Malta

Vitial Statistics

Population: 400,000
Area : 320 sq km. Gozo: 67 sq km. Comino: 2.5 sq km
Capital: Valletta
Language : Malti
Religion : Roman Catholic
Time Zones : GMT +1 hr
Currency : Euro.
Electricity : 220/240-volt and 110 for shavers.
Weights and Measures : metric
International Dialling Code : 356

The Place

Like all islands subject to the vagaries of modern tourism, Malta throws up sharp contrasts, which are made all the more striking because of the island's tiny size. Ancient temples, some of the oldest structures on earth, and the massive fortifications and palazzi of the Knights of the Order of St John rub shoulders with the increasing sprawl of modern Malta and its tourist infrastructure.

Considerable wealth mingles on Malta with a simple hardworking lifestyle. The unspoiled countryside is threatened and the wealthy Maltese are moving to Gozo, the smaller island to the northwest, to get back to the pleasures of a simpler, greener way of life.

Nowadays, however, Gozo is under pressure too as it gears itself up, albeit on a smaller scale, to offering visitors the type of facilities that they have come to expect from other Mediterranean resorts.This should not diminish the attractions of the islands. As marinas grow and welcome larger and more expensive yachts, and as 5-star hotels claim the coastline and prime spots overlooking the harbour, so the overall quality of accommodation and restaurants improves.

Malta's beaches and water sports are developing to offer a wider variety of activities and facilities are improving for locals as much as for visitors.

The People

In spite of being conquered, subjugated and led over the centuries by the powerful nations of the times, and bearing faces that even now reflect some of that past with features recalling the Romans, Arabs and Phoenicians, the Maltese have doggedly clung to insular individuality. With roots planted firmly in a group of tiny islands, there is a strong sense of identity born out of a mixture of self-preservation and stubbornness, qualities the Maltese have in abundance.

The Maltese love the opportunity to be generous, especially during the parish festa when the patron saint is celebrated. Even in the simplest rural community they enjoy being hospitable and sharing what they have: a whisky, a soft drink, a cup of tea, their friendship. Maltese Neolithic temples dating to 4800 BC are the earliest free-standing monuments in stone in the world. Once the Order of St John took control of the island the Italian influence on architecture changed Malta's landscape. Francesco Buonamici was chief engineer from 1634 to 1659 and Lorenzo Gafa is responsible for many of the splendid churches that have come to typify and symbolise the Maltese islands. Gerolamo Cassar is to Valletta what Christopher Wren was to London, designing numerous buildings throughout the city.

St John's Knights left more than their stylish architecture behind. The Catholic Church dominates religious life on Malta, yet it is an island of superstition where pagan symbols are omnipresent and luck is a way of life.

The Climate

The climate of Malta has been the nation's fortune. Even in winter the temperature rarely drops below 12°C (54°F). Snows or frosts are unknown and the rare rainfall is only likely between November and February. During the summer months it can top 43°C (110°F), although the high 20°s C (upper 80°s F) is more usual.

April and May are delightful, although some people will not find the sea warm enough for swimming. Flowers are in full bloom, temperatures are balmy, and the crowds have not yet arrived. Summer starts in early June, warms up until August and cools down in October. This is when the sea is at its best. Avoid July and August if you want to miss the crowds.

September and October are great: no flowers, but the warm seas more than compensate. December is also pleasant; after the short rainy season, daisies and mustard plants form a yellow carpet over much of the island.   

10 Things you probably didn't know about Malta...

1. The megalithic temples at Ggantija, Hagar Qim and Mnajdra, which date from circa 3200 BC, are the oldest free-standing man-made structures in the world. Some of the temples' stone blocks stand 6 metres (20 ft) tall and weigh up to 50 tonnes.
2. It was the Romans who first named the islands Melita, meaning honey, after the rich sweet variety produced by the local bees.
3. The Knights of the Order of St John, who ruled Malta for over 250 years, are recognised as a sovereign state; their headquarters in Rome issues its own stamps and has a diplomatic corps and a head of state, the prince and Grand Master.
4. St Paul the Apostle was shipwrecked on Malta in AD 60; a grotto in Rabat is named in his honour, where he is thought to have sought refuge and prayed, before being taken for trial in Rome.
5. Malta has been a popular location for several major films over the years: parts of Midnight Express were filmed at the grim barracks of Fort St Elmo in Valletta, and the remains of a whole fishing village were built on Anchor Bay (Il-Prajjet) for the film Popeye, and Gladiator and Troy were filmed in Fort Ricasoli, at the entrance to Grand Harbour.
6. Tradition has it that Gozo - Malta's second island - was Homer's Ogygia, where the nymph Calypso held the Greek hero captive for seven years.
7. Pirates invaded Gozo in 1551, devastating the whole island and carrying off almost the entire population of 5,000 into slavery.
8. Two 17th-century cannons that used to stand outside Mdina Cathedral were taken to London for display at the Artillery Museum in Woolwich, but were returned in 1888 at the request of Malta's governor.
9. Malta is a top site for divers, with crystal-clear waters all around its shores; besides the 40 or so species of fish that can be seen, there are several historic wrecks, including a World War II destroyer, HMS Maori, the remains of a Blenheim bomber and a Mosquito fighter plane.
10. In June 2007 Pope Benedict declared Dun Gorg Preca a saint, the first-ever Maltese saint.
    

Tourism website: www.visitmalta.com