History And Geography

History

The country has a rich history spanning many centuries and what is unique about the country is that much of its ancient heritage is still visible in the primeval, medieval towns, baroque churches, and many other monuments. Based on archeological findings, the first inhabitants in the region were probably the Phoenicians who fortuitously reached the shores of the country during one of their trading ventures in the 9th century BC. After the Phoenicians, the region came under the control of the Carthaginians who ruled the region for two centuries before ceding power to the Romans who ruled the island for more than seven centuries until the 5th century AD.

The region came under the control of the Arabs who arrived from North Africa and maintained their influence over the region from the 9th to the 13th century. Their influence is easily visible in the old towns that have Arabic names such as Mdina, Rabat, Zebbug and Mgarr. Some words of the Maltese language are also similar to their Arabic counterparts such as ‘dar', which means ‘house' and ‘bir', which means ‘source'. Most of the ancient buildings and fortifications in the old towns have not changed much and are still in use.

After the Arabs, the region came under the control of the Normans whose influence over the region is visible in the distinctive architectural style used in the town of Mdina and other nearby places. The region was handed over to the Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem by Emperor Charles V in 1530. The reign of the knights left an ineradicable mark on the region in the form of impressive baroque architecture, especially in the old town of Valetta.

The French troops captured the region in 1798 and ruled for a brief period of two years before being driven out by the British in the beginning of the 19th century. The British ruled the region until 1964 when the country finally achieved its independence.

Geography

The archipelago of Malta is located at 35° 50' north and 14° 5' east. It is situated at a distance of 180 miles from the northern coast of Tunisia, Africa and some 60 miles south of Sicily. The main island in the region, Malta, is 16.77 miles long and 8.69 miles wide. The other key islands in the region are Gozo, Comino, Cominotto, and Filfla out of which only Gozo and Comino are inhabited. The serration around the coastline of these islands has resulted in the natural creation of sandy beaches, bays, rocky inlets, and deep natural harbors. In recent years, deep-sea explorations have indicated that the continental shelf between Malta and Tunisia has vast amounts of oil.

Water dominates the landscape of the region, which is an archipelago of coralline limestone. The landscape of the country is characterized by terraced farmlands and low hills. The highest point in Malta is the Ta' Dmejrek, which is situated at an altitude of 830 feet above sea level. Of the 316 square miles of land area, 38 % is arable land and 3 % is used for cultivating permanent crops.