Malta Maps

Malta is an island country that is located in the European Union, lying 80 kilometers, or 50 miles, away from Sicily, Italy. The country is the world’s tenth smallest country by area, covering only 316 square kilometers, or 122 square miles. However, Malta is home to a population of about 516,000 people, making the country the fourth most densely populated sovereign state. The capital city is Valletta, yet this city is still the smallest capital by both population and area in the European Union. Because of its small size, the country is instead referred to as a city-state.

Malta makes up an archipelago in the central Mediterranean. Of this archipelago, only the largest three are populated, which are Malta, Gozo, and Comino. When it comes to the landscape, the land is dominated by several limestone formations. The highest point on the island is Ta’ Dmejrek, which is located on the Dingli Cliffs and stands at an elevation of 253 meters, or 830 feet above sea level. The climate of Malta is Mediterranean, with mild winters and hot summers. Precipitation is only common during autumns and winters, so summers are usually very dry. Snow is very rare on the island, and snowfall was last recorded in 2014. The island is home to several species of plants and animals. Some of the most common trees one can find on the island are olive, carob, fig, holm oak, as well as Aleppo pine. Animals native to the island include a subspecies of a Sicilian shrew as well as numerous types of bats. Other common mammals include the Algerian hedgehog, Mediterranean chameleon, Etruscan shrew, rabbits, and weasels. Some native reptiles are the Maltese wall lizard, the ocellated skink, the Moorish and Turkish gecko, the western whip snake, and the leopard snake.

The economy of Malta is known to be advanced. Malta’s economy is very dependent on foreign trade as well. The major resource of Malta is limestone, as it is an abundant natural resource in the country. Some popular exports of Malta are refined petroleum, integrated circuits, packaged medicaments, aircraft parts, models and stuffed animals, fish fillets, as well as postage stamps. Tourism is also another way Malta is able to make revenue, as 1.6 million tourists visit Malta yearly, which means that three times more tourists visit than there are residents of Malta. Tourism accounts for 11.6% of the country’s GDP.

Similar to other developed countries in the European Union, Malta is home to an older population with relatively low birth rates. In 2016, the total fertility rate was estimated to be 1.45 children born per woman, which is below the replacement rate of 2.1. Because the country is so small, yet still home to a larger population, Malta is home to one of the largest population densities in the world, with 1,282 people per square kilometer, or 3,322 people per square mile. To compare, the average density is 54 people per square kilometer, or 140 people per square mile.