…… is a sundrenched island that sits in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, with a wealth of history waiting to be explored. It can sometimes be hard to believe that such a small island can have such a rich and fascinating history and heritage.

About Malta

For such a small island there is an immense amount of history surrounding it. Here is a brief look at what has happened through the ages from ancient times to the present day.

It is thought that the first settlers made their way to Malta from Sicily bringing with them basic tools for survival. There is also evidence of pygmy hippos and deer from Africa that suggest that settlers may have come from far and wide.

It was during the copper age that the temples were thought to have been constructed, with recent research suggesting that they are 1000 years older than the Pyramids of Giza.

Over time Malta became home to new groups of people, including the Phoenicians. Its central location and harbours were of great use for their trade. This is where the name Malta derived, its original name Malet, meaning shelter. The Phoenicians were the founders of the race as it is today due to their integration with the native inhabitants of the island.

During the Punic Wars, Malta, fell into the hands of the Carthaginians and Romans. During this time, the Romans, made Malta well known in the Roman World through its production of textiles. In 60 A.D., St Paul was shipwrecked on the island and consequently converted the local people to Christianity. When the Roman Empire was failing, the Arabs took over Malta, for over 200 years.

The Normans followed with a takeover of Malta in 1090. Malta was faced with feudal times until the Knights of St John, who were thrown out of Rhodes, were granted Malta as their new home. They were to call themselves The Knights of Malta.

It wasn't long before the Turks attempted an invasion on Malta that was to be known as The Great Siege. During this time great, fortified cities were built to protect the islands.

In 1798 Napoleon took over the island with ease and the Knights fled. This caused the Maltese to revolt against the French using British assistance. The British took over Malta, and transformed the island into a Naval base. This meant that Malta became a target during World War 2 with its obvious consequence of many sufferings by its population.

It was on the 15th of April 1942 that Malta was awarded the George Cross for civilian bravery. Britain's highest award was presented to the entire population of the Maltese Islands.

It wasn't until 1964, after 100 years of British rule, that the islands were granted independence and eventually became a Republic in 1974. A president was elected for the country, which had become a Parliamentary Democracy.

Since becoming an Independent Country, Malta has thrived, with its’ main source of income coming from tourism. Malta became a member of the EU on the 1st of May 2004, and is on track, to join the Eurozone in 2008.

Superb climate

Malta has a superb climate, the sun shines almost all year round, with temperatures reaching above 30 degrees in summer and hardly ever falling below 15 degrees in winter!

Maltese Language

However, a country’s language is symbolic of it’s people and their history. Over the centuries, Maltese Language has been shaped by a number of historical events on the island.

Stepping into a new country is always exhilarating, especially when you are faced with the challenge of communication. Upon your arrival in Malta you will not only be captured by the warm welcome you will receive but also the ease of communicating as English is so widely spoken because Maltese people are bi-lingual, English as well as Maltese are national languages. The Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans all contributed to the development of Maltese which is why it is a language all of its own.

However it was the invasion of the Arabs that had the most profound effect, hence it is a Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet with a twist of Italian and French and a few English words thrown in. Malta is now listed as an official EU language. You will be able to get your first Maltese lesson upon arriving in Malta, for the exchange.

Cuisine

If you like to experiment with various traditional meals, there are a number of local dishes that are worth trying like fenkata (rabbit stew), Bragoli (beef stew in tomato sauce), Hobz biz-zejt (bread with oil and tomato) and if you have a sweet tooth, Helwa is a must!

Friendly and Hospitable

The ease of daily life is reflected in the expressive faces and relaxed nature of the locals. They are friendly and hospitable and hold a certain charm about them.

Curiosities about Malta

The smallest EU member state in both population and area.
The 7th mostly densely populated country in the world.
The Maltese Archipelago consists of three islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino.
Total population is in the region of 400,000 inhabitants.
The distance between Malta and the nearest point in Sicily is 93 km. The distance from the nearest point on the North African mainland (Tunisia) is 288 km. Gibraltar is 1,826 km to the west and Alexandria is 1,510 km to the east.
Malta is about 27km long and 14.5km wide.
Several big films have been in full or partly filmed in Malta, namely: Helen of Troy, Count of Monte Cristo, Da Vinci Code apart from several TV commercials, the likes of Pirelli, Shell, Renault.

To get to know more about Malta kindly visit visitmalta.com