Malta (island)

Malta is a large island.

It sits in the blue sea. It is south of Italy.

The land has low hills. There are also flat fields.

It is a very sunny place. The summers are hot and dry. The winters are mild.

People built very old stone temples there. These are some of the oldest in the world.

Many people live in the small towns. It is a busy place to be.

Malta is a large island in the Mediterranean Sea.

It sits in Southern Europe. It is south of Italy and north of Libya. The island is near two smaller islands called Gozo and Comino.

The land has low hills and many fields. The coast has many bays. These bays make good harbours for ships.

Malta has very sunny weather. The summers are hot and dry. The winters are mild and not very cold. It is a green place all year round.

People have lived here for a long time. Ancient people built stone temples. These are some of the oldest free-standing buildings in the world.

Today, many people live in small towns. These towns form one large area. The capital city is Valletta. The largest town is Rabat. Many people work in tourism or making things like clothes. People also go there to film movies. Many famous films were shot on the island.

Malta is a large island in Southern Europe.

It sits in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. The island is located directly south of Italy and north of Libya. You can find it east of two smaller islands named Gozo and Comino. The island is part of a group of islands called the Maltese Archipelago. It sits on a shallow shelf known as the Malta plateau. This land was once a bridge between Sicily and North Africa.

The land on Malta has a very distinct look. You will see many low hills and terraced fields across the island. The coastline is indented with many bays. These bays create excellent natural harbours for ships to visit.

There are no permanent lakes or rivers on the island. However, some small watercourses run with fresh water all year. The highest point on the island is Ta' Dmejrek. It is located near a place called Dingli. The weather is very warm and sunny.

People have lived on Malta for a very long time. Hunters and farmers arrived from Sicily around 5200 BC. Later, people built huge stone temples. These megalithic temples, like Hagar Qim, are some of the oldest free-standing buildings in the world.

Many different groups ruled the island over the years. These included the Romans, Arabs, and the Order of Saint John. The British took control in 1800 and ruled for about 150 years. Malta finally became an independent country in 1964.

Today, Malta is a very busy place with many people. The population is 409,259 people. Most of the island is an urban area made of many small towns. These towns join together to form one large living zone. Valletta is the capital city of the country.

The largest town on the island is called Rabat. The island also has many smaller islands nearby. These include Manoel Island and Filfla.

Malta has a strong and modern economy. Many people work in tourism or in making things like electronics. The island is also a popular place to film movies. Famous films like Gladiator and Popeye were shot there.

Because it is so sunny, Malta has great potential for solar energy. The island also uses limestone from local quarries.

Malta joined the European Union in 2004. It uses the Euro as its money.

Malta is a large island located in Southern Europe.

It is the largest island in the Maltese Archipelago. This archipelago sits in the central Mediterranean Sea. Malta is positioned directly south of Italy. It is also located north of Libya. The island sits east of two smaller islands named Gozo and Comino. It lies on the Malta plateau. This is a shallow shelf of land. This shelf was once a land bridge between Sicily and North Africa. Sea levels rose after the last ice age to isolate it.

The geography of the island is very unique. The coastline is indented with many bays. These bays provide excellent natural harbours for ships. The landscape features low hills and terraced fields. There are no permanent lakes or rivers on the island. However, some watercourses carry fresh water all year. One such place is Ras ir-Raħeb near Baħrija. The highest point is Ta' Dmejrek near Dingli. The island belongs to the Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands and Scrub ecoregion.

Malta has a subtropical-Mediterranean climate. This is known as the Csa classification. The winters are very mild. The summers are hot and generally dry. Most rain occurs during the winter months. The average yearly temperature is around 19°C during the day. The sea temperature is also very high. It is the highest in the European continent. Malta receives about 3,000 hours of sunshine every year. This is double the sunshine found in northern cities like London.

Human history on the island began around 5200 BC. Stone Age hunters and farmers arrived from Sicily. They lived in open areas and caves like Għar Dalam. Around 3500 BC, people built megalithic temples. These are huge stone structures. Sites like Ħaġar Qim are some of the oldest free-standing buildings in the world.

After 2500 BC, the island was depopulated. Bronze Age settlers later arrived at sites like Borġ in-Nadur. They built the first fortifications on the island.

Many different groups have ruled Malta over time. The Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, and Arabs all held power. In 1530, the Order of Saint John received the island. They defended Malta during the Great Siege of 1565. The Order ruled for over 250 years. They built the capital city, Valletta. Napoleon Bonaparte occupied Malta from 1798 to 1800. The British took control in 1800. They ruled for about 150 years. Malta became independent in 1964. It became a Republic in 1974.

The economy of Malta is quite advanced. It relies heavily on foreign trade and tourism. The island is also a major freight trans-shipment point. Manufacturing of electronics and textiles is important. Malta is a famous location for film production. The first film there was Sons of the Sea in 1925. Later, movies like Gladiator and Popeye were filmed there. The island also uses limestone from local quarries.

Solar energy is a major potential resource due to the sun.

Today, Malta is a highly urbanized nation. About 95% of the land is considered urban area. The population is 409,259 people. Most towns form one large urban zone. Valletta is the capital city. Rabat is the largest locality. The island has many smaller islands nearby. These include Manoel Island and Filfla.

Malta joined the European Union in 2004. It adopted the Euro in 2008.

The country uses buses as its main public transport.