MALTA, Gozo and Comino, the inhabited
islands of the Maltese archipelago, lie at almost the exact geographical
heart of the Mediterranean Sea. With Sicily some 95 kms to the North,
Tripoli 350 kms to the South and Tunis 320 kms to the West, Malta is
virtually at the crossroads between continents. The islands' strategic
position has, in fact, made them subject to a succession of rulers, who
in turn left their influence on the country and language as we know them
today. Malta's pre-history dates back to 5000 B.C., whilst its
documented past is traceable over a period of 2000 years.
In
1964 Malta obtained its political independence from Britain and in 1974
it became a Republic. Elections to the House of Representatives are
held every five years. Malta is a member of the United Nations and its
various organisations and ever since 1964 has taken an active role in
United Nations affairs. In 1967 Malta launched the idea of seabed
resources being the common heritage of mankind. Malta became a full
member of the EU on 1 May, 2004.
The national
language is Maltese which is a complex derivative of Semitic and Romance
languages using a primarily Latin alphabet but also including a number
of additional letters which originate in the Arab language. English is
also an official language. The climate is typically Mediterranean,
having mild winters and hot summers. Malta has a population of 400,000
and is visited annually by over a million tourists. Air Malta and other
international airlines link Malta with the major European and North
African cities. There are daily connections to London (Heathrow and
Gatwick Airports) and Rome as well as frequent direct flights to Milan,
Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt, Zurich, Athens, Tunis, Cairo, Tel Aviv and
Dubai. A sophisticated telecommunications system, cardphone/internet
booths and internet cafés, ensure easy international links. The capital
city is Valletta commissioned by Grandmaster La Vallette after the Great
Siege of 1565.
