Explore Malta

Location:
Malta

Currency:
Maltese lira (MTL)

Communications:
The telephone code for Malta: + 356

About:
Malta, a country composed of three major islands, is located in the Mediterranean Sea, just 58 miles south of Sicily, Italy.

Once part of the Roman Empire, it was seized and controlled by many factions over the centuries, including Napoleon.

Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964.

A decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May 2004.

With sparse areas of fertile land, its shipping and port facilities are economically important, but it's tourism that provides the major financial impact.