Malta is situated towards the eastern end of the Mediterranean, roughly midway between the larger island of Sicily , which is off the toe of Italy , and the North African coast of Tunisia to the west and Libya to the south.

It is one of the smaller islands in the Mediterranean , with a coastline circumference of approximately 125 miles, which doesn't include it's sister island Gozo and the largely uninhabited Comino. Measuring just 18 miles long and, at its widest point, a mere 10 miles wide, Malta's total surface area is around 210 square miles, in comparison almost twice the size of Washington DC, with the population of just under 400,000 concentrated mainly along the eastern and southern shorelines and across the central plain.

Dingli, on the more less-populated western coast, is the highest point on the island, which is mainly made up of arable land, terraced with dry stone walls to make the most of the island's sparse rainfall, limestone escarpments and densely populated residential areas. Malta and Gozo both have extensive road networks but many are in urgent need of resurfacing work. Several EC grants have allowed a programme of reconstruction to get under way, though routes to outlying towns and villages can still be an ordeal for anything but 4x4 vehicles and care must be taken before heading off the beaten track in a hire car. In the towns, there is often congestion, particularly around morning and evening rush hour. There is an excellent and very reasonably priced bus service to most areas, however, with nearly all routes terminating at Valletta .

Most of Malta 's buildings are constructed of local limestone, which is honey-coloured when first shaped into blocks but quickly bleaches white in the sun. There are no rivers or lakes on Malta and the islanders have been forced to build large desalination plants to distil seawater for drinking. These plants supply approximately half of the island's needs with the remainder being imported from Italy .

With a typical Mediterranean climate, few trees flourish on Malta with only tamarisk and carob surviving in any quantity, though evidence has been found that large woodland areas at one time surrounded what was once a lake on the plains below the ancient cliff top capital of Mdina. Nowadays, vines and citrus orchards fill many of the fields, the former helping to sustain a developing wine industry, and barley is used in the making of local beers Hopleaf and Cisk. Vegetables, including squashes, carrots, cauliflower, peppers and potatoes, are cultivated in abundance, as are melons, but Malta's climate isn't conducive for the grasslands needed to feed either sheep or cattle. There are, however, pigs and several rabbit breeding farms scattered around the island. Poultry supplies eggs and meat, while goats are kept for cheese. Fish is, of course, a large part of the staple Maltese diet and dishes including octopus and swordfish are popular in homes and restaurants.

Only when the colder northern winds and rains arrive between January and March can Malta 's typical weather be described as inhospitable. From April through early June, the average temperature and sunlight hours increase steadily, building into the hot summer between late June through early September. The heat can be uncomfortable for the more sensitive travelers during this period but October and November is a pleasant time to visit the island as the sea retains its warmth through the autumn months and the sun can still be relied on to shine.

Politically, Malta is now part of the European Community and the Euro was adopted as its currency, replacing the Maltese Lira, in 2008. Maltese, or Malti as its known locally, is the official language of Malta and Gozo, but English is widely spoken courtesy of its historical links to the United Kingdom .

As a republic, Malta has a President and prime minister, whose official residence is in Valletta . The island has two main political parties, the Labour Party and the Nationalist Party, but no real infrastructure below the prime minister's office with most low-level decisions falling to district or village councils. The church still plays a major role in Maltese life and almost all of the population belong to the Catholic faith.

Tourism is now the major industry on Malta and Valletta is a popular destination for Mediterranean cruises. Malta International Airport at Luqa has grown out of all recognition over the last 20 years and now boasts regular links to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East . Shipbuilding and repairs also still flourish in the townships surrounding Grand Harbour and there is no shortage of construction work. A specialised electronics industry has also developed recently. As well as trading within the EC, Malta also has strong links with Singapore , the US and Australia .

Environment
Water conservation is taken seriously on Malta and moves are being made to limit the number of cars on the island (the normal rate of erosion in vehicles is considerably slower on Malta than elsewhere and many ‘vintage' cars continue to cheat the scrap yard). But, elsewhere, there is little evidence of green initiatives or support for the Malta Green Party, indeed the Maltese have recently been censured for ignoring the continued hunting of migratory birds along its western shore.

History
Remember this is the point where Europe meets Africa, where the West borders the Middle East and where devout Catholicism borders the Muslim world. Those facts are at the heart of Malta 's turbulent and violent history.

Formed as part of a land ridge that ran under the waves from Sicily to Tunisia approximately six million years ago, Malta is a comparatively young island in geological terms.

The island's limestone features have been found to contain the fossils of sea creatures which pre-date history, however, while the exploration of caves have uncovered the bones of elephant, hippopotami and antelope from when there was a land link to both Europe and Africa.

Civilisation arrived here approximately five thousand years before the birth of Christ and the Phoenicians were the first to use Malta as a trading post and supply base.

In common with many other tongues, including Hebrew, Arabic and Latin, Maltese (or Malti to give the language its correct name) is thought to have its basis in Phoenician-Punic script. From the Romans through the Knights Templer to Napoleon's French, many European superpowers occupied Malta through the ages but it was the British who were in control when arguably the most significant period in the islands' history began with the construction and opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.

Ships no longer had to make the perilous 3000-mile journey around the Horn of Africa to reach the lucrative ports of the Middle and Far East and Malta was the natural stopping-off point for vessels traversing the Mediterranean en route to Alexandria or Gibraltar and beyond.

During WWII, Malta was the subject of a concerted bombing campaign by the Axis forces of Italy and Nazi Germany and its infrastructure was on the point of collapse until the siege was lifted by a series of Allied convoys carrying food and essential supplies from England and Egypt . Awarded the George Cross for bravery by King George VI of England , the Maltese people are still proud of their resistance and you will see many references to wartime episodes around the island.

Culture
Almost all of Malta 's population has had a Roman Catholic upbringing and the church is still very influential on the island. If visiting a church or cathedral, you may be denied access if unsuitably dressed (women must wear skirts and have their shoulders covered, while men are required to wear shirts). Divorce and abortion are very sensitive subjects on Malta , which is governed by more conservative laws than most other European states. Widows and widowers commonly wear black in mourning of a lost spouse, for example, and most islanders still attend mass regularly.

Fashion-wise, Malta 's younger generation takes its lead from the fashion houses of Italy and is often one step ahead of its European neighbours. Malta has its own TV channels and will also mainstream from Italy , while the introduction of satellite and cable TV means many English language news and entertainment channels are widely available.

In recent years, several movie blockbusters have been filmed on locations around Malta and utilised the facilities at the Mediterranean Studios in Kalkara. Troy (2004) starring Brad Pitt used Fort Ricasoli, Mellieha Bay beach and Comino; Alexander (2004 starring Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie used Valletta and Grand Harbour as a backdrop; Cutthroat Island (1995) starring Geena Davis and Matthew Modine had scenes shot in Mdina and Vittoriosa; and Gladiator (2000) starring Russell Crowe used the Couvre Port in Vittoriosa as well as Fort Ricasoli.

Xlendi Bay on Gozo also featured in League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) starring Sean Connery.

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