25 Momentous Facts About Malta

Looking to impress your mates? Brush up on your worldly knowledge, starting with these 25 facts about Malta!interesting facts about Malta

Geographical stats…

  1. Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean and forms part of Europe.
  2. Its nearest neighbours are Italy to the north, Greece to the east, Libya to the south and Tunisia to the west.
  3. To explore the amazing cultural wonders and stunning coastline that Malta has to offer, head for the coordinates of 35.8833° N, 14.5000° E for your very own Maltese adventure!
  4. The terrain here is mostly low, rocky and flat, with many coastal cliffs.
  5. The total land area of Malta is 122 square miles (316 square kilometres)…
  6. …that’s less than 1/5th of the size of the Isle of Skye…
  7. …this also makes it the smallest country in the European Union!
  8. Malta’s population was 413,965 in 2015…
  9. …that’s more than 40 times the population of the Isle of Skye!
  10. Residents here are known as Maltese.
  11. The capital is Valletta; it covers an area of 0.3 square miles (0.8 square kilometres) and had a population of 5,721 in 2013.
  12. The maltese enjoy a mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. On average, there are 300 days of sunshine in Malta and a temperature of 18.9°C – sounds perfect!
  13. Malta is home to some of the oldest freestanding stone buildings in the world; built between 4000-5000BC, the Megalithic Monuments of Malta are one of 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Malta and a renowned tourist attraction.
  14. Before Malta’s roads were paved, people were paid to water the soil roads to stop bacteria and viruses being swept up into the air by the motion of the carriage wheels!
  15. Originally built for the 1980 film Popeye, Sweethaven Village (also known as Popeye’s Village) is now a tourist attraction and theme park!

Social intricacies

  1. The official languages of Malta are Maltese and English.
  2. Unlike many other European countries, Maltese drive on the left hand side of the road, just like in the UK.
  3. Malta gained independence from the UK in 1964.
  4. Despite a population of only 413,965, Malta welcomes more than 1,000,000 tourists each year!
  5. Euro is the official currency here.
  6. The average life span here is 80 years.

Industry insights…

  1. Malta grows potatoes, grapes, cauliflowers and wheat; they also rear pigs.
  2. Its industry consists of tourism, electronics, ship building and ship repair.
  3. The main exports include machinery, transport equipment and manufactures.

Bonus Fact!

  1. Do you know someone lucky enough to live in Malta? You can make cheap calls to Malta with Cherry Call – don’t forget, you’ll also need to use the international dialling code of 00356.

To keep up-to-date with what’s going on in Malta, head over to the Times of Malta website

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