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The Republic of Malta is a small country in the Mediterranean Sea (Southern Europe), is an EU (European Union) member state and consists of an archipelago of three islands: Malta (largest island), Gozo and Comino.
This article will give you a primer that comprehensively covers the country of Malta, starting with the basics you need to know, followed by a section with traveller-focused information which leads into the larger travel guide that is this site, Malta Uncovered.
Expect a mix of fact-based statistics, common perceptions and a few personal beliefs as a tourist-turned-local with Maltese roots.
More facts and FAQs here: Top Malta Facts.
The exact origin of the name “Malta” remains uncertain. There are two main hypotheses regarding the etymology of Malta.
The first one suggests that the term “Malta” derives from the Phoenician term “Maleth,” which translates to “a haven” or “port.”
The second one is that Malta is derived from the Greek word for “honey” (μέλι, meli). It is said that the ancient Greeks called Malta “Melite” (Μελίτη, meaning “honey-sweet”), possibly because of the local production of honey by a local subspecies of bees. Following this, the Romans called the island “Melita”.
Before you dive into more detail on Malta, here’s a great little video with drone footage by Oliver Astrologo that offers a glimpse of what Malta’s about:
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Malta consists of three inhabited islands:
Malta is located South of Sicily (Italy), in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, between mainland Europe and North Africa on the world map. More on that topic here: Where is Malta?
The landscape in Malta is dominated by limestone soil and a moderate relief with several low hills. The most built-up areas of the country lie towards the southeast of the main island of Malta, concentrated around the immediate vicinity of the capital city, Valletta. Several localities have grown to border each other, with few open spaces in this part of the country.
The more rural western part of Malta, as well as Gozo and Comino, are more varied in terms of nature, with a few small woodland areas.
There are few natural freshwater resources in Malta, which increasingly rely on the desalination of seawater through reverse osmosis plants installed in key locations.
Malta has a generally Mediterranean climate, which is characterised by hot summers with little rain and mild winters with relatively infrequent rainfall and wind. Traditional seasons are a little different than other EU countries, having short spring and autumn seasons with weather conditions changing less gradually than in countries further away from the equator.
The hottest months of the year are July and August, during the summer season, with average daytime temperatures reaching 32 °C, with occasional heat waves reaching into the low 40-42 °C range. The coldest months of the year are January and February (with daytime temperatures hitting 16 °C on average and lows dipping under 10 °C), while November and December typically being the wettest months.
Although it never snows, the country is familiar with relatively extreme weather conditions, with rainy winters, thunderstorms and hailstorms occurring from time to time, sometimes causing floods in lower-lying areas such as valleys.
While climate change is felt in Malta less in high temperatures and intensely hot summer seasons, rainy winters are becoming rarer. Daytime average temperatures during the winter months are slowly rising, and drought is a real threat to water tables around the Maltese islands, particularly with its traditionally dry summers. While Gozo and Comino are far less densely populated, the main island of Malta suffers the brunt of climate challenges.
What makes Malta unique is the concentration of historical sites within the mere 316 km² of land covered, all traces of Malta’s rich history.
Throughout Malta’s history, this small archipelago has seen its fair share of fighting and foreign rule.
Being located in the heart of the Mediterranean, it was considered to be of great strategic importance as a naval base as recently as World War 2. You will find traces everywhere of the various cultures that ruled the island over the past two millennia or so.
No other country in the world offers a taste of so many different historical and cultural influences in such a small area. It’s a side of Malta that few people know of and is well worth exploring.
Over the centuries, the islands have been ruled by various European influences, with the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Crusaders, the French and finally, the British leaving traces of their presence and influence in Malta and its population.
A little-known fact is that the Megalithic prehistoric temples found spread across the islands are some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world and are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Malta is one of the latest additions to the EU (member since May 2004) and has developed in several areas, improving the quality of life for its citizens as well as offering tourists a better holiday experience. The island’s economy is highly dependent on tourism, but the island’s accession to the EU has generated opportunities to grow sectors like Financial Services as well as online gambling.
In recent years, the Maltese government invested heavily (also in Malta’s internet connectivity) to attract and grow business investments. with attractive corporate tax rates while creating a lucrative environment for mostly Scandinavian online gaming companies to set up shop in Malta. Although the online gaming industry also attracts employee talent from abroad, it has seen a surge in local employment, also aiding Malta in achieving one of the lowest unemployment rates in the EU in 2023 [9].
On 1st January 2008, Malta adopted the Euro, which replaced the Maltese Lira as the country’s currency. Although the global recession that year, combined with the high price of import of fossil fuels (on which Malta is heavily dependent due to lack of explored natural resources), impacted the local economy, the country’s deficit has remained well within the EU’s deficit limits.
The key pillars of Malta’s economy are:
The flag of Malta is a standard bicolour flag with the colours white (at the hoist) and red (on the fly), which are of historical significance to Malta, having also been used by the Knights of Malta and their flags displaying the Maltese cross. A representation of the George Cross, which features on the white part of the flag.
The cross on the Maltese flag is actually the George Cross, which was awarded to Malta by King George IV of the United Kingdom during World War 2. Being part of the British Empire, Malta was a key location in the Mediterranean of strategic importance to Allied forces and was under siege for four years, being heavily bombed by the Italian Air Force and German Luftwaffe. Despite nearing starvation due to supply lines being cut off, the Maltese fought and bravely withstood these dark times and, in recognition of their bravery, were awarded the George Cross.
The vast majority of people in Malta are warm and welcoming and, in typical Mediterranean fashion, wear their hearts on their sleeves. Passionate and rarely shying away from a good argument, they’re honest people, usually raised with strong Christian values and beliefs.
Maltese culture is a bit of a melting pot of cultures introduced by foreign empires. However, there exists a broad foundation of age-old traditions, customs and values passed on through successive generations of Maltese and Gozitans, irrespective of any traces of culture left by foreign rule. More on Maltese culture here.
Maltese cuisine reflects perfectly the country’s melting pot of cultures. Choose the best Italian and Sicilian flavours, combine them with some of the much-loved English specialities and add a hint of Spanish, Maghrebin, and Provençal cuisine. You will get a definitely Mediterranean, yet distinctive, cuisine.
Maltese street food is a favourite, with pastizzi (fluffy pastries filled with ricotta cheese or peas), qassatat (another type of savoury pastries), sausage rolls and arancini (rice balls). Ħobż biż-żejt, a sandwich made of sliced Maltese bread with olive oil, and tomato paste and including ingredients like capers and tuna, is very popular among Maltese as a quick lunch.
Some of the traditional Maltese food include rabbit stew (Stuffat Tal-Fenek) and fish (mainly lampuka, swordfish, seabream and seabass), as those are among the most commonly found animal species around the Maltese islands.
Tempted? Find out more on Maltese food here.
Due to its history and geographical location, Malta has similar traditions to those of Sicily and other Southern European neighbours.
One of the most emblematic traditions of Malta is the festa, a village religious feast. The festi (plural) celebrate the patron saint of the village or church (as some localities have more than one church). The celebrations are vibrant and include richly decorated streets, local bands marches, fireworks, religious processions, community gatherings, Maltese sweets and fast food stands.
Learn more about Maltese festa.
As in the other Mediterranean nations, the family is very important in Malta. Hence wedding is still a key stage in the life of the Maltese and is often lavishly celebrated.
Typically, ceremonies take place within a church, followed by celebrations held afterwards, often hosted in wedding halls or amid one of Malta’s numerous gardens.
Religion plays an important part in Maltese traditions from the early stage of life. Most babies are baptised into the Roman Catholic faith, followed by the First Holy Communion and the Confirmation when the child grows up. Each of these religious sacraments is followed by a gathering with family and friends.
A lesser-known Maltese tradition is il-quċċija, which happens on the child’s first birthday. The child is surrounded by several objects, and it is believed that the first object picked by the child is representative of his or her future career.
The year is punctuated by many events in Malta. Apart from the village festas, the most important events include the Carnival, Holy Week and Easter, the International Fireworks Festival, the Malta Jazz Festival, Isle of MTV Malta and Music Week, Notte Bianca, Birgufest and Christmas.
Whether you are interested in music, traditions, history, art… there is something for everyone in Malta!
Both Maltese and English are the country’s official languages, with the first being the national language (spoken by 97% of the population) and the second spoken widely by around 88% of the population. Italian is also spoken by a large part of the population (around 66%), having been an official language in the past (until 1934). With free access to Italian TV stations during the second half of the 20th century, the language was picked up by children and is still one of the most popular languages taught in schools.
Malta is the most densely populated State of the EU, with 1,648.6 inhabitants per km2 [1]. In 2021, Malta had a total population of 519,562 [1]. A number of Maltese have been emigrating throughout history mainly to Australia as well as other English-speaking countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom.
Whereas Maltese natives make up the majority of the population, the number of foreign residents has increased significantly in the past few years. According to the 2021 census [1], more than one in five residents in Malta are foreign. The nationalities that make up the largest share of non-Maltese citizens are Italians, British, Indians and Filipinos.
Although popular belief is that Malta is a Muslim nation, it’s actually quite the opposite: 83% of the population is Roman Catholic [11]. Despite being a Catholic country with religious traditions and religion still very much part of daily life, Sunday mass attendance sits at around 40% (2015) and has been steadily declining.
Malta is a democratic country, represented by its people through general elections that are held regularly every five years at most.
Malta is a single-chamber parliamentary republic with a head of government (a prime minister) and a head of state (president), which is more of a ceremonial function.
The political system Malta has adopted ever since its independence centres around two major parties, the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party. Although a few smaller parties exist (such as AD+PD and Volt Malta), none ever gained enough votes to obtain a parliamentary seat.
Governments are always formed by one of the two major parties, whichever of the two wins the majority of the 79 available seats in parliament.
While the national government agenda is dictated by one party, the other is rarely able to obtain majority votes to oppose major legislation changes.
While the Labour Party traditionally represents a more Socialist, progressive policy, the Nationalist Party is the more conservative of the two. Under Labour governments, major legislation like Social Security and LGBTQ+ rights were introduced, for example. Having said that, one of the most impactful changes in Malta early this century, accession to the EU, was set in motion by the Nationalist Party.
The current party in power (2023) is the Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Robert Abela.
After a 2003 referendum held in Malta on the question of whether the country should become an EU member state resulted in a slight majority win in favour (53.6%), Malta became part of the EU on the 1st May 2004 and joined the Eurozone on 1st January 2008.
Since it acceded to the EU, Malta has changed in several ways. While gaining a louder voice in key regional issues, free movement and social development, as well as increased foreign investments and the ability to more easily attract foreign workers, this change wasn’t all positive.
Significantly more young professionals have left the Maltese islands in search of better opportunities (particularly in Healthcare), and an influx of foreign workers has impacted Malta’s identity somewhat. Many Maltese feel that their national identity (the decreased use of Maltese, for example) is negatively affected by this change, for example. A rapidly growing population has also proven to be challenging for the infrastructure and basic civil services in the Maltese islands.
Malta’s public transport is limited to a bus system and several ferries. While in the early 20th century, train and tram systems existed, neither proved to be viable due to several challenges.
Cars are the primary mode of transport in the Maltese islands, despite its bus system being made accessible for free to the local population in 2023. Bicycle lanes are few and far between, and despite the relatively short distances, the Maltese often opt to drive their car to get around.
While road quality and its network have been improved over the past decade, traffic congestion (and degrading air quality) is one of the major issues facing the country.
Although many European countries can incentivise the purchase of electric vehicles, the infrastructure in Malta makes the switch harder to achieve. With limited public parking spaces in major towns, reserving spaces for electrical charging points is an unpopular decision for locals. On the other hand, installing a charging point at home is also challenging for many of the population, with many living in apartment blocks where installing such facilities is difficult.
While healthcare in Malta is of a fairly high standard, its growing population, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, have increased appointment and procedure waiting lists.
Through Social Security, citizens having residential status are offered healthcare free of charge. The two main hospitals are Mater Dei (locality: Msida) and Gozo General Hospital (locality: Victoria, Gozo). Private hospitals are mainly run by the St. James Group, with its flagship hospital located in Sliema.
For most, the entry point to healthcare is the family doctor (GP), who may refer patients to specialists who work at public and/or private clinics. Public clinics (“Health centres”) are located in Floriana, Gzira, Qormi, Paola, Cospicua, Kirkop, Mosta, Rabat, Birkirkara and Victoria (Gozo). Some are open 24 hours daily, while others are open from 7 am – 8 pm daily.
The architecture in Malta is beautiful and fascinating. The first buildings in Malta date back to 3800–2500 BC, when Neolithic settlers built several temples around Malta and Gozo.
Later on, each people who ruled Malta left a legacy in terms of architecture. For example, the Romans built villas and other buildings featuring mosaic floors, marble colonnades and statues, remnants of which can still be seen at the Domus Romana in Rabat. The early Christians left frescoes decorating the catacombs.
From 1530 to 1798, Maltese architecture thrived under the governance of the Order of St. John. The Hospitallers built new cities and fortified towns, including Valletta – the new capital of Malta, as well as many churches, palaces and public buildings. They adopted a rich Baroque style that Malta still proudly boasts today.
During the British rule (1800-1964), Neoclassical and Neo-Gothic architecture were introduced to Malta.
Traditional Malta townhouses are built in local limestone and feature colourful and ornate doors and closed wooden balconies called Gallarija (plural Gallariji).
Malta is rich in arts, such as painting, sculpture, music and literature.
In the late 15th century, Maltese artists, influenced by the School of Antonello da Messina, were introduced to Renaissance concepts, marking a shift in decorative arts.
The painting heritage of Malta developed further when the Knights of St. John invited Italian and Flemish Mannerist painters to decorate their palaces and churches. Figures like Matteo Pérez de Alesio and Filippo Paladini left their mark in the Grandmaster’s Palace and the St. John’s Co-Cathedral.
Caravaggio’s arrival revolutionized local art. The Italian painter left two notable paintings that visitors can still admire while visiting St. John’s Co-Cathedral: The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist and Saint Jerome Writing.
The subsequent Baroque movement left a lasting legacy in Malta. Mattia Preti’s ceiling paintings transformed the Church of St. John into the Baroque masterpiece we know today.
The 17th and 18th centuries were characterised by Neapolitan and Rococo influences. The French painter Antoine de Favray further enriched the Rococo movement when he became the court painter to Grand Master Pinto in 1744.
Then, Maltese painting was marked by Neo-classicism in the late 18th century, followed by the Nazarene movement and its religious themes in the early 19th century. Romanticism shaped the art of early 20th-century “salon” artists before post-World War II saw the emergence of the “Modern Art Group”.
Today, the National Museum of Art, MUŻA, at Auberge d’Italie, displays the national collection of fine arts.
The first sculptures in Malta date back to the end of the Neolithic period. Archaeologists found several sculptures such as one depicting the goddess of fertility and another one named the sleeping lady. The megalithic temples themselves were decorated with spirals and frescoes in stone.
Later on, Melchiorre Gafà was an important Maltese Baroque sculptor who worked on the altar of the St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta.
Over the centuries and right up to the present day, many artists worked on the local limestone to create beautiful sculptures. While visiting the Maltese islands, one can also admire many sculptures made of different materials such as bronze or marble.
The traditional Maltese music includes għana, a traditional folk music. It involves folk guitar accompaniment while individuals, typically men, engage in alternating, sing-song arguments to argue a point.
Music is also an important part of village festas, with the local band playing during parades.
Contemporary Maltese music is largely influenced by Western music.
Written Maltese is a recent thing, as Italian and English were used in the written language. For that reason, Maltese literature emerged late in Malta’s history. This being said the oldest written text known to exist in Maltese is Il-Kantilena by Pietru Caxaro (1485).
Maltese literature followed the Romanticism towards the end of the 18th century.
Following World War II, an avant-garde literary movement emerged, called Moviment Qawmien Letterarju (Literary Revival Movement).
To call a Maltese number, you should use the following country code: +356.
In case of emergency, call the European emergency number: 112.
Although most people know about Malta as being a popular tourist destination for “sun and sea” holidays, increasingly, travellers from all over the world are discovering the country’s rich history and culture.
The Maltese themselves are known to be warm and welcoming, and the vast majority speak English well. In fact, English is one of the country’s official languages (the other being Maltese). The vast majority of Malta’s population is Roman Catholic, and religion plays a fairly important role in daily life, even though its influence is in decline.
There are several great reasons to visit Malta:
Yes, Malta is a country (and island nation, or small archipelago) consisting of three small islands (Malta, Gozo and Comino).
Yes, Malta is a member state of the European Union.
Yes, Malta uses the Euro. Malta adopted the Euro on 1st January 2008.
The capital city of Malta is Valletta, which is located in the North-Eastern part of Malta, on a peninsula between Marsamxett and Grand Harbour (the world’s third largest natural harbour). The city succeeded Mdina as the country’s capital and was built between 1566 and the early 1570s by the Knights of Malta under orders from Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette.
Depending on your home country and your definition of “cheap”, the best way to describe Malta in that sense is “good value”, not cheap. A few examples:
The most common religion practised by the Maltese is Roman Catholicism (83% of the population, mostly Roman Catholic [11]), and the Maltese are known to be religious (and generally more conservative in their ideals). Although in the past decades, there’s been a clear shift in terms of mass attendance, with declining interest from the younger generations, religion is still an important part of life in Malta and an integral part of Maltese culture.
Yes, Malta has several sandy beaches, most within easy reach.
The Maltese speak both Maltese and English, which are the country’s official languages, the latter being spoken quite well by the vast majority of the population. That isn’t a big surprise, considering the country is a former British colony, gaining independence in 1964. Since 2004, the year of Malta’s accession to the EU, Maltese is also an official European language. Apart from Maltese and English, a large part of the population has a solid foundation in Italian, having grown up watching Italian TV.
The local time zone in Malta is CET (Central European time), which translates to UTC +01:00.
Over 2 Million tourists visit Malta every year. In 2022, the total number of inbound tourists stood at 2,286,597 [6].
No, Malta is not part of the UK. Although Malta formed part of the British Empire between 1813 and 1964 (and still forms part of the British Commonwealth today), the country is an independent republic.
Malta joined the EU on 1 May 2004.
No, Malta is not a third-world country. It is ranked in the highest tier of the Human Development Index (HDI) according to the United Nations 2021 HDI dataset.
Yes, Malta is safe, with relatively low crime levels and no reported terrorist activity.
No, Malta is not a Muslim country. In fact, 83% of Malta’s population is Roman Catholic [11], which is also the country’s official religion.
Yes, Malta has alcohol for sale with only age restrictions. Most types of alcohol are available for purchase and consumption, and various beers and liquors are produced in Malta.
The weather in Malta is generally warm, being known for its gentle winters and warm, dry summers with over 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. The annual average daytime temperature in winter is 16 °C, while the average daytime temperature in summer (August being the warmest month) is 32 °C. Not surprisingly, it never snows in Malta. Malta enjoys around 3,000 hours of sunshine annually on average, making it one of the sunniest European countries. Compare that figure to London’s 1,461 hours, and it’s no wonder this little island nation receives so many foreign visitors throughout the year.
The weather in Malta, in general, can be characterised as being extreme. Summer heat waves can reach up to 40 °C, and although winters are relatively warm, the high humidity levels can make winter nights particularly cold. It doesn’t rain often, but when it rains, there’s a lot of precipitation, often causing floods with water flowing down valleys congested by modern construction and infrastructure.
People go to Malta generally for two reasons:
Yes, the sea around Malta is clean. Squeaky clean. Malta was found to have the best quality bathing water (shared first place with Cyprus and Luxembourg) among 30 EU member states in the 2022 Bathing Water Quality Report [10]. 94.3% Of its bathing water was considered to be of excellent quality.
Edward is the Founder and Editor of Malta Uncovered and author of two guidebooks on Malta and Valletta.
As a tourist-turned-expat with Maltese roots, he knows the islands inside out and helps thousands of visitors enjoy a memorable trip every year.
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Is the scuba diving good in Malta
It sure is Betty, highly rated worldwide. You can find more info here: Scuba diving in Malta.
Do you live in Malta?
Yes, I do Made 🙂
Both my wife and myself are very fond of Malta and the local people. If I’m ever lucky enough to win the lottery I would be moving out there as soon as I could.
Can you rent the entire nation of Malta for a night?
Considering the government’s selling Maltese passports nowadays, if the money’s right, who knows? 😉