Facts About Malta
- Official Name: Republic of Malta
- Area: 316 sq km
- Geographic Coordinates: Latitude 35° 50’N, Longitude 14° 35’E
- Capital City: Valletta
- Population: 516,869 (2021)
- Local time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 in summer)
- Government: Republic
- Head of State: President George Vella
- Head of Government: Prime Minister Robert Abela
- Official Languages: Maltese, English
- Official Currency: Euro
- Major Banks in Malta: Bank of Valletta, HSBC, APS
- Main Religion: Roman Catholic
- GDP: US$17.19 billion (2021)
- GDP per capita: US$33,257.42 (2021)
- Annual Growth: 9.4%
- Inflation: 2.21%
- Land: Mostly low, rocky land with rugged, steep coastal cliffs. Major Industries: tourism; electronics, shipbuilding and repair, construction; food and beverages, textiles
- Major Trading Partners: Italy, Germany, UK
- Member of EU: Yes
- International telephone code: 356
- Internet domain: mt
Why Malta?
Situated in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea, Malta is a small archipelago of five islands – Malta (the largest), Gozo, Comino, Comminotto (Maltese, Kemmunett), and Filfla. The latter two are uninhabited. The distance between Malta and the nearest point in Sicily is 93 km while the distance from the nearest point on the North African mainland (Tunisia) is 288 km. Gibraltar lies at 1,826 km to the west while Alexandria is 1,510 km to the east. The capital city of Malta is Valletta. Malta has been deemed to be one of the safest destinations in the world.
Entertainment
Malta has a thriving entertainment district, one of envy to many other countries around the world. The most common area is known as Paceville which is found In St. Julians. Moreover when compared to other destinations, the Maltese islands offer an extensive selection beaches. People can actually have fun in a lot of different ways but Malta is a destination with something for everyone. Do you like to have a drink and dance at night? Malta’s night life could be wild or relaxing. It’s your choice. Don’t miss out on the experience of checking out the Maltese open air clubs.
Gozo and Comino have achieved the third spot from among the top 100 destinations in Europe chosen as the best sustainable tourism destinations this year in 2012.
Transport
Traffic in Malta moves on the left, as in the UK. Buses are the primary method of public transport. The service has just been restructured and is managed by Malta Public Transport. The new service operates day and night services. A ferry service operates between Gozo and Malta usually every 45 minutes in peak time.
Communication
Malta uses the GSM900 & UMTS 3G mobile phone systems. This compatible with the rest of the European countries. There are no area codes in Malta, subscribers’ numbers have eight digits. Fixed line telephone numbers have the prefix 2, while mobile telephone numbers have the prefix 7 or 9. When calling Malta from abroad, one must first dial the international code +356 and the subscriber’s number. One can find the following service providers in Malta, Melita, GO & Epic
Weather In Malta
The climate is a typically Mediterranean one with hot, dry summers, warm autumns and short, cool winters with adequate rainfall.
Temperatures are stable, the annual mean being 18°C and monthly averages ranging from 12°C to 31°C. Summers permit flight training almost every day.
Visit Malta’s weather forecast.
Healthcare In Malta
Malta has a public healthcare system, known as the government healthcare service, where healthcare is free at the point of delivery and a private healthcare system. Malta has a general solid practitioner-delivered primary care base and public hospitals provide secondary and tertiary care. The Maltese Ministry of Health advises foreign residents to take out private medical insurance.
Malta was ranked number five in the World Health Organization’s ranking of the world’s health systems compared to the United States (at 37), Australia (at 32), United Kingdom (at 18) and Canada (at 30). The healthcare system in Malta closely resembles the British system.
European Pilot Academy
Maltese History
Malta attained independence in 1964. Under the 1964 Independence Constitution, Malta was a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary state. This constitution was amended in 1974 to make Malta a republic within the Commonwealth. Its head of state is a president appointed by the Maltese Parliament which, in its turn, is elected by Universal Suffrage for a term of five years.
Carnival in Malta dates back to at least the middle of the 15th Century. Balls and dance competitions featuring the Maltija, the national dance, the Parata, a sword dance, as well as contemporary dances and defile of floats, satirical and other, are the order of this 3-day festival.
The Easter period also gives rise to a spate of Good Friday biblical character pageants in several parts of the Islands, these being colourful and devotional at the same time. Folk festivals are also popular. The principal one is l-lmnarja, an agrarian feast held on June 29, the joint feast day of St. Peter and St. Paul, and highlighted by I-ghana, a type of folksinging peculiar to the Maltese Islands.
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