Malta – an Overview

For those of you who don't know a thing about Malta, here's some excerpts
from the fact sheet I prepared for the ship.

Malta is an independent, island country located south of Sicily and
northeast of Tunisia in the Mediterranean. The small country has a long
and important history due to its location in the narrow strait between
Europe and Africa. The nation is made up of 3 islands; Gozo, Comino and
Malta. These islands were settled around 4000 B.C. by Sicilians,
Carthaginians and Phoenicians who are the antecedents of the present day
Maltese. Besides these settlers, Malta has been ruled over the millennia
by the Romans, the Byzantines, the Normans, the Aragonese, the Arabs, the
Knights of St. John, the French and finally the British before becoming an
independent nation in 1964. It is a land that has absorbed many cultures
into one of its own.

It is a member of the European Union. English and Malti are the two
official languages of the country.

Malta is a VERY Catholic country, claiming to be one of the oldest
Christian societies in the world. They were converted by the Apostle Paul
who was shipwrecked on the island of Malta in 60 AD on his way to Rome to
face trial before Caesar. For a small country Malta has a lot of churches,
313 on Malta and 46 on Gozo. These churches, ranging from small country
churches to large, ornate cathedrals, are among the main tourist
attractions here. .

The Knights of St. John (also known as the Knights Hospitaliers) were very
influential to Malta's history. Many of the sights around the island
concern them. They were the world's first multi-national organization and
it still exists today. Originally an order of monks who tended to the sick
and wounded on pilgrimages from Europe to the Holy Land, they became a
rich and powerful military organization. The Holy Roman Emperor gave
Malta to the Knights in the 16th century and they owned it until Napoleon
expelled them in 1798.

When Napoleon was defeated, the British took over and ruled until 1964.
Malta was the long time the headquarters of the British Mediterranean
fleet and is rich in British naval history.

Valleta is the capital of the country. It was founded in 1565 by the
Knights who had successfully defended Malta, and subsequently southern
Europe, from the invading Turks. After the siege, using monies given to
them by grateful European monarchs, the Knights moved their capital from
the fortress of Mdina in the center of the island, to the new city
constructed on the north.

There are other small cities located close to Valleta. To the southeast
are the Three Cities of Vitoriosa, Senglea and Cospicua. In Senglea you
can find the 5000 year old Tarxien Temple, which along with the other
temples in the southeast, are the oldest standing buildings in the world.

The walled fortress of Mdina and the surrounding town of Rabat are the
most interesting sites of the central and southwest part of the Island.
The southwest coast is beautiful and rugged with high cliffs and grottoes..
Here you will also find the magnificent old ruins of prehistoric temples,
built 1,000 years before the pyramids of Egypt. There are also many
quaint fishing villages that seem to have been passed-by by the 21st
century.

The outer islands of Gozo and Comino are reachable by ferry or excursion
boat. They are much quieter than Malta, with fewer amenities. On Comino
is the Blue Lagoon (not to be mistaken with the one in Iceland). It is
considered to be the most beautiful swimming and diving area in Malta.
Gozo is quiet and picturesque with small villages and scenic farmlands.