Island of Malta

The Island of Malta. The Maltese islands are situated in the middle of the Mediterranean, with the largest island, Malta, lying south of Sicily.

Malta Island is the largest of the three islands that constitute the Maltese archipelago and Republic of Malta. Malta is in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea directly south of Italy and north of Libya. The area is 246 km˛ (95 square miles). The highest point of the archipelago, at 253 m, is Ta' Dbiegi on the island of Gozo. The capital is Valletta. The landscape is characterised by low hills with terraced fields.

With over 7000 years of history to explore, the islands of Malta are a fascinating place to travel. Like a giant open-air museum, so much of Malta’s past is still visible today. Explore some of the oldest structures in the world in Malta. Retrace the footsteps of St. Paul, visit the grounds of the crusades, or explore medieval dungeons. Malta’s scenery is truly amazing.

The tiny island of Malta, located off the coast of Sicily, gained international importance in 1530 when it became the new home of the Knights of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, thereafter known as the Knights of Malta. The Knights found a sparsely populated island with one city (called Mdina, meaning "City"), no water supply, but a superb harbor. The Knights of Malta fought against the Ottoman Turks, and became famous for having withstood the Turkish Siege of Malta in 1565. The maps of Malta in the collection of the Malta Study Center show the population growth and development of Malta under the Knights. The navigational charts show its importance as a strategic Mediterranean port.

The first impression, if you come to summer, is of a dry, barren, treeless rock. The other striking factor is the scale of the development which spreads out in all directions. Valletta is the capital city. The island of Malta is now working hard to boost its image. The 1990s saw major renovations of hotels, particularly those in the 4 to 5 star category. Malta's biggest tourist resorts are Sliema and St Paul's Bay (including Bugibba, Qawra) in the north.