The Maltese archipelago, situated almost at the center of the
Mediterranean, includes the islands of Malta, Gozo, Comino, Comminotto and Filfla. It has made it an important strategic base since the earliest days of navigation, and thus has been visited by many cultures.
The first significant civilization here flourished in the third millennium BC, leaving behind fascinating
megalithic temples. Later the island was occupied by the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians and the Romans.
The Maltese islands have indeed been described as one
big open-air museum. It is easy to
delve into the islands’ mysterious prehistory, retrace the footsteps of St Paul or see where the Knights of St John defended Christendom. Visitors can explore
medieval walled citadels and splendid baroque churches and palaces.
However, history alone does not draw the annual summer influx of tourists, who manage to triple the population of Malta. Visitors also come for the beautiful
clear blue waters, secluded bays and
sandy beaches, and also to glimpse the tranquil traditional villages that still speckle the landscape, celebrating lively fiestas.
Malta’s i
ndependence from Britain was achieved in 1964, and 40 years on Malta joined the
EU in May 2004.
GeographyThe Maltese archipelago is situated in the middle of the Mediterranean, with the largest inhabited island, Malta, lying 93km (58 miles) south of Sicily and 290km (180 miles) from North Africa. Gozo and Comino are the only other inhabited islands. The landscape of all three is characterized by low hills with terraced fields. Malta has no mountains or rivers. Its coastline is indented with harbors, bays, creeks, sandy beaches and rocky coves. Gozo is connected to Malta by ferry and is more thickly vegetated, with many flat-topped hills and craggy cliffs. Comino, the smallest island, is connected to Malta and Gozo by ferry and is very sparsely populated.
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