Gov.mt Archived 5 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine – Maltese Government official site Malta Environment and Planning Authority's Archived 29 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine GIS Visit Malta Archived 14 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine – Maltese tourism official site Malta Archived 2 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Malta Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine from UCB Libraries GovPubs Wikimedia Atlas of Malta Geographic data related to Malta at OpenStreetMap