Malta’s history has been profoundly shaped by its strategic position between Europe and Africa, and along key routes linking the East and West. This central Mediterranean location made the islands attractive to successive civilisations and empires.

Till recently, scientists believed that early settlers, who were farmers, arrived in Malta around 7500 years ago. Yet, a new discovery in 2025, led by two Maltese archaeologists, established that humans were on the island at least 8,500 years ago, if not 9,000 years ago. These humans were the last surviving hunter-gatherers of the last European ice age!

Neolithic communities who built monumental megalithic temples followed. From the first millennium BC, the Phoenicians and later the Carthaginians used Malta as a trading hub. Roman rule followed in 218 BC, integrating the islands into a vast imperial network.

After the fall of Rome, Malta passed through Byzantine and Arab rule, the latter leaving a lasting imprint on the Maltese language and culture. In 1530, the Knights of St. John transformed Malta into a fortified stronghold, particularly after the Great Siege of 1565, reinforcing its role as a frontier between Christian Europe and the Ottoman world.

French rule in 1798 was brief, and British control followed in 1800, further enhancing Malta’s strategic military importance. During World War II, Malta’s position made it a crucial Allied base, resulting in heavy bombardment.

Malta gained independence in 1964 and later joined the European Union in 2004, continuing to balance its European identity with its Mediterranean and North African connections.