Repubblika ta' Malta Republic of Malta
Flag Coat of arms
Anthem: L-Innu Malti ("The Maltese Anthem")
Location of  Malta  (circled in inset) – on the European continent  (camel & white) – in the European Union  (camel)                 [ Legend] Malta is primarily used to refer to the European island nation of Malta. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Malta. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 Civil ensign; Flag ratio: 2:3 The Flag of Malta is a basic bi-colour, with white in the hoist and red in the fly -- the banner of the arms of Malta. ... The Coat of Arms of Malta is the emblem of the country of Malta. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... L-Innu Malti is the national anthem of Malta. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 600 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Malta Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Countries ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
Capital		Valletta (de facto) 35°53′N 14°30′E / 35.883, 14.5
Largest city		Birkirkara
Official languages		Maltese, English
Demonym		Maltese
Government		Parliamentary Republic
-	President	Edward Fenech Adami
-	Prime Minister	Lawrence Gonzi
Independence
-	from the United Kingdom	September 21, 1964
-	Republic	December 13, 1974
EU accession		May 1, 2004
Area
-	Total	316 km² (185th) 121 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0.001
Population
-	2006 estimate	402,000 (174th)
-	2005 census	404,5001
-	Density	1,282/km² (7th) 3,339/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$9.342 billion (143rd)
-	Per capita	$23,200 (40th)
GDP (nominal)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$5.39 billion (120th)
-	Per capita	$13,408 (35th)
HDI (2007)		▲0.878 (high) (34th)
Currency		Euro (€)2Banks (EUR)
Time zone		CET (UTC+1)
-	Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Internet TLD		.mt 3
Calling code		+356
1 Total population includes foreign residents. Maltese residents population estimate at end 2004 was 389,769. All official population data provided by the NSO [2]. 2Before 2008: Maltese lira 3 Also .eu, shared with other European Union member states.

Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Maltese: Repubblika ta' Malta), is a small and densely-populated island nation comprising an archipelago of seven islands, three of which are inhabited. It is located in the Mediterranean Sea within Southern Europe just 93 km (58 miles) south of Sicily; 288 km (179 miles) to its south is North Africa, giving the country a warm climate.^[1][2] Not to be confused with capitol. ... Valletta (Maltese: , commonly referred to as Il-Belt - The City) is the capital city of Malta. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... Birkirkara (or BKara) is a city of 21,775 inhabitants (as of November 2005) in central Malta. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... Parliamentary republics around the world, shown in Orange (Parliamentary republics with a non-executive President) and Green (Parliamentary republics with an executive President linked to Parliament). ... The office of the President of Malta (Maltese: ), came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. ... Edward Fenech Adami (Dwardu Fenech Adami, born February 7, 1934, Birkirkara) was the Prime Minister of Malta from 1987 until 1996 and from 1998 until 2004. ... The Prime Minister of Malta is the most powerful figure within the government of Malta, although the President of Malta has a higher rank. ... Lawrence Gonzi (born July 1, 1953) is the Prime Minister and finance minister of Malta. ... is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Austria Poland Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czech   Rep. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare different orders of magnitude and geographical regions, we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... Map of countries by population for the year 2007 This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... World map of GDP (Nominal and PPP). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... Map of countries by 2006 GDP (nominal) per capita (IMF, October 2007). ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... For other uses, see Euro (disambiguation). ... The euro (€; ISO 4217 code EUR) is the currency of twelve of the twenty-five nations that form the European Union (and four outside it, as well as Montenegro and Kosovo), which form the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... Time zones of Europe: Light colours indicate countries that do not observe summer time Central European Time (CET) is one of the names of the time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... UTC redirects here. ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... Time zones of Europe: Light colours indicate countries that do not observe summer time Central European Summer Time (CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .mt is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) for Malta. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... The Maltese lira, known in the Maltese language as the Lira Maltija, is the currency of Malta. ... An island nation is a country that is wholly confined to an island or islands. ... The Mergui Archipelago The Archipelago Sea, situated between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, the largest archipelago in the world by the number of islands. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Mediterranean redirects here. ... The southern half of Europe is shown in shades of red. ... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ...  Northern Africa (UN subregion)  geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa. ...

Throughout much of its history, Malta has been considered a crucial strategic location due in large part to its position in the Mediterranean Sea.^[3] It was held by several ancient cultures including Romans, Phoenicians, Byzantines and others. The island is commonly associated with the Knights of St. John who ruled it. This, along with the historic Biblical shipwreck of St. Paul on the island, ingrained the strong Roman Catholic legacy which is still the official and most practiced religion in Malta today. For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... Phoenician can mean: The Phoenician ancient civilization The Phoenician alphabet The Phoenician languages This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the , Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Knights of Malta, Knights of Rhodes, and Chevaliers of Malta; French: Ordre des Hospitaliers) is a Christian organization that began as an Amalfitan hospital founded in Jerusalem in 1080 to provide... For the literature genre, see Acts of the Apostles (genre). ... Paul of Tarsus (b. ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... In the small Mediterranean island nation of Malta the predominant religion is Roman Catholicism. ...

The country's official languages are Maltese and English, the latter a legacy from Malta's period as a British colony – the United Kingdom is the most recent outside ruling power. Malta gained independence in 1964 and is currently a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as the European Union which it joined in 2004. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2007 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders  -  Queen Elizabeth II  -  Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma Appointed 24 November 2007 Establishment  -  Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926   -  Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931   -  London Declaration 28 April 1949  Area  -  Total...

Etymology

The origin of the term "Malta", is uncertain, though the modern day variation is from the Maltese language. One commonly stated point of origin is that the name can be traced back to the Phoenician word Maleth meaning "a haven".^[4] However, even earlier than Phoenician influence on the island, Malta had a period of Greek influence dating back to 700 BC.^[5] Maltese is the national language of Malta[1], and an official language of the European Union. ... Phoenician was a language originally spoken in the coastal region then called PÅ«t in Ancient Egyptian, Canaan in Phoenician, Hebrew and Aramaic, and Phoenicia in Greek and Latin. ... Look up greek, Greek in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The Greeks called the island Μελίτη (in Latin Melite or Melita) meaning "honey" or "honey-sweet", from μέλι (meli) "honey". Ηistorians have solid evidence for the Greek etymology via the word Melita due to the island's latter domination by the Byzantine Empire from 395 through to 870.^[5] In fact Malta has long been known for its unique production of honey, due to an endemic species of bee which lives on the island, giving it the common nickname the "land of honey".^[6] For other uses, see Honey (disambiguation). ... Etymologies redirects here. ... Byzantine redirects here. ... Endemic, in a broad sense, can mean belonging or native to, characteristic of, or prevalent in a particular geography, race, field, area, or environment; Native to an area or scope. ...

History

Main article: History of Malta

Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ...

Early settlements of Malta

Mnajdra temples.

Malta is home to the oldest freestanding structure in the world: the oldest of all the megalithic temples on the islands is il-Ġgantija, in Gozo (Għawdex) dating back to before 3500 BC. One of the very earliest marks of civilization on the islands is the temple of Ħaġar Qim, which dates from between 3200 and 2500 BC, stands on a hilltop on the southern edge of the island of Malta. Adjacent to Ħaġar Qim, lies another remarkable temple site, l-Imnajdra. The people who built these structures eventually died out or at any rate disappeared. Phoenicians colonized the islands around 700 BC,^[7] using them as an outpost from which they expanded sea explorations and trade in the Mediterranean. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (460x631, 91 KB) Summary Mnajdra (detail) photo: -jkb- (1985) copy of cs:Soubor:Mt16 mnaj. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (460x631, 91 KB) Summary Mnajdra (detail) photo: -jkb- (1985) copy of cs:Soubor:Mt16 mnaj. ... Mnajdra temple (total view) Mnajdra temple (detail) The Mnajdra temple grouping lies on the southern coast of Malta, a small island located directly south of Italy in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. ... Ggantija temple Ä gantija (also Ggantia) is a megalithic temple complex on the Mediterranean island of Gozo (part of Malta). ... Gozo (Maltese: Għawdex) is an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, the island is part of the Southern European country Malta and is the second largest after the island of Malta itself within the archipelago. ... Gozo is an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, second in size to the island of Malta. ... ĦaÄ¡ar Qim The temple of ĦaÄ¡ar Qim [1], excavated for the first time in 1839, dates from the Tarxien phase (c. ... Mnajdra temple (total view) Mnajdra temple (detail) The Mnajdra temple grouping lies on the southern coast of Malta, a small island located directly south of Italy in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. ... Phoenicia was an ancient civilization in the north of ancient Canaan, with its heartland along the coastal plain of what is now Lebanon and Syria. ...

After the fall of Tyre, the islands later came under the control of Carthage (400 BC), a former Phoenician colony, and then of Rome (218 BC). The islands prospered under Roman rule, during which time they were considered a Municipium and a Foederata Civitas. Many Roman antiquities still exist, testifying to the close link between the Maltese inhabitants and the people of Rome. The island was a favorite among Roman soldiers as a place to retire from active service. In 60 AD the islands were visited by Saint Paul, who is said to have been shipwrecked on the shores of the aptly-named "San Pawl il-Baħar" (Saint Paul's Bay). Studies of the currents and prevalent winds at the time however, render it more likely that the shipwreck occurred in or around Daħlet San Tumas in Marsascala.^{[citation needed]} In 332 BC, Alexander the Great set out to conquer Tyre, a strategic coastal base in the war between the Greeks and the Persians. ... For other uses, see Carthage (disambiguation). ... This article is about the state which existed from the 6th century BC to the 1st century BC. For the state which existed in the 18th century, see Roman Republic (18th century). ... A municipium was the second highest class of a Roman city, and was inferior in status to the colonia. ... In the history of the Roman empire, civitas (pl. ... Paul of Tarsus (b. ... St Pauls Bay (San Pawl il-Baħar in Maltese) is situated in the north west of the island of Malta, sixteen kilometres from the capital city Valletta. ... ° Marsaskala or Marsascala or Wied il-Għajn . ...

After a period of Byzantine rule (fourth to ninth century) and a probable sack by the Vandals, the islands were conquered by the Arabs in 870 AD. The Arabs, who generally tolerated the population's Christianity, introduced the cultivation of citrus fruits and cotton, and irrigation systems. Arab influence can be seen most prominently in the modern Maltese language, a Semitic language which also contains significant Romance influences, and is written in a variation of the Latin alphabet. Byzantine redirects here. ... Vandal and Vandali redirect here. ... For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Relation to other religions Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz redirects here. ...

The period of Arab rule lasted until 1091, when the islands were taken by the Siculo-Normans. A century later the last Norman king, Tancredo di Lecce, appointed Margarito di Brindisi the first Count of Malta. Subsequent rulers included the Swabian, Angevin, Aragonese, Castillians who reconstituted a County of Malta in 1283. The Maltese nobility was established during this period; some of it dating back to 1400. Around thirty-two noble titles remain in use today, of which the oldest is the Barony of Djar il-Bniet e Buqana. Palazzo dei Normanni, the palace of the Norman kings in Palermo. ... Tancred of Sicily - from Liber ad honorem Augusti, 1196 Tancred (died February 20, 1194) was King of Sicily from 1189 to 1194. ... Margaritus of Brindisi (also Margarito; Italian Margaritone or Greek Megareites or Margaritoni [Μαργαριτώνη]: circa 1149 – 1197), called the new Neptune, was the last great ammiratus ammiratorum (Grand Admiral) of Sicily. ... The County of Malta existed from 1190 until 1427, as part of the Kingdom of Sicily. ... A Swabian is a native of Swabia, a place that is located in the south-west region of Germany. ... Angevin (IPA: ) is the name applied to the residents of Anjou, a former province of the Kingdom of France, as well as to the residents of Angers. ... Categories: Pages containing IPA | Language stubs | Romance languages | Languages of Spain ... A former kingdom of Spain, Castile comprises the two regions of Old Castile in north-western Spain, and New Castile in the centre of the country. ... The County of Malta existed from 1190 until 1427, as part of the Kingdom of Sicily. ... The Maltese nobility consist of those titles of nobility recognised by the British and those titles never presented to, or failed recognition by, the Royal Commission, even though the titles were of historical relevance. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

Knights of Malta and Napoleon

The Great Siege of Malta.

In 1530 Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Spain gave the islands to the Order of Knights of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem in perpetual lease. The Crown of Aragon had owned the islands as part of its Mediterranean empire for some time. These knights, a military religious order now known as the "Knights of Malta", had been driven out of Rhodes by the Ottoman Empire in 1522. They withstood a full-blown siege by the Ottoman Turks in 1565, at the time the greatest naval power in the Mediterranean sea. After this they decided to increase the fortifications, particularly in the inner-harbour area, where the new city of Valletta, named after Grand Master Jean de la Valette, was built. The siege of Malta - Arrival of the Turkish Fleet by Matteo Perez d Aleccio File links The following pages link to this file: Siege of Malta (1565) Matteo Perez d Aleccio ... The siege of Malta - Arrival of the Turkish Fleet by Matteo Perez d Aleccio File links The following pages link to this file: Siege of Malta (1565) Matteo Perez d Aleccio ... The siege of Malta - Arrival of the Turkish fleet Matteo Perez d Aleccio Introduction The Siege of Malta (also known as the Great Siege of Malta) took place in 1565 when the Ottoman Empire invaded the island, held by the Knights Hospitaller. ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... For the Carlist claimant King Carlos V, see Infante Carlos, Count of Molina. ... The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the , Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Knights of Malta, Knights of Rhodes, and Chevaliers of Malta; French: Ordre des Hospitaliers) is a Christian organization that began as an Amalfitan hospital founded in Jerusalem in 1080 to provide... Coat of arms of Aragon, 15th century The Crown of Aragon is a term used to refer to the permanent union of multiple titles and states in the hands of the King of Aragon. ... The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the , Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Knights of Malta, Knights of Rhodes, and Chevaliers of Malta; French: Ordre des Hospitaliers) is a Christian organization that began as an Amalfitan hospital founded in Jerusalem in 1080 to provide... This article is about the Greek island of Rhodes. ... Motto دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1683, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299–1326) Bursa (1326–1365) Edirne (1365–1453) Ä°stanbul (1453–1922) Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 (first) Osman I  - 1918–22 (last) Mehmed VI Grand Viziers  - 1320... Combatants Ottoman Empire Knights Hospitaller Spanish Empire Commanders Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha Piyale Pasha Turgut Reis † Salih Reis Uluç Ali Reis Jean de Valette Strength 22,000-48,000 6,100-8,500 Casualties < 2,500 - 3,500 2,500, plus 7,000 civilians, and 500 slaves The Siege of... For the fortification of food, see Food fortification. ... Valletta (Maltese: , commonly referred to as Il-Belt - The City) is the capital city of Malta. ... Grand Master is the typical title of the supreme head (in some national orders below the Sovereign Head of state) of various orders of knighthood, including military orders, various religious orders, and some sectarian orders such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Orange Order. ... Jean Parisot de Valette Jean Parisot de Valette (born in 1494[?]; died in Malta, 21 August 1568) was born into a noble family in Quercy. ...

Aerial view of Valletta.

Their reign ended when Malta was captured by Napoleon en route to his expedition of Egypt during the French Revolutionary Wars in 1798. As a ruse, Napoleon asked for safe harbour to resupply his ships, and then turned his guns against his hosts once safely inside Valletta. The Grand Master knew that he could only allow a few ships at a time to enter the harbour, due to the Treaty of Trent. Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim capitulated, and Napoleon stayed in Malta for a few days, during which time he systematically looted the movable assets of the Order, and established an administration controlled by his nominees. He then sailed for Egypt, leaving a substantial garrison in Malta. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (549x757, 63 KB) Source: www. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (549x757, 63 KB) Source: www. ... Valletta (Maltese: , commonly referred to as Il-Belt - The City) is the capital city of Malta. ... Napoléon I, Emperor of the French (born Napoleone di Buonaparte, changed his name to Napoléon Bonaparte)[1] (15 August 1769; Ajaccio, Corsica – 5 May 1821; Saint Helena) was a general during the French Revolution, the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from... 1798 was a relatively quiet period in the French Revolutionary Wars. ... Grand Master is the typical title of the supreme head (in some national orders below the Sovereign Head of state) of various orders of knighthood, including military orders, various religious orders, and some sectarian orders such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Orange Order. ... Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim (9 November 1744 in Bolheim (Württemberg, Germany) – 12 May 1805 in (Montpellier, France) He was the 71st Grand Master of the Order of Saint John, the first German to be elected to the office. ...

The occupying French forces were unpopular, however, due particularly to their negative attitude towards religion. Their financial and religious reforms did not go down well with the citizens. The Maltese rebelled against them, and the French were forced behind the fortifications. Great Britain, along with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, sent munitions and aid to the rebels. Britain also sent her navy, which instigated a blockade of the islands. The isolated French forces, under General Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois, surrendered in 1800, and the island became a British Dominion, being presented by several Maltese leaders to Sir Alexander Ball. The Two Sicilies The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was the new name that the Bourbon king Ferdinand IV of Naples gave to his domain (including Southern Italy and Sicily) after the end of the Napoleonic Era and the full restoration of his power in 1816. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois (1748 - 1839), was a French general. ... This article is about Dominions of the British Empire and of the Commonwealth of Nations. ... Sir Alexander John Ball (born 1759—October 20, 1809), was a Malta. ...

British rule and World War II

In 1814, as part of the Treaty of Paris, Malta officially became a part of the British Empire, and was used as a shipping way-station and fleet headquarters. Malta's position half-way between Gibraltar and the Suez Canal proved to be its main asset during these years, and it was considered to be an important stop on the way to India. The Treaty of Paris was signed on May 30, 1814 and ended the war between France and the Sixth Coalition of the United Kingdom, Russia, Austria, Sweden, Portugal and Prussia. ... For a comprehensive list of the territories that formed the British Empire, see Evolution of the British Empire. ... For other uses, see Suez (disambiguation). ...

The Royal Opera House, Valletta, bombed to the ground during World War II.

In the early 1930s, the British Mediterranean Fleet, which was at the time the main contributor for the commerce on the island, was moved to Alexandria as an economic measure. Malta played an important role during World War II, owing to its proximity to Axis shipping lanes. The bravery of the Maltese people in their long struggle against enemy attack moved HM King George VI to award the George Cross to Malta on a collective basis on April 15, 1942 "to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history". Some historians argue that the award caused Britain to incur disproportionate losses in defending Malta, as British credibility would suffer if Malta was surrendered, as Singapore had been.^[8] A replica of the George Cross now appears in the upper hoist corner of the Flag of Malta. The collective award remained unique until April 1999, when the Royal Ulster Constabulary became the second – and, to date, the only other – recipient of the collective George Cross. Image File history File links Royal_Opera_House. ... Image File history File links Royal_Opera_House. ... The Valletta Royal Opera House was an opera house and performing arts venue in Valletta, Malta. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The British Mediterranean Fleet was part of the Royal Navy. ... This article is about the city in Egypt. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Black: Zenith of the Axis Powers Capital Not applicable Political structure Military alliance Historical era World War II  - Tripartite Pact September 27, 1940  - Anti-Comintern Pact November 25, 1936  - Pact of Steel May 22, 1939  - Dissolved 1945 This article is about the independent countries (states) that comprised the Axis powers. ... George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death. ... The George Cross award The George Cross was awarded to the island of Malta by King George VI in a letter dated 15 April 1942 [1] to the islands Governor Lieutenant-General Sir William Dobbie, so as to bear witness to the heroism and devotion of its people [2... is the 105th day of the year (106th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 Civil ensign; Flag ratio: 2:3 The Flag of Malta is a basic bi-colour, with white in the hoist and red in the fly -- the banner of the arms of Malta. ... The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) was name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001. ...

A karrozzin near Auberge de Castille.

Image File history File links Karrozzin_auberge_de_castille. ... Image File history File links Karrozzin_auberge_de_castille. ... A cabriolet was a light, two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage with a folding calash top, seating two persons facing forwards, one of whom was the driver. ... Valletta (Maltese: , commonly referred to as Il-Belt - The City) is the capital city of Malta. ...

Independence

After the war, and after the Malta Labour Party's unsuccessful attempt at "Integration with Britain", Malta was granted independence on September 21, 1964 (Independence Day). Under its 1964 constitution, Malta initially retained Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Malta, with a Governor-General exercising executive authority on her behalf. On December 13, 1974 (Republic Day) it became a republic within the Commonwealth, with the President as head of state. A defence agreement signed soon after independence (and re-negotiated in 1972) expired on March 31, 1979 (Freedom Day) when the British military forces were withdrawn. Malta adopted an official policy of neutrality in 1980 and for a brief period was a member of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. In 1989 Malta was the venue of an important summit between US President Bush and Soviet leader Gorbachev, their first face-to-face encounter, which signaled the end of the Cold War. The Malta Labour Party (MLP, Maltese: ) is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Nationalist Party. ... Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ... is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also Nintendo emulator: 1964 (emulator). ... The Maltese Independence Day is held on September 21. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... The Flag of the Queen of Malta This title was given to Elizabeth II who was Queen of Malta between 1964 and 1974. ... Governor-General (or Governor General) is a term used both historically and currently to designate the appointed representative of a head of state or their government for a particular territory, historically in a colonial context, but no longer necessarily in that form. ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Republic Day in Malta marks when Malta became a Republic, on December 13, 1974. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2007 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders  -  Queen Elizabeth II  -  Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma Appointed 24 November 2007 Establishment  -  Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926   -  Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931   -  London Declaration 28 April 1949  Area  -  Total... The office of the President of Malta (Maltese: ), came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. ... For the comedy film of the same name, see Head of State (film). ... is the 90th day of the year (91st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... March 31, 1979 is remembered in the Maltese calendar as Freedom Day (Maltese: Jum il-Ħelsien). ... A neutral country takes no side in a war between other parties, and in return hopes to avoid being attacked by either of them. ... Member states of the Non-Aligned Movement (2005). ... The Malta Summit was a meeting between U.S. President George H. W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, which took place between December 2-3 1989, just a few weeks after the fall of the Berlin Wall. ... Order: 41st President Vice President: Dan Quayle Term of office: January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 Preceded by: Ronald Reagan Succeeded by: Bill Clinton Date of birth: June 12, 1924 Place of birth: Milton, Massachusetts First Lady: Barbara Pierce Bush Political party: Republican George Herbert Walker Bush, KBE (born June... Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev[1] (Russian: , IPA: ; born 2 March 1931) is a Russian politician. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ...

Malta joined the European Union on May 1, 2004.^[9] Following the European Council of 21 to 22 June 2007 it joined the Eurozone on January 1, 2008.^[10] is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Eurozone (also called Euro Area, Eurosystem or Euroland) refers to the European Union member states that have adopted the euro currency union. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ...

Politics and government

Dr. Edward Fenech Adami has been the President of Malta since 2004.

Main article: Politics of Malta

Malta is a republic,^[11] whose parliamentary system and public administration is closely modeled on the Westminster system. The unicameral House of Representatives, (Maltese: Il-Kamra tar-Rappreżentanti), is elected by direct universal suffrage through single transferable vote every five years, unless the House is dissolved earlier by the President on advice of the Prime Minister. The House of Representatives is made up of sixty-five Members of Parliament. However, where a party wins an absolute majority of votes, but does not have a majority of seats, that party is given additional seats to ensure a parliamentary majority. The Constitution of Malta provides that the President appoint as Prime Minister the member of the House who is best able to command a (governing) majority in the House. Image File history File links Edward_Fenech_Adami. ... Image File history File links Edward_Fenech_Adami. ... Introduction Dr Edward Fenech-Adami, also known as Eddie, (born February 7, 1934) was the Prime Minister of Malta from 1987 until 1996 and from 1998 until 2004. ... Politics of Malta takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Malta is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... Look up republic in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... States currently utilizing parliamentary systems are denoted in red and orange—the former being constitutional monarchies where authority is vested in a parliament, the latter being parliamentary republics whose parliaments are effectively supreme over a separate head of state. ... Public Administration can be broadly described as the development, implementation and study of government policy. ... The Houses of Parliament, also known as the Palace of Westminster, in London. ... Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or parliamentary chamber. ... The Parliament of Malta, the House of Representatives (Il-Kamra tar-Raprezentanti), has 65 members, elected for a five year term in 13 5-seat constituencies with a possibility of rewarding bonus members for the popular largest party which doesnt succeed in getting absolute majority in parliament. ... This STV ballot for the Australian Senate illustrates group voting tickets. ... The office of the President of Malta (Maltese: ), came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. ... The Prime Minister of Malta is the most powerful figure within the government of Malta, although the President of Malta has a higher rank. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... The current Constitution of Malta was adopted as a legal order on September 21, 1964, and has been amended twenty-one times, most recently in 2001, the last amendment consisting of a revision in the protection of freedom of movement. ...

The President of the Republic is elected every five years by the House of Representatives. The role of the president as head of state is largely ceremonial. The office of the President of Malta (Maltese: ), came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. ...

The main political parties are the Nationalist Party, which is a Christian democratic party, and the Malta Labour Party, which is a social democratic party. The Nationalist Party or Partit Nazzjonalista (PN) is a Maltese political party. ... Christian democracy is a diverse political ideology and movement. ... The Malta Labour Party (MLP, Maltese: ) is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Nationalist Party. ... Social democracy is a political ideology emerging in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from supporters of Marxism who believed that the transition to a socialist society could be achieved through democratic evolutionary rather than revolutionary means. ...

The Nationalist Party is currently at the helm of the government, the Prime Minister being Dr. Lawrence Gonzi. The Malta Labour Party is in the opposition. Lawrence Gonzi (born July 1, 1953) is the Prime Minister and finance minister of Malta. ...

There are a number of smaller political parties in Malta that presently have no parliamentary representation.

On February 4, 2008 President Dr. Eddie Fenech Adami dissolved the Parliament, acting on a request from Prime Minister Dr. Lawrence Gonzi^[12]. The general elections were held on the March 8, 2008, and four political parties presented candidates on all districts; namely, the two main parties, the Democratic Alternative (Alternattiva Demokratika), and the recently-formed National Action (Azzjoni Nazzjonali). The Nationalist Party won the election by a slim majority of 1580 votes, which were however enough to secure its third consecutive term^[13]. The Malta Labour Party conceded the election on 10 March, and Dr. Alfred Sant resigned from the position of Party Leader later that morning.^[14] is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... The Democratic Alternative (Alternattiva Demokratika) is an ecologist political party in Malta. ... National Action (Maltese: , AN) is a Maltese political party founded in June 2007. ... National Party or Nationalist Party can refer to several political parties, including: Australia - National Party of Australia, Nationalist Party of Australia Bangladesh - Bangladesh National Party, National Party, National Party (Manju), National Party (Naziur) Bohemia - National Party Britain - British National Party, Cornish Nationalist Party, Constitutional Movement Canada - National Party of Canada... The Malta Labour Party (MLP, Maltese: ) is one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta, along with the Nationalist Party. ... Alfred Sant (born February 28, 1948) is a Maltese politician. ...

Geography

Map of Malta

Main article: Geography of Malta

Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean Sea (in its eastern basin), some 93 km south of the Italian island of Sicily across the Malta Channel; east of Tunisia and north of Libya in Africa. Only the three largest islands Malta Island (Malta), Gozo (Għawdex), and Comino (Kemmuna) are inhabited. The smaller islands, such as Filfla, Cominotto and the Islands of St. Paul are uninhabited. Numerous bays along the indented coastline of the islands provide good harbours. The archipelago itself lies on the edge of the African tectonic plate, as it borders with the Eurasian plate. The landscape is characterised by low hills with terraced fields. The highest point is at Ta' Dmejrek on Malta Island at 253 metres (830 ft) near Dingli. Although there are some small rivers at times of high rainfall, there are no permanent rivers or lakes on Malta. However, some watercourses are found around the island that have fresh water running all year round. Such places are Baħrija, l-Intaħleb and San Martin. Running water in Gozo is found at Lunzjata Valley. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require rewriting and/or reformatting. ... The Mergui Archipelago The Archipelago Sea, situated between the Gulf of Bothnia and the Gulf of Finland, the largest archipelago in the world by the number of islands. ... Mediterranean redirects here. ... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... Map. ... Gozo (Maltese: Għawdex) is an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, the island is part of the Southern European country Malta and is the second largest after the island of Malta itself within the archipelago. ... Comino (Maltese: Kemmuna) is an island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea, measuring 3. ... Filfla is a small, barren, uninhabited islet 5 km south of Malta, and is the most southerly point of Maltese Archipelago. ... ... The Islands of St. ... Satelite image of Malta The Geography of Malta is dominated by water. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Dingli (or Ħad-Dingli) is a small town in the west coast of Malta, with a population of 3,326 persons (Nov 2005), 13 kilometers from the capital Valletta and two kilometers from the nearest city, Rabat. ...

Malta implemented the Schengen Agreement on December 21, 2007.^[15] Customs and border controls remained at airports until March 2008. For other uses, see Schengen. ... is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

The island of Comino

Contrary to popular belief, the south of Malta is not Europe's most southern point; that distinction belongs to the Greek island of Gavdos. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 252 pixels Full resolution (3000 × 944 pixel, file size: 781 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 252 pixels Full resolution (3000 × 944 pixel, file size: 781 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Comino (Maltese: Kemmuna) is an island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea, measuring 3. ... // This is a list of the extreme points of Europe, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location in Europe. ... Gavdos (Greek: Γαύδος) is the southernmost Greek island, located to the south of its much bigger neighbour, Crete, of which it is administratively a part, in the prefecture of Chania. ...

Climate

The climate is Mediterranean (Köppen climate classification Csa), with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. There is no real thermal dormant season for plants, although plant growth can be checked briefly by abnormal cold in winter (patches of ground frost may occur in inland locales), and summer heat and aridity may cause vegetation to wilt. Effectively there are only two seasons, which makes the islands attractive for tourists, especially during the drier months. However, strong winds can make Malta feel cold during the spring months.  Areas with Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate is a climate that resembles the climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin. ... Updated Köppen-Geiger climate map[1] The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. ...

Water supply poses a problem on Malta, as the summer is both rainless and also the time of greatest water use, and the winter rainfall often falls as heavy showers and runs off to the sea rather than soaking into the ground. Malta depends on underground reserves of fresh water, drawn through a system of water tunnels called the Ta' Kandja galleries, which average about 97 m. below surface and extend like the spokes of a wheel. In the galleries in Malta's porous limestone, fresh water lies in a lens upon brine. More than half the potable water of Malta is produced by desalination, which creates further issues of fossil fuel use and pollution.^[16] Shevchenko BN350 desalination unit situated on the shore of the Caspian Sea. ...

In January 2007 International Living chose Malta as the country with the best climate in the world.^[17] International Living (IL) claims to be a 26-year old magazine, founded in Baltimore, Maryland as the flagship of Agora Inc. ...

The lowest temperature ever recorded was in January 1905, at +1.1C, and the highest temperature was +43.8C recorded in August 1999. Snow is virtually unheard of, with very few and brief snow flurries recorded in February 1895, January 1905 and March 1949.

Local councils

Main article: Local councils of Malta

Since 1993 Malta has been subdivided into sixty-eight local councils. These form the most basic form of local government. There are no intermediate levels between local government and national government. A list of them is below: Since 1993, Malta has been subdivided into 68 local councils or localities. ...

v • d • e Local Councils of Malta and Gozo
Malta Island	Attard · Balzan · Birgu (Città Vittoriosa) · Birkirkara · Birżebbuġa · Bormla (Città Cospicua) · Dingli · Fgura · Floriana · Għargħur · Għaxaq · Gudja · Gżira · Ħamrun · Iklin · Isla (Senglea, Città Invincita) · Kalkara · Kirkop · Lija · Luqa · Marsa · Marsaskala (Wied il-Għajn) · Marsaxlokk · Mdina (Città Notabile) · Mellieħa · Mġarr · Mosta · Mqabba · Msida · Mtarfa · Naxxar · Paola (Raħal Ġdid) · Pembroke · Pietà · Qormi (Città Pinto) · Qrendi · Rabat · Safi · St. Julian's · San Ġwann · St. Paul's Bay · Santa Luċija · Santa Venera · Siġġiewi (Città Ferdinand) · Sliema · Swieqi · Tarxien · Ta' Xbiex · Valletta (Città Umilissima) · Xgħajra · Żabbar (Città Hompesch) · Żebbuġ (Città Rohan) · Żejtun (Città Beland) · Żurrieq Since 1993, Malta has been subdivided into 68 local councils or localities. ... Gozo (Maltese: Għawdex) is an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, the island is part of the Southern European country Malta and is the second largest after the island of Malta itself within the archipelago. ... Map. ... Attard (or ĦAttard) is a village located near the centre of the island of Malta, with a population of around 10,000. ... For the international Balzan prize and its donator, Eugenio Balzan, see Balzan Prize Balzan (or Ħal Balzan) is the name of a small village found towards the centre of the Maltese Islands in the Mediterranean sea. ... For the early state in Chad, see Birgu Kingdom. ... Birkirkara (or BKara) is a city of 21,775 inhabitants (as of November 2005) in central Malta. ... BirżebbuÄ¡a is a town (population 8,668 (Nov 2005)) and port on Marsaxlokk Bay in southern Malta. ... Cospicua, is a title given to the city of Bormla as it is known to the Maltese. ... Dingli (or Ħad-Dingli) is a small town in the west coast of Malta, with a population of 3,326 persons (Nov 2005), 13 kilometers from the capital Valletta and two kilometers from the nearest city, Rabat. ... Fgura is a medium-sized town in Malta, on the island of Malta. ... Floriana is a town in Malta, just outside the capital city Valletta. ... Għargħur (roughly pronounced ar-ur, għ being silent in Maltese) is one of the smallest and oldest towns of Malta. ... Għaxaq (or Ħal Għaxaq) is a village in the south of Malta, with a population of 4,388 people (Nov 2005). ... Gudja (or Il-Gudja) is a village in Malta with a population of 2,901 (Nov 2005). ... Gżira (or il-Gżira) is a town in the north-eastern coast of Malta (pop. ... Ħamrun (or Il-Ħamrun) is a town in the Inner Harbour Region of Malta, with a population of 9,513 people (Nov 2005). ... Iklin is a relatively modern village in the centre of Malta, with a population of 3,203 people (Nov 2005), situated between Birkirkara, Naxxar and Lija. ... Senglea is a fortified city in the east of Malta, mainly in the Grand Harbour area. ... Kalkara is a small town in Malta, with a current population of 3000. ... Kirkop (or Ħal Kirkop) is a small village south of Malta. ... Entering Lija Belveder Tower Lija (or Ħal Lija) is a small village located approximately in the centre of Malta with 2,779 inhabitants residing in it (Nov 2005). ... Luqa or Ħal Luqa (meaning poplar in Aramaic) is a village located in the south east of Malta (Europe). ... Marsa is a town south of Malta. ... Marsaskala (also called Marsascala or Wied il-Għajn[1]) is a modest sea-side village in Malta that has grown up around the small harbour at the head of Marsaskala Bay, a long narrow inlet also known as Marsaskala Creek. ... Marsaxlokk Harbour The fish market at Marsaxlokk A luzzu, a traditional eyed boat, at Marsaxlokk. ... Not to be confused with Medina. ... Mellieħa [me-lee-ha] (also called Il-Mellieħa) is a large village (pop. ... MÄ¡arr (or L-ImÄ¡arr), formerly known as Mgiarro, is a small town northwest of the mainland of Malta. ... Mosta (or Il-Mosta) is a town situated in the middle of the island of Malta, to the north-west of Valletta. ... Mqabba (or L-Imqabba) is a small village in the south of Malta, with a population of 3,021 inhabitants (Nov 2005). ... The Parish Church in Msida, dedicated to St. ... Mtarfa (or L-Imtarfa) is a small town close to Rabat and Mdina in the north of Malta, with a population of 2,396 people (Nov 2005). ... Naxxar (or In-Naxxar) is a village in the central north of Malta, with a population of about 11,947 people (Nov 2005). ... // Paola, (or old name Casal Paula), is a town in the south of Malta, with a population of 8,856 people (Nov 2005). ... Pembroke, Maltas newest town, is on the northern coast of Malta. ... The Pietà waterfront Pietà (or Tal-Pietà) is a small town located on the outskirts of Valletta, the capital city of Malta. ... The arch of Grandmaster Emanoel Pinto de Fonseca. ... Qrendi or Il-Qrendi is a small village in the southwest of Malta, with a population of 2,525 people (November 2005). ... Rabat (or Ir-Rabat) is a village just outside Mdina, Malta. ... Ħal Safi is a town of 1948 people (Nov 2005) in the southeast of Malta, near BirżebbuÄ¡a. ... St. ... San Ä wann is the 7th-largest city in Malta, with a population of 12,630 (Nov 2005) behind Birkirkara (21,775), Mosta (18,676), Qormi (16,576), Zabbar (14,694), St. ... Sunset over St. ... Chinese Garden of Serenity Santa LuÄ‹ija is a small village (pop. ... Santa Venera is a town in Malta, with a population of 6,087 (Nov 2005). ... SiÄ¡Ä¡iewi (or Is-SiÄ¡Ä¡iewi) is situated on a plateau in the South Western part of Malta, a few kilometres away from Mdina, the ancient capital city of Malta, and 10 kilometres away from Valletta the capital city. ... Water front of Sliema, with the Portomaso tower in the background Sliema (or Tas-Sliema) is a town located on the northeast coast of Malta. ... Swieqi (or Is-Swieqi) is a town in northeastern Malta. ... Tarxien is a small village found in the southern part of Malta. ... Ta Xbiex is a small town in northeastern Malta with a population of 1,846 (Nov 2005). ... Valletta (Maltese: , commonly referred to as Il-Belt - The City) is the capital city of Malta. ... Xgħajra (pronounced shyra in Maltese, also called Ix-Xgħajra) is a small village in Malta on the coast, about halfway between Valletta and Marsaskala. ... Å»abbar (or Ħaż-Å»abbar) is the fourth largest town in Malta, with a population of 14,694 (Nov 2005). ... See also: Å»ebbuÄ¡, Gozo for the small village on the island of Gozo. ... Chapel of St. ... Å»urrieq (or Iż-Å»urrieq) is one of the oldest towns in Malta, and has a population of 9,816 (Nov 2005). ...
Gozo Island	Fontana · Għajnsielem · Għarb · Għasri · Kerċem · Munxar · Nadur · Qala · San Lawrenz · Sannat · Victoria (Rabat) · Xagħra · Xewkija · Żebbuġ Image File history File links Flag_of_Malta. ... Gozo is an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, second in size to Malta Island. ... Fontana (or Il-Fontana) is a village on Gozo Island, Malta, with a population of 846 people (Nov 2005). ... Ghajnsielem has a population of around 3,000 and is the first Gozitan village that will greet you as soon as you leave Mgarr Harbour towards the Gozitan heartland. ... Għarb (or L-Għarb) is a village located at the westernmost point of the island of Gozo, Malta, with a population of 1,160 people (Nov 2005). ... Għasri (or L-Għasri) is a village in the western part of Gozo (Malta), with a population of 417 people (Nov 2005). ... KerÄ‹em is a village on Gozo Island, Malta, with a population of 1,654 people (Nov 2005). ... Munxar (or Il-Munxar) is a village which lies on the southern side of Gozo Island, Malta, close to the village of Sannat. ... Aerial view of Nadur Nadur (or In-Nadur) is a village on Gozo Island, Malta. ... Qala (or Il-Qala) is a village on Gozo Island, Malta, with a population of 1,609 people (Nov 2005). ... Saint Lawrence is a village on Gozo Island, Malta. ... Sannat (or Ta Sannat) is a village on Gozo Island, Malta, with a population of 1,729 persons (Nov 2005). ... Victoria (also called Rabat) is the capital of Gozo, an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. ... Ix-Xagħra (pronounced: shara) is built on a hill to the central north-east of the island of Gozo. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The small town of Iż-Å»ebbuÄ¡ is on the island of Gozo in Malta. ...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Malta

The Grand Harbour

Artist's impression of SmartCity

Portomaso

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Until 1800 Malta had very few industries except the cotton, tobacco and shipyards industry. The dockyard was later used by the British for military purposes. At times of war Malta's economy prospered due to its strategic location. This could be seen during the Crimean War of 1854. This benefited those who had a military role, as well as the craftsmen. // Economy - overview: Major resources of Malta are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and a productive labour force. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1200x527, 464 KB) Valletta Harbour. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1200x527, 464 KB) Valletta Harbour. ... Grand Harbour (in Maltese: Il-Port il-Kbir) is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 626 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (668 × 640 pixel, file size: 123 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work or product in the media, such as advertising... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 626 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (668 × 640 pixel, file size: 123 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This is a copyrighted image that has been released by a company or organization to promote their work or product in the media, such as advertising... Artists impression of the Lagoon area SmartCity is a planned technology park to be constructed in Kalkara, Malta. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixels, file size: 442 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Flickr: Photos tagged with {{{1}}} File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 768 pixels, file size: 442 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Flickr: Photos tagged with {{{1}}} File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Portomaso Portomaso in St. ... For other uses, see Cotton (disambiguation). ... Shredded tobacco leaf for pipe smoking Tobacco can also be pressed into plugs and sliced into flakes Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. ... Small shipyard in Klaksvík (Faroe Islands), reparing fishing vessels Dockyards and shipyards are places which repair and build ships. ... Combatants Allies: Second French Empire British Empire Ottoman Empire Kingdom of Sardinia Russian Empire Bulgarian volunteers Casualties 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 17,500 British 2,194 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of disease ~134,000 killed, wounded and died of disease The Crimean War (1853–1856) was fought...

In 1869 the opening of the Suez Canal benefited Malta's economy greatly, as there was a massive increase in the shipping which entered in the port. Entrepôt trade saw many ships stopping at Malta's docks for refueling, which brought great benefits to the population. By the end of the 19th century the economy began declining, and by the 1940s Malta's economy was in serious crisis. This was partially due to the longer range of newer merchant ships which required less frequent refueling stops. For other uses, see Suez (disambiguation). ... An entrepôt is a trading centre, or simply a warehouse, where merchandise can be imported and exported without paying import duties, often at a profit. ...

Presently, Malta’s major resources are limestone, a favourable geographic location and a productive labour force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited freshwater supplies and has no domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade (serving as a freight trans-shipment point), manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles) and tourism. Tourism infrastructure has increased dramatically over the years and a number of good-quality hotels are present on the island. An increasing number of Maltese now travel abroad on holiday.^[18] Although they are still a net importer of tourism, the ratio of inbound tourists to outbound tourists is decreasing. Film production is a growing contributor to the Maltese economy, with several big-budget foreign films shooting in Malta each year. The country has increased the exports of many other types of services such as banking and finance. For other uses, see Limestone (disambiguation). ... This is a list of films shot on the Mediterranean island of Malta. ...

The government is investing heavily in the country's provision of education. As all education is free, Malta is currently producing a pool of qualified persons which heavily contribute to the country's growing economy.

Malta has recently privatised some state-controlled firms and liberalised markets in order to prepare for membership in the European Union, which it joined on May 1, 2004. For example, the government announced on January 8, 2007 that it is selling its 40% stake in Malta Post, in order to complete a privatisation process which has been ongoing for the past five years. Malta and Tunisia are currently discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for petroleum exploration. This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Malta Post is the postal service company in Malta. ...

The Maltese government entered ERM II on May 4, 2005, and adopted the euro as the country's currency on January 1, 2008.^[19] Maltese euro coins feature the Maltese cross on €2 and €1 coins, the Maltese Coat of Arms on the €0.50, €0.20 and €0.10 coins, and the Mnajdra Temples on the €0.05, €0.02 and €0.01 coins.^[20] The European exchange rate mechanism (or ERM) was a system introduced by the European Community in March 1979, as part of the European Monetary System (EMS), to reduce exchange-rate variability and achieve monetary stability in Europe, in preparation for Economic and Monetary Union and the introduction of a single... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Euro (disambiguation). ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Maltese euro coins have not yet been designed. ... This article is about the symbol. ... The Coat of Arms of Malta is the emblem of the country of Malta. ... Mnajdra temple (total view) Mnajdra temple (detail) The Mnajdra temple grouping lies on the southern coast of Malta, a small island located directly south of Italy in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. ...

Military

Main article: Armed Forces of Malta

The objectives of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) are to maintain a military organisation with the primary aim of defending the Islands' integrity according to the defence roles as set by Government in an efficient and cost effective manner. This is achieved by emphasizing the maintenance of Malta's territorial waters and airspace integrity. The Armed Forces of Malta is the name given to the combined armed services of Malta. ...

The AFM also engages in combating terrorism, fighting against illicit drug trafficking, conducting anti-illegal immigrant and anti-illegal fishing operations, operating Search and Rescue (SAR) services, and physical/electronic security/surveillance of sensitive locations. Malta's Search and Rescue area extends from east of Tunisia to west of Crete covering an area of around 250,000 km².

As a military organisation, the AFM provides backup support to the Malta Police Force (MPF) and other government departments/agencies in situations as required in an organised, disciplined manner in the event of national emergencies (such as natural disasters) or internal security and bomb disposal.

On another level, the AFM establishes and/or consolidates bilateral co-operation with other countries to reach higher operational effectiveness related to AFM roles. Bilateralism is a term referring to trade or political relations between two states. ...

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Malta

Malta is the most densely populated country in the EU and one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with about 1,265 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,000 per square mile). ...

Population

A census of population and housing is held every ten years. The last census was held over three weeks in November 2005 and managed to enumerate an estimated 96% of the population. A preliminary report was issued in April 2006, and results were weighted to an estimate for 100% of the population.

The Maltese people are descended from the ancient Phoenicians and Carthaginians. The largest minority, the British people, form the rest of the population. The Maltese people or Maltese are a nation and ethnic group native to Malta, an island nation consisting of an archipelago of seven islands in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. ... Phoenicia was an ancient civilization in the north of ancient Canaan, with its heartland along the coastal plain of what is now Lebanon and Syria. ... This article is about the ancient city-state of Carthage in North Africa. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

The resident population of Malta, which includes foreigners residing in Malta for at least a year, as of November 27, 2005 was estimated at 404,039 of whom 200,715 (49.7%) were males and 203,324 (50.3%) were females. Of these, 17.1 per cent were aged 14 and under, 68.2 per cent were within the 15–64 age bracket whilst the remaining 13.7 per cent were 65 years and over. Malta's population density of 1,282 per square kilometre (3,322/sq mi) is by far the highest in the EU, and one of the highest in the world. The only census year showing a fall in population was that of 1967, with a 1.7% total decrease, attributable to a substantial number of Maltese residents who emigrated.^[21] The Maltese-resident population for 2004 was estimated to make up 97.0% of the total resident population.^[22] is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ...

Through all the censuses since 1842 there was always a slightly higher female-to-male ratio. Closest to reaching equality were 1901 and 1911 censuses. The highest female-to-male ratio was reached in 1957 (1088:1000), and since the ratio has been constantly dropping. The 2005 census showed a 1013:1000 female-to-male ratio.

Population growth has slowed down, from +9.5% between the 1985 and 1995 censuses, to +6.9% between the 1995 and 2005 censuses (a yearly average of +0.7%). The birth rate stood at 3860 (a decrease of 21.8% from the 1995 census) and the death rate stood at 3025. Thus, there was a natural population increase of 835 (compared to +888 for 2004, of which over a hundred were foreign residents).^[23]

The population's age composition is similar to the age structure prevalent in the EU. Since 1967 there was observed a trend indicating an aging population, and is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. Malta's old-age-dependency-ratio rose from 17.2% in 1995 to 19.8% in 2005, reasonably lower than the EU's 24.9% average. In fact, 31.5% of the Maltese population is aged under 25 (compared to the EU's 29.1%); but the 50-64 age group constitutes 20.3% of the population, significantly higher than the EU's 17.9%. In conclusion, Malta's old-age-dependency-ratio is expected to continue rising steadily in the coming years.

Maltese legislation recognizes both civil and Canonic marriages. Annulments by the ecclesiastic and civil courts are unrelated and are not necessarily both granted. There is no divorce legislation and abortion within Maltese territory is illegal. A person has to be 16 to marry. The number of brides aged under 25 decreased from 1471 in 1997 to 766 in 2005; while the number of grooms under 25 decreased from 823 to 311. There is a constant trend that females are more likely than males to marry very young. In 2005 there were 51 brides aged between 16 and 19, compared to 8 grooms.^[23] Matrimony redirects here. ... Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse. ...

Languages

Main article: Languages of Malta

The official languages of Malta are Maltese and English. Maltese, the national language, is a Semitic language, descended from Siculo-Arabic, from Sicily and surrounding Southern Italy, with substantial borrowing from Sicilian and Italian.^[24] The Maltese alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet, but uses the diacritically altered letter ż, also found in Polish, as well as the letters ċ, ġ, għ, ħ, and ie, which are unique to Maltese. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The Semitic languages are the northeastern subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic languages, and the only family of this group spoken in Asia. ... Siculo-Arabic was a dialect of Arabic spoken in Sicily between the ninth and the fourteenth centuries. ... Sicily ( in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... Southern Italy, often referred to in Italian as the Mezzogiorno (a term first used in 19th century in comparison with French Midi ) encompasses six of the countrys 20 regions: Basilicata Campania Calabria Puglia Sicilia Sardinia Sicilia although it is geographically and administratively included in Insular Italy, it has a... Sicilian (, Italian: ) is a Romance language. ... The Maltese alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet with the addition of some letters with diacritic marks and digraphs. ... Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz redirects here. ... Example of a letter with a diacritic A diacritic or diacritical mark, also called an accent, is a small sign added to a letter to alter pronunciation or to distinguish between similar words. ... When used as a diacritic mark, the term dot is usually reserved for the middle dot ·, or to the glyphs combining dot above ̇ and combining dot below Ì£ which may be combined with some letters of the extended Latin alphabets in use in Eastern European languages and Vietnamese. ... When used as a diacritic mark, the term dot is usually reserved for the middle dot ·, or to the glyphs combining dot above ̇ and combining dot below Ì£ which may be combined with some letters of the extended Latin alphabets in use in Eastern European languages and Vietnamese. ... When used as a diacritic mark, the term dot is usually reserved for the middle dot ·, or to the glyphs combining dot above ̇ and combining dot below Ì£ which may be combined with some letters of the extended Latin alphabets in use in Eastern European languages and Vietnamese. ... Gh is a digraph found in many languages. ... Ħ (minuscule: ħ) is a letter of the Latin alphabet, derived from H with the addition of a bar. ... Ie is a digraph found in many languages. ...

Italian was an official language of Malta until the 1930s, and is widely spoken as a second or third language. Italian television channels from Italy-based broadcasters, such as Mediaset and RAI, reach the Maltese Islands due to their proximity, and remain popular even today.^[25][26][27] Mediaset is an Italian commercial television network. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

In the 1995 census it was reported that 98% of the population fluently spoke Maltese, 76% English, 36% Italian, and 10% French.^[28] As a first language, 86% of the population preferred to use Maltese, 12% English, and 2% Italian.^[27]

See also: Languages in education section (below)

Religion

The Mosta Dome

Main article: Religion in Malta

The Constitution of Malta provides for freedom of religion but establishes Roman Catholicism as the state religion.^[29] Freedom House and the World Factbook report that 98 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, making the nation one of the most Catholic countries in the world. The Sunday Mass Attendance Census 2005^[30] commissioned by the Archdiocese of Malta reports that 52.6% of the population attends regular religious services. This is one of the highest rates of attendance in Europe Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 647 KB) Mosta Dome Author: Väsk Date: December 2004 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Culture of Malta Rotunda of Mosta Metadata This file contains... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 647 KB) Mosta Dome Author: Väsk Date: December 2004 File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Culture of Malta Rotunda of Mosta Metadata This file contains... Rotunda of St Marija Assunta Rotunda of St Marija Assunta View of the dome from inside the church Replica of the bomb which pierced the dome The Rotunda of St Marija Assunta (sometimes shortened to Mosta Dome) is in Mosta, Malta and was designed by George Grongnet. ... In the small Mediterranean island nation of Malta the predominant religion is Roman Catholicism. ... The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen guarantees freedom of religion, as long as religious activities do not infringe on public order in ways detrimental to society. ... South America Europe Middle East Africa Asia Oceania Demography of religions by country Full list of articles on religion by country Religion Portal         Nations with state religions:  Buddhism  Islam  Shia Islam  Sunni Islam  Orthodox Christianity  Protestantism  Roman Catholic Church A state religion (also called an official religion, established church... Freedom House is a United States-based international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights. ... The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... Fra. ...

Around 22% of the population is reported to be active in a church group, movement or community. Malta has the highest concentration of members per capita of the Neocatechumenal Way in the world, since it was introduced in the islands in 1973 by three Italian catechists, who started the first community in the Immaculate Conception Parish in Ħamrun. Religious painting of the Neocatechumenal Way. ...

The Patron Saints are Saint Paul, Saint Agata and Saint George Preca, known as Dun Ġorġ - the first Maltese saint, canonized on 3 June 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI. A number of Maltese individuals are recognised as Blessed, including Adeodata Pisani and Nazju Falzon, these having been beatified by the late Pope John Paul II. St. ... Saint George Preca (in Maltese: San Ä orÄ¡ Preca) (12 February 1880 - 26 July 1962) was a Maltese priest who founded the Society of Christian Doctrine, a society of lay catechists. ... is the 154th day of the year (155th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Papal Arms of Pope Benedict XVI. The papal tiara was replaced with a bishops mitre, and pallium of the Pope was added beneath the coat of arms. ... Blessed may refer to: The state of having received a blessing. ... Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo II, Polish: Jan PaweÅ‚ II) born   []; 18 May 1920 – 2 April 2005) reigned as the 264th Pope of...

Various Roman Catholic religious orders are found in Malta, such as the Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans and Little Sisters of the Poor. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ... Franciscans is the common name used to designate a variety of mendicant religious orders of men or women tracing their origin to Francis of Assisi and following the Rule of St. ... The Order of Preachers (Ordo Praedicatorum), more commonly known as the Dominican Order, is a Catholic religious order. ... The Little Sisters of the Poor is a Roman Catholic religious order for women. ...

Most congregants at the local Protestant churches are not Maltese; many British retirees live in the country, and vacationers from many other nations compose the remainder of such congregations. There are approximately 500 Jehovah's Witnesses; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), the Bible Baptist Church, and the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches have about 60 affiliates. There is one Jewish congregation. Zen Buddhism and the Bahá'í Faith also have about 40 members. There is one Muslim mosque and a Muslim primary school. Of the estimated 3,000 Muslims in Malta, approximately 2,250 are foreigners, approximately 600 are naturalized citizens, and approximately 150 are native-born Maltese.^[31] There are also some churches of other denominations, such as St. Andrew's Scots Church in Valletta (a joint Presbyterian and Methodist congregation) and St Paul's Anglican Cathedral, as well as a Seventh-day Adventist church in Birkirkara. Protestantism encompasses the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated with the doctrines of the Reformation. ... For other uses, see The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A woodblock print by Yoshitoshi, (Japan, 1887) depicting Bodhidharma the founder of Chinese Zen. ... This article is about the generally recognized global religious community. ... There is also a collection of Hadith called Sahih Muslim A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم, Persian: Mosalman or Mosalmon Urdu: مسلمان, Turkish: Müslüman, Albanian: Mysliman, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of the religion of Islam. ... St. ... Presbyterianism is part of the Reformed churches family of denominations of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of John Calvin which traces its institutional roots to the Scottish Reformation, especially as led by John Knox. ... The Methodist Church of Great Britain or British Methodist Church is the largest Wesleyan / Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain (although more limited in Scotland). ... St Pauls Anglican Cathedral is a Cathedral in Valletta, Malta, commissioned by Queen Adelaide during a visit to Malta in the 19th Century, when she found out that there was no place of Anglican worship on the island. ... The Seventh-day Adventist (abbreviated Adventist[3]) Church is a Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week, as the Sabbath. ... Birkirkara (or BKara) is a city of 21,775 inhabitants (as of November 2005) in central Malta. ...

Migration

EU nationals require neither a visa nor a passport (an ID card or an expired passport are enough) to enter the country. Citizens of a number of third countries are not required to apply for a visa and require only a valid passport when residing in Malta for up to three months. Visas for other nationalities are valid for one month. Entry visa valid in Schengen treaty countries. ...

Immigrants, even those with EU citizenship, are required to apply for a work permit. This exception to EU law was agreed upon before accession to safeguard the Maltese labour market. In practice though, all work permits to EU nationals are granted and currently this exercise is only used to monitor the labour market for any needed intervention. The safeguards negotiated in Malta's accession have never been put into effect and it is unlikely that they will. Labour economics seeks to understand the functioning of the market and dynamics for labour. ...

The estimated net inflow (using data for 2002 to 2004) was of 1,913 persons yearly. Over the last 10 years, Malta accepted back a yearly average of 425 returning emigrants.^[22]

During 2006, a total of 1,800 illegal immigrants reached Malta making the boat crossing from the North Africa coast. Most of them intended to reach mainland Europe and happened to come to Malta by mistake.^[32][33] Given Malta's high population density, the impact of this figure on Malta is equivalent to that of an arrival of 369,000 irregular immigrants in Germany and other large EU member states.^[34] In the first half of 2006, 967 irregular immigrants arrived in Malta – almost double the 473 who arrived in the same period in 2005.^[35]

Around 45% of immigrants landed in Malta have been granted refugee (5%) or protected humanitarian status (40%). A White Paper suggesting the grant of Maltese citizenship to refugees resident in Malta for over ten years was issued in 2005. Historically Malta gave refuge (and assisted in their resettlement) to eight hundred or so East African Asians who had been expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin and to just under a thousand Iraqis fleeing Saddam Hussein's regime. A white paper is an authoritative report. ... Idi Amin Dada (mid-1920s[1]–16 August 2003) was an army officer and president of Uganda. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was the fifth President of Iraq and Chairman of the Iraqi Revolutionary Command Council from 1979 until his overthrow by US forces in 2003. ...

Presently the problem of illegal immigration has increased steadily, causing real or perceived strains on Malta's health, employment and social services, its internal security and public order and labour market. Detention costs for the first half of 2006 alone cost € 746,385.^[36]

In 2005, Malta sought EU aid in relation to reception of irregular immigrants, repatriation of those denied refugee status, resettlement of refugees into EU countries, and maritime security.^[37] In December 2005, the European Council adopted The Global Approach to Migration: Priority Actions focusing on Africa and the Mediterranean; but the deployment of said actions has been limited to the western Mediterranean, thus putting further pressure on the central Mediterranean route for irregular immigration of which Malta forms a part.

Political tension started developing as the EU persistently ignored Malta's precarious situation: member states party to the legally-binding Cotonou Agreement continued not to fulfill their obligations and East African countries, from which most central Mediterranean irregular immigration originates, were excluded from the Euro-African Conference on Migration and Development held 10-11 July 2006 in Tripoli).^[35] The Cotonou Agreement is a treaty between the European Union and the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP countries). ...

Education

Primary schooling has been compulsory since 1946, and secondary education was made compulsory in 1971 up to the age of sixteen. Education is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16 years. While the state provides education free of charge, the Church and the private sector run a number of schools in Malta and Gozo, such as St. Aloysius' College in Birkirkara. Most of the teachers' salary in Church schools is paid by the state.^[38] Catholic Church redirects here. ... Gozo (Maltese: Għawdex) is an island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, the island is part of the Southern European country Malta and is the second largest after the island of Malta itself within the archipelago. ... St. ... Birkirkara (or BKara) is a city of 21,775 inhabitants (as of November 2005) in central Malta. ...

Education in Malta is based on the British Model. Primary School lasts six years. At age 11 students sit for an examination to enter a Secondary School, either a Church School (the Common Entrance Examination) or a State School. Students sit for SEC O'Level Examinations at age 16, with passes obligatory in certain subjects such as Mathematics, English and Maltese. Students may opt to continue studying at a Sixth Form or else at another post-secondary institution such as MCAST. The Sixth Form course lasts for two years, at the end of which students sit for the Matriculation examination. Subject to their performance, students may then apply for an undergraduate degree or diploma. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... ...

Tertiary education at diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate level is mainly provided by the University of Malta (UoM). The University of Malta is the highest teaching institution in the Republic of Malta. ...

The adult literacy rate is 92.8%.^[39] Literacy is the ability to use text to communicate across space and time. ...

Languages in education

English and Maltese are both used to teach students at primary and secondary school level, and both languages are also compulsory subjects. Public schools tend to use both Maltese and English in a balanced manner. Private schools prefer to use English for teaching, as is also the case with most departments of the University of Malta. This has a limiting effect on the capacity and development of the Maltese language.^[27] The University of Malta is the highest teaching institution in the Republic of Malta. ...

Of the total number of students studying a first foreign language at secondary level, 51% take Italian whilst 38% take French. Other choices include German, Russian, Spanish, and Arabic.^[40][27]

Healthcare

Malta has a long history of healthcare, and the first hospital recorded in the country was already functioning by 1372.[3]

Modern-day Malta has both a public healthcare system, known as the government healthcare service, and a private healthcare system. [4][5]

Malta was ranked number 5 in the World Health Organization's ranking of the world's health systems,[6] well above the USA (at 37), Australia (at 32), and Canada (at 30). Great Britain, the best of this group of larger comparator countries, was ranked at number 18, which is interesting in that the healthcare system in Malta closely resembles the British system, [7] as healthcare is free at the point of delivery. Also, like the UK Malta has a strong general practitioner-delivered primary care base, supplemented by secondary care and tertiary care provided by a number of public hospitals, some of which (such as St. Luke's Hospital, Malta) are large (see List of hospitals in Malta). WHO redirects here. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... St. ... Here is a list of hospitals in Malta. ...

There is both a medical school and a dental school at the University of Malta, as well as a nursing school [8]. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock, Texas, USA. A medical school or faculty of medicine is a tertiary educational institution — or part of such an institution — that teaches medicine. ... The University of Malta is the highest teaching institution in the Republic of Malta. ... Nursing school is a type of educational institution, or part thereof, where people undergo formal education and training to become a nurse. ...

Malta has three major private hospitals. These are St Philip's Hospital, with a capacity of 75 beds, in Santa Venera, and St James Capua Hospital in Sliema, with 80 beds (the former Capua Palace Hospital) - St James Hospital also has other sites, including a 13 bed unit in Zabbar, as well as a partner hospital in Libya. There is also St Mark's Clinic, with a capacity of 5 beds, based in Msida and which also offers private hospital services.

In recent years, Malta has been trying to develop as a medical tourism destination [9]. However, up to 2008 no Maltese hospitals in either the public or the private sectors had undergone independent international healthcare accreditation. Malta is popular with British medical tourists [10][11], and logically this may point Maltese hospitals towards seeking UK-sourced accreditation, such as with the Trent Accreditation Scheme, or possibly to seek dual accreditation with the American-orientated Joint Commission if they wish to compete with the Far East and Latin America for medical tourists from the USA, as well as from the UK. A number of health tourism providers are involved in developing medical tourism in Malta. Medical tourism (also called medical travel or health tourism) is a term initially coined by travel agencies and the mass media to describe the rapidly-growing practice of traveling to another country to obtain health care. ... The subject of this article may not satisfy the notability guideline or one of the following guidelines for inclusion on Wikipedia: Biographies, Books, Companies, Fiction, Music, Neologisms, Numbers, Web content, or several proposals for new guidelines. ... The Trent Accreditation Scheme (TAS) [1] is a United Kingdom-based non-profit organisation formed with a mission to maintain and continually standards of quality, especially in health care delivery, through the surveying and accreditation of health care organisations, especially hospitals, both in the UK and elsewhere in the world. ... For other uses, see Joint Commission (disambiguation). ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and member of the Commonwealth of Nations, the G8, the European Union, and NATO. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, the UK, or (inaccurately) as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent... Medical tourism (also called medical travel or health tourism) is a term initially coined by travel agencies and the mass media to describe the rapidly-growing practice of traveling to another country to obtain health care. ...

The Maltese Ministry of Health advises foreign residents to take out private medical insurance. [12]

The Medical Association of Malta represents practitioners of the medical profession. MMSA is a separate body representing Maltese medical students, and is a member of EMSA and IFMSA. MIME, the Maltese Institute for Medical Education, is an institute set up recently to provide CME to doctors in Malta as well as medical students. MADS, the Malta Association of Dental Students, is a student association set up to promote the rights of Dental Surgery Students studying within the faculty of Dental Surgery of the University of Malta. It is affiliated with IADS, the International Association of Dental Students. The European Medical Students’ Association (EMSA) is a non-govermental non-profit organisation for medical students focussing on medical education, ethics and science in the geographical Europe. ... The International Federation of Medical Students Associations is a non governmental organization representing associations of medical students from over 88 countries. ... For mime as an art form, see mime artist. ... The Malta Association of Dental Students M.A.D.S. is a non-profit association, aimed at promoting the study of dentistry in Malta, and representing and protecting the interest of all local dental students. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of Malta

The culture of Malta is a reflection of various cultures that have come into contact with the Maltese Islands throughout the centuries, including neighbouring Mediterranean cultures, and the cultures of the nations that ruled Malta for long periods of time prior to its independence in 1964. The culture of Malta is a reflection of various cultures that have come into contact with the Maltese Islands throughout the centuries, including neighbouring Mediterranean cultures, and the cultures of the nations that ruled Malta for long periods of time prior to its independence in 1964. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ...

Cuisine

Main article: Maltese cuisine

Maltese cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the Islanders and the many foreigners who made Malta their home over the centuries. This marriage of tastes has given Malta an eclectic mix of Mediterranean cooking. Many popular Maltese specialities are Sicilian-Southern Italian or Eastern in origin. Maltese cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the Islanders and the many foreigners who made Malta their home over the centuries. ... The Maltese people or Maltese are a nation and ethnic group native to Malta, an island nation consisting of an archipelago of seven islands in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. ... External links Mediterranean cuisine guide and recipes Categories: Stub | Mediterranean cuisine ... Sicilian cuisine shows the markers of the cultures which established themselves on the island. ... Italian cuisine as a national cuisine known today has evolved through centuries of social and political change. ... The term Middle Eastern cuisine refers to the cuisines of the Middle East. ...

Music

Main article: Music of Malta

While Maltese music today is largely western, traditional Maltese music includes what is known as għana. This consists of background folk guitar music, while a few people take it in turns to argue a point in a singsong voice. The aim of the lyrics, which are improvised, are to create a friendly yet challenging atmosphere, and takes a number of years of practice to be able to combine the required artistic qualities with the ability to debate effectively. While Maltese music today is largely western, traditional Maltese music includes what is known as għana (pronounced as aana). ... Western music is the genres of music originating in the Western world (Europe and its former colonies) including Western classical music, American Jazz, Country and Western, pop music and rock and roll. ... For other meanings: see Ghana (disambiguation) Għana is the term given to a specific type of traditional Maltese folk music. ... An acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the Classical guitar, but generally strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound. ... Debate (North American English) or debating (British English) is a formal method of interactive and position representational argument. ...

Special activities

In the last decade the aviation sport of Microlight Flying has beeen introduced on the island by the Island Microlight Club[13]In under ten years there are a total number of twenty two microlight aircraft that operate out of the Malta International Airport.

Other

Malta is the country with the most holidays in the European Union. ... Famous or notable people from Malta include: // Coryse Borg Joseph Calleia (1897- 1975) Oreste Chircop (1923-1998) Marylu Coppini Ninette Micallef Melissa Tkautz (born 1974) Kym Valentine (born 1977) Pia Zammit Girolamo Abos (1715-1760) Giuseppe Abos (1708-1776) Charles Mario Camilleri (born 1931) Robert Cremona (born 1956) - philosopher, musician... This is a list of radio stations in Malta. ... Maltese is the national language of Malta[1], and an official language of the European Union. ... The Maltese nobility consist of those titles of nobility recognised by the British and those titles never presented to, or failed recognition by, the Royal Commission, even though the titles were of historical relevance. ... The Maltese Italian Enrico Mizzi (1885-1950), former leader of the Nationalist Party and Prime Minister of Malta Maltese Italians are the people of Malta who wanted the unification to Italy of the Maltese islands, following the Italian Irredentism ideals. ... The Maltese people or Maltese are a nation and ethnic group native to Malta, an island nation consisting of an archipelago of seven islands in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. ... An endemic organism is said to be found only in certain areas of the world. ... Membership badge of The Scout Association of Malta The Scout Association of Malta is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association of the island of Malta. ...

See also

• BirdLife Malta

Malta Portal

v • d • e Malta-related topics
History	Timeline of Maltese history · Prehistory · Phoenicians and Greeks · Carthaginian and Roman · Arab Rule · Middle Ages · Monarchs · Knights Hospitaller · The Great Siege · French conquest · British rule · Malta exiles · Siege of Malta (1940) · Malta's George Cross · SS Ohio · Independence · EU membership Image File history File links Flag_of_Malta. ... Articles and media on this topic in other Wikimedia projects can be found at: Commons Category Malta The main article for this category is Malta. ... Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ... This is a historical timeline of Malta Main article: History of Malta about 5200 BC: People first arrive on Malta. ... Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ... Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ... Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ... Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ... Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ... The Mediterranean islands of Malta and Gozo have been ruled by various European monarchies since their liberation from Arab rule by Count Roger the Norman. ... The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the , Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Knights of Malta, Knights of Rhodes, and Chevaliers of Malta; French: Ordre des Hospitaliers) is a Christian organization that began as an Amalfitan hospital founded in Jerusalem in 1080 to provide... Combatants Ottoman Empire Knights Hospitaller Spanish Empire Commanders Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha Piyale Pasha Turgut Reis † Salih Reis Uluç Ali Reis Jean de Valette Strength 22,000-48,000 6,100-8,500 Casualties < 2,500 - 3,500 2,500, plus 7,000 civilians, and 500 slaves The Siege of... Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ... Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ... A graphical timeline is available here: Turkish War of Independence Malta exiles (Turkish: Malta sürgünleri) (between March 1919 – October 1920) is the term for men of politics, high ranking soldiers (mainly), administrators and intellectuals of the Ottoman Empire who were sent to exile in Malta after the armistice... The Island of Malta The Siege of Malta was a significant military event in the Mediterranean Theatre of World War II that occurred between 1940 and 1943 on the island of Malta. ... The George Cross award The George Cross was awarded to the island of Malta by King George VI in a letter dated 15 April 1942 [1] to the islands Governor Lieutenant-General Sir William Dobbie, so as to bear witness to the heroism and devotion of its people [2... The SS Ohio was an oil tanker. ... Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC and a significant pre-historic civilisation existed on the islands before the arrival of the Phoenicians who named the main island Malat, meaning safe haven . // Further information: Timeline of Maltese history about 5200 BCE: Earliest settlers arrive on Malta. ...
Politics	Constitution · President · House of Representatives · Political parties · Foreign relations · Elections · Local councils · Armed Forces Politics of Malta takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Malta is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. ... The office of the President of Malta (Maltese: ), came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. ... The Parliament of Malta, the House of Representatives (Il-Kamra tar-Raprezentanti), has 65 members, elected for a five year term in 13 5-seat constituencies with a possibility of rewarding bonus members for the popular largest party which doesnt succeed in getting absolute majority in parliament. ... Political parties in Malta lists political parties in Malta. ... For the first several years of independence, Malta followed a policy of close co-operation with the United Kingdom and other NATO countries. ... Politics of Malta Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Malta ... Since 1993, Malta has been subdivided into 68 local councils or localities. ... The Armed Forces of Malta is the name given to the combined armed services of Malta. ...
Geography	Caves · Cities · Fortifications · Islands · Maps Here is a list of cities in Malta: Birkirkara BirżebbuÄ¡a Hamrun Sliema St. ...
Economy	Maltese lira (coins) · Euro (coins) · Companies · Central Bank · Retailing · Trade unions The Maltese lira, known in the Maltese language as the Lira Maltija, is the currency of Malta. ... Maltese coins currently in circulation. ... For other uses, see Euro (disambiguation). ... Maltese euro coins have not yet been designed. ... This is a list of companies from Malta. ...
Culture and demographics	Cuisine · Maltese and English languages · Literature · Music · Catholic Church (Archbishop) The culture of Malta is a reflection of various cultures that have come into contact with the Maltese Islands throughout the centuries, including neighbouring Mediterranean cultures, and the cultures of the nations that ruled Malta for long periods of time prior to its independence in 1964. ... Malta is the most densely populated country in the EU and one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with about 1,265 inhabitants per square kilometre (3,000 per square mile). ... Maltese cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the Islanders and the many foreigners who made Malta their home over the centuries. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Maltese literature refers, generally speaking, to written or literary works produced in the Maltese language, particularly by citizens of Malta. ... While Maltese music today is largely western, traditional Maltese music includes what is known as għana (pronounced as aana). ... The Roman Catholic Church in Malta is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...
Other topics	Communications · Transportation  · Universities · Flags and symbols (national flag • coat of arms) · Holidays · People · Freemasonry This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Railways: 0 km Buses: The route bus service in Malta comprises of 508 buses, all of which are privately owned, in most cases by the drivers themselves. ... The University of Malta (Maltese L-Università ta Malta) is the highest educational institution in Malta. ... This article is a vexillological summary of all flags and symbols in current use by the island nation of Malta. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 Civil ensign; Flag ratio: 2:3 The Flag of Malta is a basic bi-colour, with white in the hoist and red in the fly -- the banner of the arms of Malta. ... The Coat of Arms of Malta is the emblem of the country of Malta. ... Malta is the country with the most holidays in the European Union. ... This box:      // Freemasonry in Malta began in 1730 when Parfait Harmonie, the first warranted lodge, was formed under the Marseilles (France) masonic jurisdiction. ...
Portal

Notes and citations

is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 68th day of the year (69th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 68th day of the year (69th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For information on Wikipedia press releases, see Wikipedia:Press releases. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 193rd day of the year (194th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... “PDF” redirects here. ... A kibibyte (a contraction of kilo binary byte) is a unit of information or computer storage, commonly abbreviated KiB (never kiB). 1 kibibyte = 210 bytes = 1,024 bytes The kibibyte is closely related to the kilobyte, which can be used either as a synonym for kibibyte or to refer to... The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Affairs (DRL) at the United States Department of State is one of four bureaus that comprise the Office of the Under Secretary for Global Affairs. ... Department of State redirects here. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 30th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For information on Wikipedia press releases, see Wikipedia:Press releases. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For information on Wikipedia press releases, see Wikipedia:Press releases. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 197th day of the year (198th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 285th day of the year (286th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 56th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Photos of Gozo sister island of Malta. Photos of Gozo. Retrieved on November 17, 2006.
• Photos of Malta. Photos of Malta. Retrieved on June 2, 2007.
• Malta. CIA World Factbook. Retrieved on September 6, 2006.
• Gov.mt. Government of Malta. Retrieved on November 1, 2005.
• Malta. MSN Encarta. Retrieved on November 1, 2005.
• 1942: Malta gets George Cross for bravery. BBC "On this day". Retrieved on 22 June, 2006.
• Jones, H. Bowen; et al (1962). Malta Background for Development. Dhurham College. OCLC 204863. 
• Carolyn Bain (2004). Malta. Lonely Planet Publication. ISBN 1-74059-178-X. 
• United Nations Development Programme (2006). Human Development Report 2005 - International cooperation at a crossroads: Aid, trade and security in an unequal world. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-522146-X. 
• Omertaa, Journal for Applied Anthropology – Volume 2007/1, Thematic Issue on Malta
• Malta-The George Cross Island

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... World Factbook 2004 cover The World Factbook is an annual publication by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with basic almanac-style information about the various countries of the world. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) was founded in 1967 and originally named the Ohio College Library Center. ...

External links

Find more about Malta on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Dictionary definitions
	Textbooks
	Quotations
	Source texts
	Images and media
	News stories
	Learning resources

• Malta travel guide from Wikitravel
• Gov.mt – Maltese Government official site.
• Diving Malta – All the dive sites in Malta
• Laws of Malta – A summary of principal laws and glossary of terms.
• The Maltese Armed Forces official website
• The Nobility of Malta and Maltagenealogy.com
• Malta Environment and Planing Authority's GIS Map Server which includes place names and street's layout and names
• Official Maltese Tourism website
• 101 Things to do in malta an offbeat guide to what to do in Malta and Gozo

International organizations

v • d • e Commonwealth of Nations Sovereign states Antigua and Barbuda · Australia · Bahamas · Bangladesh · Barbados · Belize · Botswana · Brunei · Cameroon · Canada · Cyprus · Dominica · Fiji · The Gambia · Ghana · Grenada · Guyana · India · Jamaica · Kenya · Kiribati · Lesotho · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Malta · Mauritius · Mozambique · Namibia · Nauru · New Zealand · Nigeria · Pakistan · Papua New Guinea · St. Kitts and Nevis · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · Samoa · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Singapore · Solomon Islands · South Africa · Sri Lanka · Swaziland · Tanzania · Tonga · Trinidad and Tobago · Tuvalu · Uganda · United Kingdom · Vanuatu · Zambia World map of dependent territories. ... The list of unrecognized countries enumerates those geo-political entities which lack general diplomatic recognition, but wish to be recognized as sovereign states. ... The Commonwealth of Nations as of 2007 Headquarters Marlborough House, London, UK Official languages English Membership 53 sovereign states Leaders  -  Queen Elizabeth II  -  Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma Appointed 24 November 2007 Establishment  -  Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926   -  Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931   -  London Declaration 28 April 1949  Area  -  Total... “Sovereign” redirects here. ... [--168. ... Dependencies Australia Ashmore and Cartier Islands · Australian Antarctic Territory · Christmas Island · Cocos (Keeling) Islands · Coral Sea Islands · Heard Island and McDonald Islands · Norfolk Island Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Commonwealth_of_Nations. ... World map of dependent territories. ... The Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) is the part of Antarctica claimed by Australia. ... New Zealand Cook Islands · Niue · Ross Dependency · Tokelau Political status Dependency of New Zealand Governor Anand Satyanand Area   – Total  450 000 km² (174 000 mi²) Population Scott Base: 10-80 seasonally McMurdo Station: 200-1000 seasonally Currency New Zealand dollar The Ross Dependency comprises an area of Antarctica (and other land masses in the Southern Ocean) claimed by... United Kingdom Akrotiri and Dhekelia · Anguilla · Bermuda · British Antarctic Territory · British Indian Ocean Territory · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Falkland Islands · Gibraltar · Guernsey · Isle of Man · Jersey · Montserrat · Pitcairn Islands · St. Helena (including Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) · South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands · Turks and Caicos Islands Anthem God Save the Queen Akrotiri and Dhekelia (Occupied Areas) Sovereign Base Areas indicated in pink. ... Motto: Research and Discovery Anthem: God Save the Queen Status British overseas territory Official language(s) - Commissioner Tony Crombie Administrator Michael Richardson Area 1,395,000 km² Population c. ... Anthem: God Save the Queen Capital Georgetown Largest city Georgetown Official languages English Government Dependency of St. ... Motto Our faith is our strength Anthem God Save the Queen Capital (and largest city) Edinburgh of the Seven Seas Official languages English Government Dependency of St. ... Motto Leo Terram Propriam Protegat(Latin) Let the Lion protect his own land or May the Lion protect his own land Anthem God Save the Queen Capital Grytviken (King Edward Point) Official languages English Government British overseas territory  -  Head of State Queen Elizabeth II  -  Commissioner Alan Huckle Area  -  Total 3... v • d • e  Member States of the European Union Austria · Belgium · Bulgaria · Cyprus · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Ireland · Italy · Latvia · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Malta · Netherlands · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · United Kingdom v • d • e Members of Council of Europe Albania · Andorra · Armenia · Austria · Azerbaijan · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia · Turkey · Ukraine · United Kingdom v • d • e Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Albania · Angola · Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Armenia · Australia · Bahrain · Bangladesh · Barbados · Belize · Benin · Bolivia · Botswana · Brazil · Brunei (Brunei Darussalam) · Burkina Faso · Burma · Burundi · Cambodia · Cameroon · Canada · Central African Republic · Chad · Chile · China (PRC) · Colombia · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Republic of the Congo · Costa Rica · Côte d'Ivoire · Croatia · Cuba · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · European Union¹ · Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) · Fiji · Gabon · The Gambia · Georgia · Ghana · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Hong Kong² · Iceland · India · Indonesia · Israel · Jamaica · Japan · Jordan · Kenya · South Korea · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Lesotho · Liechtenstein · Macau² · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Moldova · Mongolia · Morocco · Mozambique · Namibia · Nepal · New Zealand · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · Norway · Oman · Pakistan · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Qatar · Rwanda · St. Kitts and Nevis · St. Lucia · St. Vincent and the Grenadines · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Sierra Leone · Singapore · Solomon Islands · South Africa · Sri Lanka · Suriname · Swaziland · Switzerland · Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu³ · Tanzania · Thailand · Togo · Tonga · Trinidad and Tobago · Tunisia · Turkey · Uganda · United Arab Emirates · United States · Uruguay · Venezuela · Vietnam · Zambia · Zimbabwe Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Austria Poland Belgium Bulgaria Cyprus Czech   Rep. ... Anthem Ode to Joy (orchestral)  ten founding members joined subsequently observer at the Parliamentary Assembly observer at the Committee of Ministers  official candidate Seat Strasbourg, France Membership 47 European states 5 observers (Council) 3 observers (Assembly) Leaders  -  Secretary General Terry Davis  -  President of the Parliamentary Assembly Rene van der Linden... This article is about the country in Europe. ... Not to be confused with Republika Srpska. ... Motto: Anthem: Today Over Macedonia (Macedonian: Денес Над Македонија, Denes Nad Makedonija) Capital Skopje Largest city Skopje Official language(s) Macedonian1 Government President Prime Minister Parliamentary republic Branko Crvenkovski Vlado Bučkovski Independence Declared From Yugoslavia September 8, 1991 Area  â€¢ Total  â€¢ Water (%)   25,333 km² (146th) 1. ... WTO redirects here. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 370 pixelsFull resolution (1357 × 628 pixel, file size: 19 KB, MIME type: image/png)World map of World Trade Organization (WTO) members/non-members, 2005; based on Image:BlankMap-World-v2. ... Economy - overview: Antigua and Barbudas economy is service-based, with tourism and government services representing the key sources of employment and income. ... The Asian financial crisis in 1997 and 1998, coupled with fluctuations in the price of oil have created uncertainty and instability in Bruneis economy. ... Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world with an average income per capita of €250 (US$300). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require rewriting and/or reformatting. ... The economies of the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau are separate from the rest of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Sparsely populated in relation to its area, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to a vast potential of natural resources and mineral wealth, yet the economy of the DROC has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The economy of Costa Rica heavily depends on tourism, agriculture, and electronics exports. ... The Ivorian economy is largely market based and depends heavily on the agricultural sector. ... The Dominican Republic is a middle-income developing country primarily dependent on agriculture, trade, and services, especially tourism. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... If it is considered as a single state, the economy of the European Unions twenty-seven member states is the worlds largest economy. ... Economy - overview: The breakup of Yugoslavia in 1991 deprived F.Y.R.O.M. (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), then its poorest republic (only 5% of the total federal output of goods and services), of its key protected markets and large transfer payments from the center. ... Economy - overview: The Gambia has no important mineral or other natural resources and has a limited agricultural base. ... This article needs to be updated. ... The Economy of Hong Kong is widely believed, and some argue incorrectly, to be the most economically free in the world. ... Currency 1 South Korean Won (W) = 100 Jeon(Chŏn) (theoretical) Fiscal year Calendar year Trade organizations APEC, WTO and OECD Statistics [1] GDP ranking 10th by volume (at nominal) (2006); 11th by volume (at PPP) (2006); GDP (Nominal) $897. ... The Economy of New Zealand is a small but prosperous free market economy, which is greatly dependent on international trade, mainly with Australia, the United States of America and Japan. ... Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by the rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. ... The economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis has traditionally depended on the growing and processing of sugar cane; decreasing world prices have hurt the industry in recent years. ... Saint Lucias economy depends primarily on revenue from banana production and tourism with some input from small-scale manufacturing. ... The St. ... Economy - overview: Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require rewriting and/or reformatting. ... A per capita GDP of $340 ranks Solomon Islands as a lesser developed nation. ... South Africa has a two-tiered economy; one rivaling other developed countries and the other with only the most basic infrastructure. ... With an economy of $27. ... Republic of China (ROC) has a dynamiccapitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by the government. ... Trinidad and Tobago experienced a real growth rate of 3. ... // The United Arab Emirates has a highly industrialized economy that makes the country one the most developed in the world, based on various socioeconomic indicators such as GDP per capita, energy consumption per capita, and the HDI. At $168 billion in 2006, the GDP of the UAE ranks second in... The economy of the United States has been the worlds largest national economy since the late 1890s;[1] its gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated as $13. ... All twenty-seven member states of the European Union are also members of the WTO in their own right: Austria • Belgium • Bulgaria • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy • Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malta • Netherlands and Netherlands Antilles • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • United Kingdom. Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. Designated name for the Republic of China (Chinese Taipei) v • d • e Afro-Asiatic-speaking nations v • d • e Berber  Algeria  Egypt Of the emerging democracies in central and eastern Europe, Czechia has one of the most developed industrialized economies. ... Tourism, petroleum transhipment, and offshore finance are the mainstays of the Netherlands Antillean economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. ... The United Kingdom has the fifth largest gross domestic product in the world in terms of market exchange rates and the sixth largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). ... A Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the Peoples Republic of China is an administrative division of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... For the Chinese civilization, see China. ... The Afro-Asiatic languages constitute a language family (Languages of Africa) with about 375 languages (SIL estimate) and more than 300 million speakers spread throughout North Africa, East Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, and Southwest Asia (including some 200 million speakers of Arabic). ... The Berber languages (or Tamazight) are a group of closely related languages mainly spoken in Morocco and Algeria. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Algeria. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Egypt. ...  Libya  Mali Image File history File links Flag_of_Libya. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Mali. ...  Mauritania  Morocco Image File history File links Flag_of_Mauritania. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Morocco. ...  Niger  Tunisia Image File history File links Flag_of_Niger. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Tunisia. ... v • d • e Chadic  Cameroon  Central African Republic  Chad The Chadic languages are a language family spoken across northern Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Central African Republic and Cameroon, belonging to the Afro-Asiatic phylum. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Cameroon. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Central_African_Republic. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Chad. ...  Niger  Nigeria Image File history File links Flag_of_Niger. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Nigeria. ... v • d • e Cushitic Cushitic  Djibouti  Eritrea The Cushitic languages are a subgroup of the Afro-Asiatic languages, named after the Biblical figure Cush by analogy with Semitic. ... The Cushitic languages are a subgroup of the Afro-Asiatic languages, named after the Biblical figure Cush by analogy with Semitic. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Djibouti. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Eritrea. ...  Ethiopia  Kenya Image File history File links Flag_of_Ethiopia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Kenya. ...  Somalia Image File history File links Flag_of_Somalia. ... Beja  Egypt  Eritrea Beja (also called Bedawi, Bedauye, To Bedawie) is an Afro-Asiatic language of the southern coast of the Red Sea, spoken by about two million nomads in parts of Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Egypt. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Eritrea. ...  Sudan Image File history File links Flag_of_Sudan. ... v • d • e Egyptian     Egypt v • d • e Omotic  Ethiopia v • d • e Semitic Arabic / Maltese  Algeria  Bahrain  Egypt  Iraq  Israel  Jordan The language of the Egyptian hieroglyphs and their modern descendant, the Coptic language is classifed under this category. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Egypt. ... The Omotic languages are Afro-Asiatic languages spoken in northeast Africa. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ethiopia. ... 14th century BC diplomatic letter in Akkadian, found in Tell Amarna. ... Arabic redirects here. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Algeria. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Bahrain. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Egypt. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Iraq. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Israel. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Jordan. ...  Kuwait  Lebanon  Libya  Malta  Mauritania  Morocco Image File history File links Flag_of_Kuwait. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Lebanon. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Libya. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Malta. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Mauritania. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Morocco. ...  Oman  PNA  Qatar  Saudi Arabia  Sudan1 Image File history File links Flag_of_Oman. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Palestine. ... This article is about the Palestinian territories as a geopolitical phenomenon. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Qatar. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Saudi_Arabia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sudan. ...  Syria  Tunisia  UAE  W. Sahara  Yemen Image File history File links Flag_of_Syria. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Tunisia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Arab_Emirates. ... UAE redirects here. ... Western Sahara (Arabic: الصحراء الغربية; transliterated: ; Spanish: Sahara Occidental) is a territory of northwestern Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria in the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Yemen. ... Northwest Semitic2  Iraq  Israel  Syria The Northwest Semitic languages form a medium-level division of the Semitic language family. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Iraq. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Israel. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Syria. ... South Semitic  Eritrea  Ethiopia  Oman  Yemen South Semitic is one of the three macro-classifications in Semitic linguistics, the other two being North Semitic (e. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Eritrea. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ethiopia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Oman. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Yemen. ... 1 excluding Southern Sudan.    2 Aramaic and Hebrew.

Southern Sudan is a region of Sudan. ... Aramaic is a group of Semitic languages with a 3,000-year history. ... Hebrew redirects here. ...