Key facts, figures, public holiday listing and other information about Malta and its history.

Fast facts
The Maltese archipelago includes the islands of Malta, Gozo, Comino, Comminotto and Filfla. Located south of the Italian island of Sicily between Europe and North Africa, it has been occupied by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and latterly France and Britain. Independence from Britain was achieved in 1964 after the Maltese people were awarded the George Cross for defending the island during World War II. Malta was the smallest of the 10 countries to join the European in May 2004. It joined the eurozone in 2008.

Full name: Republic of Malta
Nationality: noun: Maltese (singular and plural); adjective: Maltese
Population: 405,165 (July 2010 est)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.1% (male 33,526/female 31,780); 15-64 years: 69.4% (male 142,491/female 138,769); 65 years and over: 14.5% (male 25,406/female 33,193) (2010 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.4% (2010 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
Ethnic groups: Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
Capital: Valletta
Area: 316 sq km (122 sq miles)
Major languages: Maltese, English
Religions: Roman Catholic 98%
Languages: Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.8% (2005 census)
Monetary unit: euro from January 1, 2008
Main exports: machinery and transport equipment
GDP – real growth rate: -1.2% (2009 est)
GDP – composition by sector: agriculture: 1.7%; industry: 17.4%; services: 80.9% (2007 est)
Public debt: 69% of GDP (2009 est)
Industries: tourism, electronics, ship building and repair, construction, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, footwear, clothing, tobacco, aviation services, financial services, information technology services
Export partners: Singapore 12.45%, Germany 12.11%, France 12.1%, US 10.07%, Hong Kong 6.93%, UK 6.07%, Libya 5.38% (2009)
Import partners: Italy 24.29%, UK 11.8%, Germany 9.28%, France 7.99%, China 4.56%, Singapore 4.11%, Switzerland 4.05% (2009)
Internet domain: .mt
International dialling code: +356
Source: BBC and CIA World Factbook.

Media
Many of Malta's newspapers and broadcasters have strong political affiliations. Dailies and weeklies appear in Maltese and English. Malta Television launched in 1962, five years after the islanders started receiving TV signals from Italy. Italian channels remain popular. The first private broadcasting licences were granted to the two major political parties and the Catholic Church. There is now a proliferation of privately-run radio stations and several TV channels. Cable TV was introduced in 1992 and satellite TV is widely-watched.
Print  Times of Malta (daily); Malta Independent (daily); It-Torca (weekly) owned by General Workers' Union; Il-Mument (weekly) owned by Nationalist Party; In-Nazzjon (daily), owned by Nationalist Party; L-Orrizont (daily) owned by General Workers' Union; Malta Today
Broadcast Television Malta (TVM) (public); Super One TV, owned by Malta Labour Party; Net TV owned by Nationalist Party
Radio Malta (public); Super One Radio owned by Malta Labour Party; Radio 101 owned by Nationalist Party; Bay Radio private, FM music station; RTK Catholic Church station
Internet MaltaMedia; di-ve.com; altarightnow.com in Maltese; maltastar.com;

Source: BBC and CIA World Factbook.


2011 public holidays
January 1 New Year's day
February 10 St Paul's Shipwreck
March 8 Carnival / Mardi Gras
March 19 St Joseph's day
March 31 National day
April 22 Good Friday
May 1 Worker's day
June 7 1919 Commemoration
June 29 St Peter and St Paul's day
July 21 St George Festa
August 15 Assumption of the Virgin Mary
September 8 Feast of Our Lady of Victories
September 21 Independence day
December 8 Immaculate Conception
December 13 Republic day
December 25 Christmas day

History
Maltese culture stems largely from its history of domination by Arab, Norman, European and English influences as well as from the widespread prevalence of the Roman Catholic church. Folk traditions have grown mainly around the festas held in honour of the patron saints of towns and villages. These are marked by religious ceremonies, processions and celebrations.

Folk festivals are also popular. The principal one is l-Imnajdra, an agrarian feast held on June 29, the joint feast day of St Peter and St Paul and highlighted by ghana, a type of folk singing peculiar to the Maltese Islands.

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 floats are common during this four-day festival.

Malta has many walled cities, churches and chapels in a small area. The walled cities are Valletta, Mdina, Floriana, Cospicua, Senglea and Vittoriosa.

Mdina, Malta’s old capital city, is among the world’s oldest cities. The history of Mdina and its suburb, Rabat, is as old as the history of Malta itself. Its origin can be traced back over 4,000 years.

The old capital is a typical mediaeval town situated in the centre of the Maltese islands. Known as the ‘Silent City’, Mdina commands a panoramic view of the island. It is fully inhabited.

Mdina was first populated by the Phoenicians around 1000 BC. When Malta came under the Romans, the governor chose to build his palace there and the city also housed the government.

The city’s present day name dates from the Saracens who came to Malta around 870 AD. They surrounded the city with thicker walls, separating it from its nearest town, Rabat.

Its narrow streets and ways give visitors access to the best Norman and Baroque architecture on the island. Several palaces are in the city, most now private homes. The cathedral is fronted by a large square, the only open space.

Rabat was originally an agricultural town and is surrounded on all sides by open and fertile countryside.

On the perimeter of the road that separates Mdina from Rabat is the Roman Villa, a significant Roman archaeological site discovered in 1881. The main attraction is the mosaic floor.

Close to St Paul’s church, reputedly Malta’s first parish church which also houses a grotto that was used by St Paul during his stay on Malta, are the catacombs. These are tombs and tunnels dug out of stone which according to legend served as a hiding place for St Agatha who fled Sicily in 249 AD trying to avoid marrying the then governor of Catania, Quintanus. There are also frescoes dating back to the Byzantine period (circa 395-870 AD)

Close to Rabat on the way to Dingli lies the Verdala Palace, built in 1586 for the eponymous Grand Master. It is surrounded by the largest concentration of fir and olive trees in Malta above the citrus groves of Buskett Gardens.

A short distance away is the Dingli Cliffs, Malta’s highest point. These dramatic sheer cliff faces offer great views, particularly of Filfla, a protected islet in the distance.

Source: maltaonline.info