Malta (island)

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.