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Malta
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Official Name: Malta
National Anthem: 
Capital: Valletta, population 9.150
Area: 320 Sq Km (124 Sq Mi)
Estimated 2005 Population: 398,534
Language
Location: 35°50′N 14°35′E
Time Zone
CET (UTC+1)
CEST (UTC+2)
Time Now |
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The landscape is characterised by low hills with terraced fields. The highest point, which even many locals have no idea how to locate, is the Ta' Dmejrek on Malta Island at 253 m near Dingli.
The Malta Channel to the north seperates Malta from the island of Sicily,the largest isle in Italy.
Contrary to popular belief, the south of Malta is not Europe's most southern point: Malta is Europe's 4th southernmost country; Spain (Punta de Tarifa), Cyprus and Greece (island of Gavdos), rank 3rd, 2nd, and 1st respectively. |
Mgarr Ix-Xini, Gozo |
Major Cities (pop. est.); Birkirkara 21,800, Qormi 19,900, Hamrun 13,700, Sliema 13,500, Valletta 9,100 (1994). Land Use; pastures and agricultural-cultivated 41%, other 59% (1993).
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The local climate in Malta is a typical Mediterranean temperate climate characterized by a dry summer season and a mild rainy winter season with occasional fog from November to March. Average annual precipitation is 559 mm (22 inches) and occurs almost entirely between October and April. Average temperature ranges in Valletta are from 10 to 14 degrees Celsius (50 to 57 degrees Fahrenheit) in January to 23 to 29 degrees Celsius (73 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit) in August.
Malta Weather Now
According to the last demographic survey (2003) the estimated population of the Malta at the end of that year (including non-Maltese residents) was 399,867 of whom 198,099 were males and 201,768 were females.
In the same year there was a net natural increase of 872 persons and a net inflow of 1,699 persons in the total population. Fertility rate has stabilised but with a crude birth rate of 10.06 Malta remains one of the "youngest" European populations (the 0-14 age group represents 18.2% of the total population). |
The Maltese at their local fish market, picture courtesy of European Union web site |
The culture of Malta reflects the various influences of different countries, namely Italy and the United Kingdom, which ruled Malta until 1964. The Maltese are overwhelmingly Roman Catholic and the influence of the Church is strong, with divorce and abortion still being banned by law.
Maltese folklore, traditions and legends still live in the minds of the older-generations, and these are slowly being studied and categorized, like any other European tradition.
The use of Italian has declined as a result of British influence and official anti-Italian policy, with English becoming the official language of education, along with Maltese in 1934. However, television from Italy is widely watched in Malta, having been available before the country introduced its own service in the early 1960s. Consequently, Italian television has brought about a comeback for Italian in Malta. Since Independence, closer links with the Italians (known in Maltese as taljani) have developed, especially due to tourism. Local festivals, similar to those in southern Italy, are commonplace, celebrating weddings, christenings and, most prominently, saints' days.
On saints' days, or festas, the ceremonies start with religious prayers and are followed by, usually, three days of band processions, fireworks, and stalls. On the final day a statue of the religious patron is taken around the local streets with the faithful following in respectful prayer.
British influences remain strong. Many Maltese avidly follow English football matches, even though the Italian Football League is also followed. Traffic still drives on the left, as in the UK, and many visitors from the UK are surprised to see British-made cars from the 1960s and 1970s still driving on the road. Many old vehicles are old Malta Buses, which in reality are ex-British Armed Forces carriers, which were pressed into public transport as long ago as the early 1950s.
Roman Catholicism is the official state religion of Malta. However, full liberty of conscience and freedom of worship is guaranteed. An estimated 90% of the population are Roman Catholic, though only 60% practise the religion. Malta has two official languages: Maltese and English, but Italian is also widely understood.
Maltese Folk Music
The folk music of a people is its expression in sound, which, due to its relatively simple form, is understood and practised by many members of the community. Etnika is based on the hypothesis of an instrumental form of ethnic folk music played by the local musicians (daqqaqa), on traditional instruments in various social contexts; from weddings to funerals, town criers and street vendors. The break in oral tradition of this instrumental folk music has led to a loss in musical heritage, which constitutes melodies, rhythm and instruments. Etnika is an attempt in the recuperation of a musical tradition rooted in our ethnic origins.
Etnika is an ongoing programme, which is committed to the promotion and awareness of Maltese local music heritage. It is based on the hypothesis of an instrumental form of music, which was played in the past by roving musicians, on instruments indigenous to the islands. Central to this programme is the faithful reconstruction of ethnic Maltese instruments and their projection onto a contemporary platform through performance.
Below you may listen to the first 30 seconds of some of the music found on Etnika's first Cd Nafra.
Maltese Folk Music |
| Grinta |
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| Interludju |
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| Harba |
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| Parata |
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| Raghaj |
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| Interludju |
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| L-Ghanja tal-Mewg |
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| Interludju |
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| Tama |
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See List of Maltese People MORE
See Maltese Cuisine MORE
See Maltese Nobility MORE
Density; 1,130 persons per sq km (2,926 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 85.3% urban, 14.7% rural (1985). Sex Distribution; 49.3% male, 50.7% female (1990). Life Expectancy at Birth; 73.8 years male, 78.0 years female (1989). Age Breakdown; 24% under 15, 22% 15 to 29, 24% 30 to 44, 15% 45 to 59, 11% 60 to 74, 4% 75 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 15.2 per 1,000 (1990). Death Rate; 7.7 per 1,000 (1990). Increase Rate; 7.5 per 1,000 (1990). Infant Mortality Rate; 11.3 per 1,000 live births (1990).
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The unicameral House of Representatives, known in Maltese as Kamra tad-Deputati, 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 65 MPs. However, where a party manages an absolute majority of votes, but not of seats, that party is given additional seats to ensure a parliamentary majority. The Parliamentary system (as well as public administration) is closely modeled on the Westminster system.
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 highly ceremonial.
The main political parties are the Nationalist Party which is Christian Democrat and the Malta Labour Party which is Social Democrat. There is also Alternattiva Demokratika (a Green Party) which has no parliamentary seats. The two other smaller parties are the Alpha Party, led by Dr. Emmy Bezzina and Imperium Europa. The Nationalist Party is currently at the helm of the government, the Prime Minister being Dr. Lawrence Gonzi. The Malta Labour Party, under Dr. Alfred Sant, is in opposition. |
Dr. Edward Fenech Adami, President of Malta since 2004. Image courtesy of European Union Web Site |
See Politics of Malta MORE
See Local Councils of Malta MORE
The official religion is Roman Catholicism with 97% of the population Roman Catholic, while 1.2% are Anglican.
The official language is Italian which is spoken by 94% of the population. Each region has its own
Maltese is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family. It is the national language of Malta, and an official language of the European Union. It is derived from, and most closely related to, Arabic. Apart from in its phonology, Maltese is quite similar to urban varieties of Tunisian Arabic, and they are in fact moderately intelligible, more so than Tunisian Arabic is to other Arabic "dialects" such as Gulf Arabic. Maltese also shares similarities with other North African Arabic dialects, however, in the course of Malta's recent history, the language has adopted many loan words, and even phonetic and phonological features, from Southern Italian, Sicilian and English.
Maltese is the only Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet in its standard form. It is also the only Semitic language native to a geopolitically European country; although geophysically, Malta is generally regarded as forming part of the African continental plate.
Maltese became an official language of Malta in 1936, alongside English. Before that year, the official language of Malta was Italian. Today, there are an estimated 330,000 Maltese speakers. There are a significant number of Maltese expatriates in Australia, the United States and Canada who can still speak the language.
The oldest known document in Maltese is "Il Cantilena" , a poem from the 15th century written by Pietro Caxaro. For centuries, Maltese was nearly exclusively a spoken language, with writing being done in Arabic or, later, Italian.
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Learn Italian
While it is possible for foreigners to live in Malta without speaking the Maltese or Italian, it is highly recommended that you obtain a basic knowledge of one of the lcoal languages, if only to be polite.
To get you started and introduce you to Italian, we have put some basic phrases in Italian below.
Click to hear the Italian phrase, the words to the right of the icon are how to say it.
Numbers |
| 0 |
Zero |
| 1 |
Uno |
| 2 |
Salve |
| 3 |
Tre |
| 4 |
Quattro |
| 5 |
Cinque |
| 6 |
Sei |
| 7 |
Sette |
| 8 |
Otto |
| 9 |
Nove |
| 10 |
Ten |
| 11 |
Undici |
| 12 |
Dodici |
| 13 |
Tredici |
| 14 |
Quattordici |
| 15 |
Quindici |
| 16 |
Sedici |
| 17 |
Diciasette |
| 18 |
Diciotto |
| 19 |
Diciannove |
| 20 |
Venti |
| 21 |
Ventuno |
| 22 |
Ventidue |
| 30 |
Trenta |
| 40 |
Quaranta |
| 50 |
Cinquarta |
| 60 |
Sessanta |
| 70 |
Settanta |
| 80 |
Ottanta |
| 90 |
Novanta |
| 100 |
Cento |
| 101 |
Centouno |
| 102 |
Centodue |
| 111 |
Centoundici |
| 125 |
Centventicinque |
| 1,000 |
Mille |
Phrases |
| Hello |
Ciao |
| Goodbye |
Ciao! |
| Hi |
Salve |
| Yes |
Si |
| No |
No |
| Very Good |
Motto Bene |
| Excellent |
Benissimo |
| Thank you |
Grazie |
| OK / Good |
Va Bene |
| Good day |
Buongiorno |
| Good evening |
Buonasera |
| Good night |
Buonanotte |
| Please |
Per Favore |
| See you later |
Ci Vediamo! |
| How are you? |
Come stai? (informal) |
| Very well thanks and you? |
Motto bene, e tu? (informal) |
| Your welcome |
Prego |
| It was nothing |
Niente |
| Cheers (toast) |
Salute! |
| Excuse me / sorry ! |
Scusa! |
| See you tomorrow |
Ci Vediamo Domani! |
| May I? |
Permesso? |
| Do you speak English? |
Parla Inglese? |
| I don't speak Italian |
Non parlo Italiano |
| I understood |
Ho Capito |
| Coul you say that again please? |
Puoi Ripetere, Per Fabore? |
Economically active population having attained: no formal schooling 10.8%, primary 60.4%, lower secondary 3.4%, upper secondary 17.6%, higher 7.8% (1967). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 250,419 or 96.0% (1985).
Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC. A significant prehistoric civilization, that predates the Pyramids of Giza by a millennium, is believed to have existed on the islands. Phoenicians colonized the islands at around 1000 BC, using it as an outpost from which they expanded sea explorations and trade in the Mediterranean. In 736 BC, they were occupied by the Greeks who called the colony "Melita".
These islands later came under the control of Carthage (400 BC) and then of Rome. The islands prospered under Roman rule, during which time it was considered a Municipium and a Feodorata Civitas. Many Roman antiquities still exist, testifying to the close link between the Maltese inhabitants and the people of Rome. In AD 60, the islands were visited by Saint Paul, who is said to have been shipwrecked on the shores of the aptly named Saint Paul's Bay.
After a period of Byzantine rule (4th to 9th century) and a probable sack by the Vandals, the islands were conquered by the Arabs in AD 870. Life in Malta during the Arab rule was completely different from contemporary Maltese life. The official language of Malta was Arabic, and the majority of the population adopted it as their mother tongue.
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Hagar Qim Temples, Qrendi, Malta |
Malta's official religion was Islam, and by the 11th century, the majority of Malta's population was Muslim. Their influence can be seen most prominently in the modern Maltese language, which is derived from Arabic. Maltese has also been heavily influenced by Romance languages and is written in a variety of the Latin alphabet.
The period of Arab rule lasted until 1090, when the islands were taken by the Sicilian Normans, restoring Christianity again. Subsequent rulers included the Angevines, Hohenstaufen, and the Aragonese (1287). The Maltese nobility was established during this period; some of it dating back to 1090. About 32 noble titles remain in use today, of which the oldest is Barons of Djar il Bniet and Buqana.
In 1530, the islands were given by Spain to the Order of Knights of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem in perpetual lease (Aragon having owned the island as part of their Mediterranean empire for some time). These Knights, a militant monastic 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, who, at that time, were considered to be the greatest non-European military power. After this they decided to increase the fortifications, particularly in the inner-harbour area, where the new city of Valletta, named after Jean Parisot de la Valette, was built. |
Baron Vassiliev, a 19th-century Knight Commander |
Their reign ended when Malta was captured by Napoleon in 1798 en route to his expedition of Egypt. As a ruse, Napoleon asked for safe harbor to resupply his ships, and then turned his guns against his hosts once safely inside Valetta. Grand Master Hompesch capitulated, and Napoleon stayed in Malta for a few days during which he systematically looted the moveable assets of the Order and established an administration controlled by his nominees. He then sailed for Egypt leaving a substantial garrison in Malta. The occupying French forces were unpopular, however, due particularly to their negative attitude towards religion. 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. 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 protectorate, being presented by several Maltese leaders to Sir Alexander Ball.
In 1814, as part of the Treaty of Paris, Malta officially became a part of the British Empire and was used as a shipping waystation and fleet headquarters. Malta's proximity to the Suez Canal proved to be its main asset during these years, and it was considered to be a most important stop on the way to India. In the 1930s, due to Malta's cultural and geographical proximity to Italy, the British Mediterranean Fleet was moved to Alexandria. Malta played an important role during World War II, owing to its vicinity to Axis shipping lanes, and its people's bravery led to the awarding of the George Cross now seen on its flag.
After the war, and after a short period of political instability due to 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, but on December 13, 1974 it became a republic within the Commonwealth, with the President as head of state (Republic Day). 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 joined the European Union on May 1, 2004.
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The official currency is the Maltese Lira (Lm)
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.
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.
By the end of the 19th century, the economy began declining and by the 1940s, Malta's economy was in serious crisis. This was due to invention of large ships which did not require refuelling.
Nowadays, 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 quality hotels are present on the island.
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. Malta and Tunisia are currently discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for petroleum exploration.
The Maltese government is intending to adopt the euro as the country's currency on 1 January 2008, having entered ERM II in May 2005.
Although Malta is now a member of the European Union, it is not a member of the Schengen Treaty yet. It is currently adopting Schengen regulations with the goal to be finished by 2007.
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Railroads; nil. Roads; length 1,405 km (873 mi) (1988). Vehicles; cars 107,005 (1989), trucks and buses 19,653 (1989). Merchant Marine; vessels 524 (1990), deadweight tonnage 7,756,479 (1990). Air Transport; passenger-km 732,000,000 (454,844,000 passenger-mi) (1989), cargo ton-km 6,192,000 (4,241,000 short ton-mi) (1989).
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Daily Newspapers; total of 3 with a total circulation of 68,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 90,000 (1994). Television; receivers 146,107 (1993). Telephones; units 157,500 (1993).
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1,850 (1995) total active duty personnel with 100% army while military expenditure accounts for 0.9% (1992) of the Gross National Product (GNP).
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Link - Provides detailed information and statistics on Geography, People, Government, Economy, Communications, Transportation, Military and Transnational Issues. This is an invaluable resource for anyone looking for specific information or statistics relating to the country.
Link - World Bank Dat Profile provides key statistical information on People, Environment, Economy, Technology Infrastructure, Trade & Finance.
Link - link to a Wikipedia page providing a wealth of information from History and Culture through to Politics and Religion.
Link - link to the latest New Headlines for this country.
Link - link to GE Source World Guide providing country profile, demographics, economic data, satellite images.
Malta An independent guide for Malta
Gov.mt – Maltese Government Official Site.
Büttni-Malta – A privately run website with lots of information about Malta and the Maltese, facts, photos and much more.
Malta Forums – A privately run discussion forum in English.
Map of Malta – Scalable map of the Maltese islands and towns.
