 Malta consists of a group of three islands in the Middle of the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily. These are Malta [99 sq miles], Gozo [22 sq miles] and Comino [1 sq mile]. Both Malta and Gozo are inhabited while Comino is mostly uninhabited apart from one resident family and a hotel.
The Maltese civilization is one of the oldest in the Mediterranean dating back to circa 5000 years B.C. The population is around 350,000 and is homogeneous with its own identity and language. The official languages are Maltese and English with most of the people also fluent in Italian. The Maltese language has Semitic roots but is greatly influenced by the many cultures the islands had contact with.
Since time immemorial, the Maltese islands were ruled by the various world powers of the time, such as the Romans, Arabs, Normans, the Knights of St. John and the French.
 Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The
island staunchly supported the UK's
war effort throughout 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 centre, and a tourist destination.
Because of its history, Malta has a very rich historical and cultural heritage. Valletta is the island's capital and it houses the seat of Government. It is a city bursting with old architectural jewels, including many palaces and churches.  In various other sites in Malta and Gozo one finds Roman and even prehistorical remains, some dating earlier than the Egyptian Pyramids.
Gozo is also popularly called The
Island of Calypso, from the Greek mythological location of Ogygia
referred to in Homer's Odyssey. It is the quieter and greener sister island. Access to the island is by a frequent shuttle service from the northern tip of the mainland. Victoria (for the locals "Rabat") is the island's only city. Most of this island is rural but one still finds numerous archeological remains and architectural treasures, including the old Citadel and the Ggantija temples. |
