Malta - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Malta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta[02/06/2013 06:43:14]

Malta

Republic of MaltaRepubblika ta' Malta

Flag Coat of arms

Anthem: L-Innu MaltiThe Maltese Hymn

Location of Malta (dark green) in Europe (green & dark grey) in the European Union (green) [Legend]

Capital Valletta3553N 1430E

Largest city Birkirkara355348N 142745E

Official languages Maltese (national / official)English (official)

Ethnic groups(2007[1])

95.3% Maltese1.6% British3.1% others

Demonym Maltese

Government Parliamentary republic - President George Abela - Prime Minister Joseph Muscat

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the Mediterranean country. For other uses, see Malta (disambiguation).

Malta i/ m lt/ (Maltese: Repubblika ta'Malta[needs Maltese IPA]) is a southern Europeancountry in the Mediterranean Sea 80 km (50 mi) southof Sicily and 333 km (207 mi) north of Libya. Maltacovers just over 316 km2 (122 sq mi), making it oneof the world's smallest[8][9][10] and most denselypopulated countries. The capital of Malta is Valletta.There are two official languages: Maltese and English.

Malta's location has given it great strategic importancethroughout history and a succession of powersincluding the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans,Aragonese, Habsburg Spain, Knights of St John,French and the British ruled the islands. Malta gainedindependence from the United Kingdom in 1964 andbecame a republic in 1974. Malta was admitted to theUnited Nations in 1964 and to the European Union in2004; in 2008, it became part of the eurozone.

Malta has a long Christian legacy and is an Apostolicsee. According to the Acts of the Apostles,[11] St.Paul was shipwrecked on Malta.[12] Catholicism is theofficial religion in Malta.[13][14]

Malta is a tourist destination with numerousrecreational areas and historical monuments, includingnine UNESCO World Heritage Sites,[15] mostprominently the Megalithic Temples which are some ofthe oldest free-standing structures in theworld.[16][17][18]

Contents [hide]

1 Etymology2 History

2.1 Prehistory2.2 Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans2.3 The Arab period and the Middle Ages2.4 Knights of Malta and Napoleon2.5 British Empire and World War II2.6 Independence and Republic

3 Politics

Read Edit View historyArticle Talk

Main pageContentsFeatured contentCurrent eventsRandom articleDonate to Wikipedia

HelpAbout WikipediaCommunity portalRecent changesContact Wikipedia

Ach

AfrikaansAlemannisch

nglisc

Aragons

ArmneashceArpetanAsturianuAvae'

Azrbaycanca

Bn-lm-g

()

Bikol CentralBislama

Boarisch

Interaction

Toolbox

Print/export

Languages

0:00 MENU

Create account Log in



Legislature House of Representatives

Independence - from the United

Kingdom21 September 1964

- Republic 13 December 1974

Area - Total 316 km2 (200th)

121 sq mi - Water (%) 0.001

Population - 2011 estimate 452,515[2] (171st) - 2007 census 410,567[3]a

- Density 1,306.8/km2 (7th)3,413.9/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2012 estimate - Total $11.260 billion[4]

- Per capita $27,022[4]

GDP (nominal) 2012 estimate - Total $8.689 billion[4]

- Per capita $20,852[4]

Gini (2007) 26.0[5]low

HDI (2013) 0.847[6]very high 32nd

Currency Euro ()b (EUR)

Time zone CET (UTC+1) - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Date format dd/mm/yyyy (AD)

Drives on the left

Calling code +356

ISO 3166 code MT

Internet TLD .mt c

Total population includes foreign residents. Malteseresidents population estimate at end 2004 was 389,769.

All official population data provided by the NSO.[7]

Maltese lira before 2008.

Also .eu, shared with other European Union memberstates.

3.1 Administrative divisions3.2 Military

4 Geography4.1 Climate

5 Economy5.1 Banking and finance5.2 Transport5.3 Communications5.4 Currency5.5 Tourism5.6 Science and technology5.7 Poverty

6 Demographics6.1 Languages6.2 Religion6.3 Migration

6.3.1 Inbound migration6.3.2 Outbound migration

6.4 Education6.5 Healthcare

7 Culture7.1 Music7.2 Literature7.3 Art and architecture7.4 Cuisine7.5 Customs7.6 Traditions7.7 Festivals7.8 Holidays7.9 Sport

8 Media9 See also10 References11 External links

Etymology refers to the historical derivation of words.The origin of the term Malta is uncertain, and the modern-day variation derives from the Malteselanguage. The most common etymology is that the word Malta derives from the Greek word (meli), "honey".[19] The Greeks called the island (Melit) meaning "honey-sweet" (which wasalso the name of a Nereid[20]), possibly due to Malta's unique production of honey; an endemicspecies of bee lives on the island, giving it the popular nickname the "land of honey".[21] TheRomans went on to call the island Melita,[22] which is the latinisation of the Greek .[23]

Another theory suggests that the word Malta comes from the Phoenician word Maleth meaning "ahaven"[24] in reference to Malta's many bays and coves. The current term Malta was introducedduring the Kingdom of Sicily period.

Main articles: History of Malta and Timeline of Maltese history

Etymology [edit]

History [edit]

a.

b.

c.

BosanskiBrezhoneg

Catal

Cebuanoesky

CorsuCymraegDanskDeutsch

DolnoserbskiEesti

Emilin e rumagnlEspaol

EsperantoEstremeuEuskaraE egbe

Fiji HindiFroysktFranaisFryskFurlanGaeilgeGaelgGagauzGidhligGalego

Hak-k-fa

Hawai`i

Hornjoserbsce

HrvatskiIdoIlokano

Bahasa IndonesiaInterlinguaInterlingue

IsiZulu



See also: Megalithic Temples of Malta, Hypogeum of al Saflieni, Gar Dalam, and HeritageGroup Malta

Pottery found by archaeologists at Skorba resembles thatfound in Italy, and suggests that the Maltese islands werefirst settled in 5200 BC mainly by stone age hunters orfarmers who had arrived from the larger island of Sicily,possibly the Sicani. The extinction of the dwarf hippos anddwarf elephants has been linked to the earliest arrival ofhumans on Malta.[25] Prehistoric farming settlementsdating to Early Neolithic period were discovered in openareas and also in caves, such as Gar Dalam.[26]

The Sicani were the only tribe known to have inhabited theisland at this time[27][28] and are generally regarded asrelated to the Iberians.[29] The population on Malta grew cereals, raised domestic livestock and, incommon with other ancient Mediterranean cultures, worshiped a fertility figure represented in Malteseprehistoric artefacts as exhibiting the large proportions seen in similar statuettes, including the Venusof Willendorf.

Pottery from the GarDalam phase is similar topottery found inAgrigento, Sicily. Aculture of megalithictemple builders theneither supplanted orarose from this earlyperiod. During 3500 BC,these people built someof the oldest existing,

free-standing structures in the world in the form of the megalithicgantija temples on Gozo;[30] other early temples include those ataar Qim and Mnajdra.[18][31][32]

The temples have distinctive architecture, typically a complex trefoildesign, and were used from 4000 to 2500 BC. Animal bones and aknife found behind a removable altar stone suggest that temple rituals included animal sacrifice.Tentative information suggests that the sacrifices were made to the goddess of fertility, whose statueis now in the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta.[33] The culture apparently disappearedfrom the Maltese Islands around 2500 BC. Archaeologists speculate that the temple builders fellvictim to famine or disease. Others have speculated on the links between this event and Plato'saccount of the disappearance of Atlantis.

Another interesting archaeological feature of the Maltese islands often attributed to these ancientbuilders, are equidistant uniform grooves dubbed "cart tracks" or "cart ruts" which can be found inseveral locations throughout the islands with the most prominent being those found in an area ofMalta named "Clapham Junction". These may have been caused by wooden-wheeled carts erodingsoft limestone.[34][35]

After 2500 BC, the Maltese Islands were depopulated for several decades until the arrival of a newinflux of Bronze Age immigrants, a culture that cremated its dead and introduced smaller megalithicstructures called dolmens to Malta.[36] In most cases we are dealing with small chambers here, with

Prehistory [edit]

Prehistoric pygmy elephant, discoveredin Gar Dalam

gantija megalithic temple complex

The temple complex ofMnajdra

slenskaItaliano

Basa JawaKalaallisut

Kapampangan-

Kaszbsczi

KernowekKinyarwandaKiswahili

KongoKreyl ayisyenKurdLadinoLatgau

LatinaLatvieuLtzebuergeschLietuvi

LigureLimburgsLinglaLojbanLumbaartMagyar

Malagasy

MaltiMori

Bahasa MelayuMirands

Nhuatl

Dorerin NaoeroNederlandsNedersaksies

Nordfriisk



the cover made of a large slab placed on upright stones. They are claimed to belong to a populationcertainly different from that which built the previous megalithic temples. It is presumed the populationarrived from Sicily because of the similarity of Maltese dolmens to some small constructions found inthe largest island of the Mediterranean sea.[37]

See also: Magna Graecia, Phoenicia, Ancient Rome, Sicilia (Roman province), and ByzantineEmpire

Phoenician traders,[38] who used the islands as a stop on their trade routes from the easternMediterranean to Cornwall, joined the natives on the island.[39] The Phoenicians inhabited the areanow known as Mdina, and its surrounding town of Rabat, which they called Maleth.[40] The Romans,who also lived in Mdina, referred to it (and the island) as Melita.[22]

After the fall of Phoenicia, in 400 BC the area came underthe control of Carthage, a former Phoenician colony.[41]

During this time the people on Malta mainly cultivatedolives and carobs, and produced textiles.[41]

During the First Punic War of 264 BC, tensions led theMaltese people to rebel against Carthage and turn controlof their garrison over to the Roman consul Sempronius.[22]

Malta remained loyal to Rome during the Second PunicWar and the Romans rewarded it with the title FoederataCivitas, a designation that meant it was exempt frompaying tribute or the rule of Roman law, although at thistime it fell within the jurisdiction of the province of

Sicily.[22]

By 117 AD, the Maltese Islands were a thriving part of the Roman Empire, being promoted to thestatus of Municipium under Hadrian.

When the Roman Empire split into Eastern and Western divisions in the 4th century, Malta fell underthe control of the Greek speaking Byzantine Empire from 395 to 870,[38] which ruled fromConstantinople.[42] Although Malta was under Byzantine rule for four centuries, not much is knownfrom this period. There is evidence that Germanic tribes, including the Goths and Vandals, brieflytook control of the islands before the Byzantines launched a counterattack and retook Malta.[42]

See also: Byzantine-Arab Wars, Emirate of Sicily, County of Sicily, Kingdom of Sicily, and Crownof Aragon

Malta became involved inthe ArabByzantineWars, and the conquestof Malta is closely linkedwith that of Sicily thatbegan in 827 afteradmiral Euphemius'betrayal of his fellowByzantines, requestingthat the Aghlabid dynastyinvade the island.[43] TheArab chronicler and geographer al-Himyari recounts that in 870 AD,

Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans [edit]

Roman mosaic from Rabat, Malta.

The Arab period and the Middle Ages [edit]

Flag of the Aragonese Kingdom of Sicily

Norfuk / PitkernNorsk bokmlNorsk nynorskNouormandNovialOccitan

O zbekcha

PiemontisPlattdtschPolski

PortugusQaraqalpaqshaQrmtatarca

Romn

RomaniRumantschRuna Simi

SmegiellaGagana Samoa

SarduScotsSeelterskShqipSicilianuSimple EnglishSiSwati

Slovenina

Slovenina

lnski

Soomaaliga

/ srpski

Srpskohrvatski /

Basa SundaSuomiSvenskaTagalog



following a violent struggle against the occupying Byzantines, theArab invaders, first led by Halaf al-Hadim, and later by Sawada ibnMuhammad, looted and pillaged the island, destroying the mostimportant buildings, and leaving it practically uninhabited until it was

recolonised by the Arabs from Sicily in 10481049 AD. It is uncertain whether this new settlementtook place as a consequence of demographic expansion in Sicily, as a result of a higher standard ofliving in Sicily (in which case the recolonisation may have taken place a few decades earlier), or asa result of civil war which broke out among Arab rulers of Sicily in 1038.[44] The Arabs introducednew irrigation, some fruits and cotton and the Siculo-Arabic language was adopted on the island fromSicily: it would eventually evolve into the Maltese language.[45]

The Christians in the island were allowed freedom of religion; they had to pay jizya, a tax for non-Muslims, but were exempt from the tax that Muslims had to pay (Zakaat).[46] The Normans in 1091,as part of their conquest of Sicily the Norman leader, Roger I of Sicily, was welcomed by the nativeChristians.[22] The notion that Count Roger I reportedly tore off a portion of his checkered red-and-white banner and presented it to the Maltese forming the basis of the present-day Maltese flag ingratitude for having fought on his behalf is founded in myth.[22][47]

The Norman period was productive; Malta became part of thenewly formed Kingdom of Sicily which also covered the island ofSicily and the southern half of the Italian Peninsula.[22] TheCatholic Church was reinstated as the state religion with Maltaunder the See of Palermo, and some Norman architecture sprungup around Malta especially in its ancient capital Mdina.[22] Tancredof Sicily, the last Norman monarch, made Malta a feudal lordship orfief within the kingdom and installed a Count of Malta. As theislands were much desired due to their strategic importance, it wasduring this time the men of Malta were militarised to fend offcapture attempts; the early counts were skilled Genoesecorsairs.[22]

The kingdom passed on to the House of Hohenstaufen from 1194until 1266. During this period, when Frederick II of Hohenstaufenbegan to reorganise his Sicilian kingdom, Western culture andreligion began to exert their influence more intensely.[48] Maltaformed part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation for 72years. Malta was declared a county and a marquisate, but its trade was totally ruined. For a longtime it remained solely a fortified garrison.[49] It was in 1224 under Frederick II that all remainingMuslims (who were not Moors) were expelled from Malta[50] or impelled to convert[51][52] and theentire Christian male population of Celano in Abruzzo was deported to Malta.[22]

For a brief period the kingdom passed to the Capetian House ofAnjou, but high taxes made the dynasty unpopular in Malta, due inpart to Charles of Anjou's war against the Republic of Genoa, andthe island of Gozo was sacked in 1275.[22] A large revolt on Sicilyknown as the Sicilian Vespers followed these attacks, that saw thePeninsula separating into the Kingdom of Naples. Malta fell underthe rule of the Aragonese in 1282.[53]

Relatives of the kings of Aragon ruled the island until 1409, when itpassed to the Crown of Aragon. Early on in the Aragoneseascendancy the sons of the monarchy received the title, "Count ofMalta". During this time much of the local nobility was created.

Roger I of Sicily returnedMalta to Christian rule.

Ottoman map of Malta, by PiriReis

Tarandne/tatara

Tetun

TrkeTrkmeneTwi

/ UyghurcheVnetoVepsn kelTing Vit

VolapkVroWalonWest-VlamsWinarayWolof

Yorb

ZazakiZeuwsemaitka

Edit links



However by 1397 the bearing of the title "Count of Malta" revertedto a feudal basis with two families fighting over the distinction,which caused much distress. This led the king to abolish the title.Dispute over the title returned when the title was reinstated a fewyears later and the Maltese, led by the local nobility, rose upagainst Count Gonsalvo Monroy.[22] Although they opposed theCount, the Maltese voiced their loyalty to the Sicilian Crown, which so impressed Alfonso IV that hedid not punish the people for their rebellion but promised never to grant the title to a third party,instead incorporating it back into the crown. The city of Mdina was given the title of Citt Notabile asa result of this sequence of events.[22]

See also: Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Knights Hospitaller, and Great Siege of Malta

In 1530 Emperor Charles V gave the islands to the KnightsHospitaller under the leadership of Frenchman Philippe de Villiersde L'Isle-Adam, Grand Master of the Order, in perpetual lease forwhich they had to pay the Tribute of the Maltese Falcon. Theseknights, a military religious order now known as the Knights ofMalta, had been driven out of Rhodes by the Ottoman Empire in1522.

In 1551, Barbary corsairs enslaved the entire population of theMaltese island Gozo, about 5,000, deporting them to the Barbarycoast.

The knights, led by Frenchman Jean Parisot de la Valette, Grand Master of the Order, withstood asiege by the Ottomans in 1565. The knights, with the help of the Maltese, were victorious, andspeaking of the battle Voltaire said, "Nothing is better known than the siege of Malta."[54] After thesiege they decided to increase Malta's fortifications, particularly in the inner-harbour area, where thenew city of Valletta, named in honour of Valette, was built. They also established watchtowers alongthe coasts the Wignacourt, Lascaris and de Redin towers named after the Grand Masters whoordered the work. The Knights' presence on the island saw the completion of many architectural andcultural projects, including the embellishment of Citt Vittoriosa, the construction of new citiesincluding Citt Rohan and Citt Hompesch and the introduction of new academic and socialresources.

Approximately 11,000 people out of a population of 60,000 died of plague in 1675.[55]

The Knights' reign ended when Napoleon captured Maltaon his way to Egypt during the French Revolutionary Warsin 1798. Over the years, the power of the Knights declinedand the Order became unpopular. This was around the

Jean Parisot de la Valette, thefounder of Valletta

Knights of Malta and Napoleon [edit]

St. Paul's Cathedral, Mdinabuilt in the Baroque style.



time when the universal values of freedom and liberty wereincarnated by the French Revolution. People from bothinside the Order and outside appealed to NapoleonBonaparte to oust the Knights. Napoleon Bonaparte did nothesitate. His fleet arrived in 1798, en route to hisexpedition of Egypt. As a ruse towards the Knights,Napoleon asked for safe harbour to resupply his ships, andthen turned his guns against his hosts once safely insideValletta. Grand Master Hompesch capitulated, and

Napoleon entered Malta.

During a six-day stay on the island, Napoleon reformed national administration with the creation of aGovernment Commission, twelve municipalities, a public finance administration, the abolition of allfeudal rights and privileges, the abolition of slavery and the granting of freedom to all Turkish slaves.On the judicial level, a family code was framed and twelve judges were nominated. Public educationwas organised along principles laid down by Bonaparte himself, providing for primary and secondaryeducation. He then sailed for Egypt leaving a substantial garrison in Malta.

The French forces left behind became unpopular with the Maltese, due particularly to the Frenchforces' hostility towards Catholicism and pillaging of local churches to fund Napoleon's war efforts.French financial and religious policies so angered the Maltese that they rebelled, forcing the Frenchto depart. Great Britain, along with the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of Sicily, sentammunition and aid to the Maltese and Britain also sent her navy, which blockaded the islands.

General Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois surrendered his French forces in 1800. Maltese leaderspresented the island to Sir Alexander Ball, asking that the island become a British Dominion. TheMaltese people created a Declaration of Rights in which they agreed to come "under the protectionand sovereignty of the King of the free people, His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of GreatBritain and Ireland". The Declaration also stated that "his Majesty has no right to cede these Islandsto any power...if he chooses to withdraw his protection, and abandon his sovereignty, the right ofelecting another sovereign, or of the governing of these Islands, belongs to us, the inhabitants andaborigines alone, and without control."[56]

Main article: Siege of Malta (World War II)

In 1814, as part of the Treaty of Paris, Malta officiallybecame a part of the British Empire and was used as ashipping way-station and fleet headquarters. Malta'sposition halfway between the Strait of Gibraltar and theSuez Canal proved to be its main asset during these yearsand it was considered an important stop on the way toIndia. This was an important trade route for the British andthus, the Maltese people took great advantage of thisalliance as several culinary and botanical products wereintroduced in Malta; some examples (derived from theNational Book of Trade Customs found in the NationalLibrary) include the entry of wheat (for bread making) andbacon. In 1919 British troops fired on a rally protestingagainst new taxes, killing four Maltese men. The event,

The Beheading of Saint John, byCaravaggio. Oil on canvas, 361 cm 520 cm (142.13 in 204.72 in). Oratoryof the Co-Cathedral.

British Empire and World War II [edit]

The heavily bomb-damaged Kingsway(now Republic Street) in Valletta during theSiege of Malta, 1942.



known as Sette Giugno (Italian for 7 June), is commemorated every year and is one of five NationalDays.[citation needed]

In the early 1930s the British Mediterranean Fleet, which was at that time the main contributor tocommerce on the island, moved to Alexandria as an economic measure and to be out of range ofItalian bombers.[citation needed]

During World War II, Malta played an important role owing to its proximity to Axis shipping lanes. Thebravery of the Maltese people during the second Siege of Malta moved King George VI to award theGeorge Cross to Malta on a collective basis on 15 April 1942 "to bear witness to a heroism anddevotion that will long be famous in history". Some historians argue that the award caused Britain toincur disproportionate losses in defending Malta, as British credibility would have suffered if Maltasurrendered, as Singapore had.[57] A replica of the George Cross now appears in the upper hoistcorner of the Flag of Malta. The collective award remained unique until April 1999, when the RoyalUlster Constabulary became the second and, to date, the only other recipient of a collectiveGeorge Cross.[58]

Malta achieved its independence on 21 September 1964(Independence Day) after intense negotiations with theUnited Kingdom, led by Maltese Prime Minister GeorgeBorg Olivier. Under its 1964 constitution, Malta initiallyretained Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Malta and thusHead of State, with a Governor-General exercisingexecutive authority on her behalf. In 1971, the MaltaLabour Party led by Dom Mintoff won the GeneralElections, resulting in Malta declaring itself a republic on13 December 1974 (Republic Day) within theCommonwealth, with the President as head of state. Adefence agreement signed soon after independence (and re-negotiated in 1972) expired on 31March 1979.

Malta adopted a policy of neutrality in 1980. In 1989, Malta was the venue of a summit between USPresident George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, their first face-to-face encounter,which signalled the end of the Cold War.

On 16 July 1990, Malta, through its foreign minister, Guido de Marco, applied to join the EuropeanUnion. After tough negotiations, a referendum was held on 8 March 2003, which resulted in afavourable vote. General Elections held on 12 April 2003, gave a clear mandate to the PrimeMinister, Eddie Fenech Adami, to sign the Treaty of accession to the European Union on 16 April2003 in Athens, Greece. Malta joined the European Union on 1 May 2004.[59] Following theEuropean Council of 2122 June 2007, Malta joined the Eurozone on 1 January 2008.[60]

Main articles: Politics of Malta, Government of Malta,and Law of Malta

Malta is a republic,[61] whose parliamentary system andpublic administration is closely modelled on theWestminster system. Malta had the second-highest voterturnout in the world (and the highest for nations withoutmandatory voting), based on election turnout in nationallower house elections from 1960 to 1995.[62] The

Independence and Republic [edit]

Malta joined the European Union in2004 and signed the Lisbon Treaty in 2007.

Politics [edit]



unicameral House of Representatives, (Maltese: Kamratad-Deputati), is elected by direct universal suffragethrough single transferable vote every five years, unlessthe House is dissolved earlier by the President on adviceof the Prime Minister.

The House of Representatives is made up of sixty-nine members of parliament. However, where aparty wins an absolute majority of votes, but does not have a majority of seats, that party is givenadditional seats to ensure a parliamentary majority. The Constitution of Malta provides that thePresident appoint as Prime Minister the member of the House who is best able to command a(governing) majority in the House.

The President of Malta is appointed for a five-year term by aresolution of the House of Representatives carried by a simplemajority. The role of the President as head of state is largelyceremonial. The main political parties are the Nationalist Party,which is a Christian democratic party, and the Labour Party, whichis a social democratic party. The Labour Party is currently at thehelm of the government, the Prime Minister being Joseph Muscat.The Nationalist Party, with Simon Busuttil as its leader, is inopposition. There are a number of smaller political parties in Maltathat presently have no parliamentary representation.

Until World War II, Maltese politics was dominated by the languagequestion fought out by Italophile and Anglophile parties.[63] Post-War politics dealt with constitutional questions on the relations withBritain (first with integration then independence) and, eventually,relations with the European Union.

Main article: Local councils of Malta

Malta has had a system of local government since1993,[64] based on the European Charter of Local Self-Government. There are at present 68 local councils (54 inMalta and 14 in Gozo). Sixteen "hamlets", which form partof larger councils, have their own AdministrativeCommittee. There are no intermediate levels between localgovernment and national government and the levels of thesix districts (five on the main island) and of the threeregions (Gozo, Malta Majjistral, and Malta Xlokk) serveprimarily statistical purposes.[65]

Each council is made up of a number of councillors (fromfive to eleven, depending and relative to the populationthey represent). A Mayor and a Deputy Mayor are elected

The Courthouse, Valletta.

His Excellency George AbelaThe President of Malta.

Administrative divisions [edit]

Administrative divisions of Malta.



by and from the Councillors. The Executive Secretary, whois appointed by the council, is the executive, administrative and financial head of the council.Councillors are elected every four years through the single transferable vote. People who are eligibleto vote in the election of the Maltese House of Representatives as well as resident citizens of the EUare eligible to vote. Due to the recent reform of the system, no elections will be held before 2012from when elections will be held every two years for an alternating half of the councils.

Local councils are responsible for the general upkeep and embellishment of the locality (includingrepairs to non-arterial roads), allocation of local wardens and refuse collection; they also carry outgeneral administrative duties for the central government such as collection of government rents andfunds and answer government-related public inquiries.

Main article: Armed Forces of Malta

The objectives of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) are to maintain a military organisation with theprimary aim of defending the islands' integrity according to the defence roles as set by thegovernment in an efficient and cost-effective manner. This is achieved by emphasising themaintenance of Malta's territorial waters and airspace integrity.

The AFM also engages in combating terrorism, fighting against illicit drug trafficking, conducting anti-illegal immigrant operations and patrols and anti-illegal fishing operations, operating search andrescue (SAR) services, and physical/electronic security/surveillance of sensitive locations. Malta'ssearch-and-rescue area extends from east of Tunisia to west of Crete, covering an area of around250,000 km2.

As a military organisation, the AFM provides backup support to the Malta Police Force (MPF) andother government departments/agencies in situations as required in an organised, disciplined mannerin the event of national emergencies (such as natural disasters) or internal security and bombdisposal.

On another level, the AFM establishes and/or consolidates bilateral co-operation with other countriesto reach higher operational effectiveness related to AFM roles.

Main article: Geography of Malta

Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean (in itseastern basin), some 80 km (50 mi) south of the Italianisland of Sicily across the Malta Channel. Only the threelargest islands Malta (Malta), Gozo (Gawdex) andComino (Kemmuna) are inhabited. The smaller islands(see below) are uninhabited. The islands of the archipelagolie on the Malta plateau, a shallow shelf formed from thehigh points of a land bridge between Sicily and NorthAfrica that became isolated as sea levels rose after thelast Ice Age.[66] The archipelago is therefore situated inthe zone between the Eurasian and African tectonicplates.[67][68]

Numerous bays along the indented coastline of the islands provide good harbours. The landscapeconsists of low hills with terraced fields. The highest point in Malta is Ta' Dmejrek, at 253 m (830 ft),near Dingli. Although there are some small rivers at times of high rainfall, there are no permanentrivers or lakes on Malta. However, some watercourses have fresh water running all year round atBarija, l-Imtaleb and San Martin, and at Lunzjata Valley in Gozo.

Military [edit]

Geography [edit]

Satellite image of Malta



Phytogeographically, Malta belongs to the Liguro-Tyrrhenian province of the Mediterranean Regionwithin the Boreal Kingdom. According to the WWF, the territory of Malta belongs to the ecoregion of"Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands and Scrub".[69]

The minor islands that form part of the archipelago areuninhabited and include:

Barbaganni Rock(Gozo)Cominotto,(Kemmunett)Delimara Island(Marsaxlokk)Filfla(urrieq)/(Siiewi)Fessej RockFungus Rock, (Il-ebla tal-eneral)(Gozo)Gallis Rock(Naxxar)alfa Rock (Gozo)Large Blue LagoonRocks (Comino)

Islands of St. Paul/SelmunettIsland (Melliea)Manoel Island, which connectsto the town of Gira, on themainland, via a bridgeMistra Rocks (San Pawl il-Baar)Ta-awl Rock (Gozo)Qawra Point/Ta` Fraben Island(San Pawl il-Baar)Small Blue Lagoon Rocks(Comino)Sala Rock (abbar)Xrobb l-Gain Rock(Marsaxlokk)Ta'that il-Mazz Rock

Main article: Climate of Malta

Malta has a SubtropicalMediterranean climate (Kppenclimate classification Csa),[13][70] with mild winters andwarm to hot summers. Rain occurs mainly in winter, withsummer being generally dry.

The average yearly temperature is 2223 C (7273 F)during the day and 15 C (59 F) at night. In the coldestmonth January the temperature ranges from 12 to 20C (54 to 68 F) during the day and 7 to 12 C (45 to54 F) at night. In the warmest month August thetemperature ranges from 28 to 34 C (82 to 93 F) duringthe day and 19 to 24 C (66 to 75 F) at night. Generally summer's/holiday season lasts to 8 months, starting fromaround mid-April with temperatures 1923 C (6673 F) during the day and 1314 C (5557 F) atnight, ending in November with temperatures 1723 C (6373 F) during the day and 1120 C(5268 F) at night, although also in the remaining 4 months temperatures sometimes reach 20 C(68 F). Amongst all capitals in the continent of Europe, Valletta the capital of Malta has thewarmest winters, with average temperatures of 1516 C (5961 F) during the day and 910 C(4850 F) at night in the period JanuaryFebruary. In March and December average temperaturesis around 17 C (63 F) during the day and 11 C (52 F) at night.[71] Large fluctuations intemperature are rare. Also, Malta is one of the few places in Europe which are "green" all yearround.

Average annual temperature of the sea is 20 C (68 F) (the highest in the continent of Europe), from16 C (61 F) in January to 26 C (79 F) in August. In the entire 6 months from June to

[72]

Maltese landscape, Gadira

Climate [edit]

Blue Lagoon Bay between Comino andCominotto island



[hide]

November the average sea temperature exceeds 21 C (70 F)

Sunshine hours total around 3,000 per year (one of the highest results in Europe), from an averageabove five hours of sunshine per day in December to an average above 12 hours in July.[73] This isabout double that of cities in the northern half of Europe, for comparison: London 1,461;[74]

however, in winter it has up to several times more sunshine than London; for comparison: inDecember, London has 37 hours of sunshine [74] whereas Malta has 155 or 164 (depending on thesources).

Climate data for Malta (Malta International Airport in Luqa, in the centralpart of the island)

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec YearAverage

high C (F)15.2

(59.4)15.5

(59.9)16.7

(62.1)19.1

(66.4)23.3

(73.9)27.5

(81.5)30.7

(87.3)30.7

(87.3)28.0

(82.4)24.2

(75.6)20.1

(68.2)16.7

(62.1)22.3

(72.1)

Daily meanC (F)

12.2(54)

12.4(54.3)

13.4(56.1)

15.5(59.9)

19.1(66.4)

23.0(73.4)

25.9(78.6)

26.3(79.3)

24.1(75.4)

20.7(69.3)

17.0(62.6)

13.9(57)

18.6(65.5)

Average lowC (F)

9.2(48.6)

9.3(48.7)

10.1(50.2)

11.9(53.4)

14.9(58.8)

18.4(65.1)

21.0(69.8)

21.8(71.2)

20.1(68.2)

17.1(62.8)

13.9(57)

11.0(51.8)

14.9(58.8)

Precipitationmm (inches)

89.0(3.504)

61.3(2.413)

40.9(1.61)

22.5(0.886)

6.6(0.26)

3.2(0.126)

0.4(0.016)

7.0(0.276)

40.4(1.591)

89.7(3.531)

80.0(3.15)

112.3(4.421)

553.3(21.783)

Avg.precipitation

days ( 0.1 mm)13.7 10.9 8.9 6.4 2.8 1.1 0.4 1.0 3.9 10.2 10.6 14.2 84.1

Mean monthlysunshine hours

158.1 172.3 223.2 246.0 300.7 327.0 365.8 337.9 261.0 220.1 183.0 155.0 2,950.1

Source: World Meteorological Organization,[75] NOAA[73]

Main article: Economy of Malta

Malta is classified as an advanced economy together with32 other countries according to the International MonetaryFund (IMF).[76] Until 1800 Malta depended on cotton,tobacco and its shipyards for exports. Once under Britishcontrol, they came to depend on the dockyard for supportof the Royal Navy, especially during the Crimean War of1854. The military base benefited craftsmen and all thosewho served the military.

In 1869, the opening of the Suez Canal gave Malta'seconomy a great boost, as there was a massive increasein the shipping which entered the port. Ships stopping atMalta's docks for refuelling helped the Entrept trade, which brought additional benefits to the island.

However, towards the end of the 19th century the economy began declining, and by the 1940sMalta's economy was in serious crisis. One factor was the longer range of newer merchant ships thatrequired less frequent refuelling stops.

Currently, Malta's major resources are limestone, afavourable geographic location and a productive labourforce. Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs,has limited freshwater supplies and has no domesticenergy sources. The economy is dependent on foreigntrade (serving as a freight trans-shipment point),manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles) andtourism.

Film production is a growing contributor to the Malteseeconomy, with several big-budget foreign films shooting in

Economy [edit]

Valletta's maritime industrial zone

The dolphin show at Mediterraneo



Malta each year. The country has increased the exports ofmany other types of services such as banking and finance.

The government isinvesting heavily in education, including college.

In preparation for Malta's membership in the European Union,which it joined on 1 May 2004, it privatised some state-controlledfirms and liberalised markets. For example, the governmentannounced on 8 January 2007 that it is selling its 40% stake inMaltaPost, to complete a privatisation process which has beenongoing for the past five years. In 2010, Malta has managed toprivatise telecommunications, postal services, shipyards andshipbuilding.

Malta has taken important and substantial steps to establish itselfas a global player in the cross-border fund administration business.Competing against countries like Ireland and Luxembourg, Malta has a unique combination of a multi-lingual workforce and a strong Anglo-Saxon legal system. Malta has a mixed reputation fortransparency and a DAW Index score of 6 although both would be expected to improve as Maltaincreasingly adopts more comprehensive legislative framework for financial services.[77] Malta has aregulator, the MFSA, with a strong business development mindset and the country has beensuccessful in attracting gaming businesses, aircraft and ship registration, credit-card issuing bankinglicences and also fund administration. Service providers to these industries, including fiduciary andtrustee business, are a core part of the growth strategy of the Island. Malta has made strongheadway in implementing EU Financial Services Directives including UCITs IV and soon AIFMD. Asa base for alternative asset managers who must comply with new directives, Malta has attracted anumber of key players including IDS, Iconic Funds, Apex Fund Services, and TMF/CustomsHouse.[78]

Malta and Tunisia are currently discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelfbetween their countries, particularly for petroleum exploration. These discussions are also undergoingbetween Malta and Libya for similar arrangements.

Malta does not have a property tax.

According to Eurostat data, Maltese PPS GDP per capita stood at 76 per cent of the EU average in2008.[79]

The two largest commercial banks are Bank of Valletta and HSBC Bank Malta, both of which cantrace their origins back to the 19th century.

Malta is one of the world's financial centres.[80]

The Central Bank of Malta (Bank entrali ta' Malta) has two key areas of responsibility: theformulation and implementation of monetary policy and the promotion of a sound and efficientfinancial system. It was established by the Central Bank of Malta Act on 17 April 1968. The Maltesegovernment entered ERM II on 4 May 2005, and adopted the euro as the country's currency on 1January 2008.[81]

FinanceMalta is the quasi-governmental organisation tasked with marketing and educating businessleaders in coming to Malta and runs seminars and events around the world highlighting the emergingstrength of Malta as a jurisdiction for banking and finance and insurance.[82]

Marine Park. Tourism generates asignificant part of the GDP of Malta

Malta is part of a monetaryunion, the Eurozone (dark blue)

Banking and finance [edit]

Transport [edit]



Main article: Transport in Malta

Traffic in Malta moves on the left. Car ownership in Malta is exceedingly high, given the very smallsize of the islands; it is the fourth-highest in the European Union. The number of registered cars in1990 amounted to 182,254, giving an automobile density of 582 /km2 (1,510 /sq mi).[83]

Malta has 2,254 kilometres (1,401 mi) of road, 1,972 km (1,225 mi) (87.5%) of which are paved and282 km (175 mi) were unpaved (December 2003).[84]

The main roads of Malta from the southernmost point tothe northernmost point are these: Triq Birebbua inBirebbua, Gar Dalam Road and Tal-Barrani Road inejtun, Santa Luija Avenue in Paola, Aldo Moro Street(Trunk Road), 13 December Street and amrun-MarsaBypass in Marsa, Regional Road in SantaVenera/Msida/Gira/San wann, St Andrew's Road inSwieqi/Pembroke, Malta, Coast Road in Baar i-agaq,Salina Road, Kennedy Drive, St. Paul's Bypass andXemxija Hill in San Pawl il-Baar, Mistra Hill, WettingerStreet (Melliea Bypass) and Marfa Road in Melliea.

Buses (xarabank or karozza tal-linja) are the primarymethod of public transport. Established in 1905, the serviceunderwent an extensive reform in July 2011. Themanagement structure changed from having self-employeddrivers driving their own vehicles to a service being offeredby a single company through a public tender (in Gozo,being considered as a small network, the service wasgiven through direct order).[85] The public tender was wonby Arriva Malta, a member of the Arriva group. Arriva had afleet of brand new buses, built by King Long especially forservice by Arriva Malta. Also, there is a smaller fleet ofBendy-Buses brought in from Arriva London. It alsooperates 2 smaller buses for an intra-Valleta route onlyand 61 nine-metre buses, which are used to easecongestion on high density routes. Overall Arriva Maltaoperates 264 buses.

The new service includes a day and night services. The fast Crossline services operating at afrequency of 30 minutes. The Crossline service shall connect with Mainline services, which willoperate at a frequency of between 10 and 30 minutes. At regional and local levels the feeder lineswill serve villages and neighbouring areas at a frequency of 30 minutes. Interchanges are located inValletta, Mater Dei Hospital, Swieqi, Paola, Marsa, Malta International Airport and Msida.

Between 1883 and 1931, Malta had a railway line that connected Valletta to the army barracks atMtarfa via Mdina and a number of towns and villages. The railway fell into disuse and eventuallyclosed altogether, following the introduction of electric trams and buses. At the height of the bombingof Malta during World War II, Mussolini announced that his forces had destroyed the railway systembut by the time war broke out, the railway had been mothballed for more than nine years.

Malta has threelarge naturalharbours on itsmain island:

The Grand

Example of current Maltese bus.

Principal highways



Harbour (or Portil-Kbir), locatedat the eastern

side of the capital city of Valletta, has been a harboursince Roman times. It has several extensive docks andwharves, as well as a cruise liner terminal. A terminal atthe Grand Harbour serves ferries that connect Malta toPozzallo & Catania in Sicily.Marsamxett Harbour, located on the western side of Valletta, accommodates a number of yachtmarinas.Marsaxlokk Harbour (Malta Freeport), at Birebbua on the south-eastern side of Malta, is theislands' main cargo terminal. Malta Freeport is the 11th busiest container ports in continent ofEurope and 46th in the World with a trade volume of 2.3 million TEU's in 2008.[86]

There are also two-man-made harbours that serve a passenger and car ferry service that connectsirkewwa Harbour on Malta and Marr Harbour on Gozo. The ferry makes numerous runs each day.

Malta International Airport (Ajruport Internazzjonali ta'Malta) is the only airport serving the Maltese Islands. It isbuilt on the land formerly occupied by the RAF Luqa airbase. A heliport is also located there, but the scheduledservice to Gozo ceased in 2006. The heliport in Gozo is atXewkija. Since June 2007, Harbour Air Malta has operateda thrice-daily floatplane service between the sea terminalin Grand Harbour and Mgarr Harbour in Gozo.

Two further airfields at Ta' Qali and al Far operatedduring World War II and into the 1960s but are now closed.Today, Ta' Qali houses a national park, stadium, the CraftsVillage visitor attraction and the Malta Aviation Museum.

This museum preserves several aircraft, including Hurricane and Spitfire fighters that defended theisland in World War II.

The national airline is Air Malta, which is based at MaltaInternational Airport and operates services to 36destinations in Europe and North Africa. The owners of AirMalta are the Government of Malta (98%) and privateinvestors (2%). Air Malta employs 1,547 staff. It has a 25%shareholding in Medavia.

Air Malta has concluded over 191 interline ticketingagreements with other IATA airlines. It also has acodeshare agreement with Qantas covering three routes. InSeptember 2007, Air Malta made two agreements with AbuDhabi-based Etihad Airways by which Air Malta wet-leasedtwo Airbus aircraft to Etihad Airways for the winter period starting 1 September 2007, and providedoperational support on another Airbus A320 aircraft which it leased to Etihad Airways.

[87]

Grand Harbour

Malta Freeport, one of the largestEuropean ports.

Malta International Airport

An Air Malta plane

Communications [edit]



The mobile penetration rate in Malta stood at 101.3% as at the end of 2009. Malta uses theGSM900 & UMTS(3G) mobile phone systems. This is compatible with the rest of the Europeancountries, Australia and New Zealand.

There are no area codes in Malta, subscribers' numbers having eight digits. Fixed line telephonenumbers have the prefix 21 and 27 while mobile telephone numbers have the prefix 79, 77 or 99.When calling Malta from abroad, one must first dial the international access code, then the countrycode +356 and the subscriber's number.

The number of pay TV subscribers fell in 2012 as subscribers cut the cord and began to relyincreasingly on IPTV: the number of IPTV subscribers doubled in the six months to June 2012.

In late 2012 GO began expanding its FttH network and capabilities, offering speeds of up to200Mbit/s for its 'rapido' service.

The government in early 2012 called for a national FttH network to be built, with a minimumbroadband service being upgraded from 4Mbit/s to 100Mbit/s.[88]

Main articles: Maltese euro coins and Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Malta)

Maltese euro coins feature the Maltese Cross on 2 and 1 coins, the Maltese Coat of Arms on the0.50, 0.20 and 0.10 coins, and the Mnajdra Temples on the 0.05, 0.02 and 0.01 coins.[89]

Malta has produced collectors' coins with face value ranging from 10 to 50 euro. These coinscontinue an existing national practice of minting of silver and gold commemorative coins. Unlikenormal issues, these coins are not legal tender in all the eurozone. For instance, a 10 Maltesecommemorative coin cannot be used in any other country.

From 1972 until introduction of the Euro in 2008, the currency was the Maltese Lira, which hadreplaced the Maltese pound. The pound replaced the Maltese scudo in 1798.

Malta is a popular tourist destination, with 1.2 million tourists every year.[3] Three times more touristsvisit than there are residents. Tourism infrastructure has increased dramatically over the years and anumber of good-quality hotels are present on the island, although overdevelopment and thedestruction of traditional housing is of growing concern. An increasing number of Maltese now travelabroad on holiday.[90]

In recent years, Malta has advertised itself as a medical tourism destination,[91] and a number ofhealth tourism providers are developing the industry. However, no Maltese hospital has undergoneindependent international healthcare accreditation. Malta is popular with British medical tourists,[92]

pointing Maltese hospitals towards seeking UK-sourced accreditation, such as with the TrentAccreditation Scheme. Dual accreditation with the American-oriented Joint Commission is necessaryif hospitals in Malta wish to compete with the Far East and Latin America for medical tourists fromthe United States.

Malta signed a co-operation agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) for more-intensiveco-operation in ESA projects.[93]

Poverty and social exclusion are problems in Malta but the situation is not worse than in the rest ofthe European Union.[94]

Currency [edit]

Tourism [edit]

Science and technology [edit]

Poverty [edit]

Demographics [edit]



Main article: Demographics of Malta

Malta conducts a census of population and housing everyten years. The census held in November 2005 managed tocount an estimated 96% of the population.[citation needed] Apreliminary report was issued in April 2006, and resultswere weighted to an estimate for 100% of the population.

Native Maltese people make up the majority of the island.However there are minorities, the largest of which areBritish people, many of whom retired to Malta. Thepopulation of Malta as of July 2011 was estimated at408,000.[13] As of 2005, 17% were aged 14 and under,68% were within the 1564 age bracket whilst theremaining 13% were 65 years and over. Malta's population

density of 1,282 per square km (3,322/sq mi) is by far the highest in the EU, and one of the highestin the world. The only census year showing a fall in population was that of 1967, with a 1.7% totaldecrease, attributable to a substantial number of Maltese residents who emigrated.[7]

The Maltese-resident population for 2004 was estimated to make up 97.0% of the total residentpopulation.[95]

All censuses since 1842 have shown a slight excess of females over males. The 1901 and 1911censuses came closest to recording a balance. The highest female-to-male ratio was reached in1957 (1088:1000), and since the ratio has been constantly dropping. The 2005 census showed a1013:1000 female-to-male ratio. Population growth has slowed down, from +9.5% between the 1985and 1995 censuses, to +6.9% between the 1995 and 2005 censuses (a yearly average of +0.7%).The birth rate stood at 3860 (a decrease of 21.8% from the 1995 census) and the death rate stood at3025. Thus, there was a natural population increase of 835 (compared to +888 for 2004, of whichover a hundred were foreign residents).[96]

The population's age composition is similar to the agestructure prevalent in the EU. Since 1967 there wasobserved a trend indicating an ageing population, and isexpected to continue in the foreseeable future. Malta's old-age-dependency-ratio rose from 17.2% in 1995 to 19.8% in2005, reasonably lower than the EU's 24.9% average;31.5% of the Maltese population is aged under 25(compared to the EU's 29.1%); but the 5064 age groupconstitutes 20.3% of the population, significantly higherthan the EU's 17.9%. Malta's old-age-dependency-ratio isexpected to continue rising steadily in the coming years.

Maltese legislation recognises both civil and canonical(ecclesiastical) marriages. Annulments by the ecclesiastical and civil courts are unrelated and are notnecessarily mutually endorsed. Malta voted in favour of divorce legislation in a referendum held on28 May 2011.[97] Abortion in Malta is illegal. A person must be 16 to marry.[98] The number ofbrides aged under 25 decreased from 1471 in 1997 to 766 in 2005; while the number of groomsunder 25 decreased from 823 to 311. There is a constant trend that females are more likely thanmales to marry young. In 2005 there were 51 brides aged between 16 and 19, compared to 8grooms.[96]

At the end of 2007 the population of the Maltese Islands stood at 410,290 and is expected to reach424,028 by 2025. At the moment, females slightly outnumber males, making up 50.3 per cent of thepopulation. The largest proportion of persons 7.5 per cent were aged 2529, while there were

Valletta, Malta's historical capital city

The Valletta Waterfront illuminations



7.3% falling into each of the 4549 and 5559 age brackets.[99]

Main article: Languages of Malta

See also: #Languages in education

The Maltese language (Maltese: Malti) is the constitutional national language of Malta. Alongside theMaltese Language, English is also an official language of the country and hence the laws of the landare enacted both in Maltese and English. However, the Constitution states that if there is any conflictbetween the Maltese and the English texts of any law, the Maltese text shall prevail.

Maltese is originally a Semitic language descended from the now defunct Sicilian-Arabic (Siculo-Arabic) dialect (from southern Italy).[100] The Maltese alphabet consists of 30 letters based on theLatin alphabet, including the diacritically altered letters , and , as well as the letters g, , and ie.

Maltese has a Semitic base with substantial borrowing from Sicilian, Italian, a little French, and morerecently, and increasingly, English.[101] The language includes different dialects that can vary greatlyfrom one town to another or from one island to another.

The Eurobarometer states that 100% of the population speak Maltese. Also, 88% of the populationspeak English, 66% speak Italian, and 17% speak French.[102] This widespread knowledge ofsecond languages makes Malta one of the most multi-lingual countries in the European Union. Astudy collecting public opinion on what language was "preferred" discovered that 86% of thepopulation express a preference for Maltese, 12% for English, and 2% for Italian.[103] Still, Italiantelevision channels from Italy-based broadcasters, such as Mediaset and RAI, reach Malta andremain popular.[103][104][105] Italian was an official language of Malta alongside English until 1934,when Maltese replaced it.

Main article: Religion in Malta

The Constitution of Malta declares Roman Catholicism asthe state religion although entrenched provisions for thefreedom of religion are made. Freedom House and the CIAWorld Factbook report that 98% of the population is RomanCatholic.

There are more than 360 churches in Malta, Gozo, andComino, or one church for every 1,000 residents. Theparish church (Maltese: "il-parroa", or "il-knisjaparrokkjali") is the architectural and geographic focal pointof every Maltese town and village, and its main source ofcivic pride. This civic pride manifests itself in spectacularfashion during the local village festas, which mark the day

of the patron saint of each parish with marching bands, religious processions, special Masses,fireworks (especially petards), and other festivities.

Malta is an Apostolic See; the Acts of the Apostles tells ofhow Christians believe St. Paul, on his way from Crete toRome to face trial, was shipwrecked on the island of"Melite", which many Bible scholars identify with Malta, anepisode dated around AD 60.[12] The Acts of the Apostlessays St. Paul spent three months on the island, curing thesick including the father of Publius, the "chief man of theisland". Various traditions are associated with this account.

Languages [edit]

Religion [edit]

The faade of St. John's Co-Cathedral



The shipwreck is said to have occurred in the place todayknown as St Paul's Bay. Saint Publius is said to have beenmade Malta's first bishop and a grotto in Rabat, nowknown as "St Paul's Grotto" (and in the vicinity of whichevidence of Christian burials and rituals from the 3rdcentury AD has been found), is among the earliest known places of Christian worship on the island.

Further evidence of Christian practices and beliefs during the period of Roman persecution appearsin catacombs that lie beneath various sites around Malta, including St Paul's Catacombs and StAgatha's Catacombs in Rabat, just outside the walls of Mdina. The latter, in particular, werebeautifully frescoed between 1200 and 1480, although marauding Turks defaced many of them in the1550s. There are also a number of cave churches, including the grotto at Melliea, which is a Shrineof the Nativity of Our Lady where, according to legend, St. Luke painted a picture of the Madonna. Ithas been a place of pilgrimage since medieval times.

The Acts of the Council of Chalcedon record that in 451 AD, a certain Acacius was Bishop of Malta(Melitenus Episcopus). It is also known that in 501 AD, a certain Constantinus, EpiscopusMelitenensis, was present at the Fifth Ecumenical Council. In 588 AD, Pope Gregory I deposedTucillus, Miletinae civitatis episcopus, and the clergy and people of Malta elected his successorTrajan in 599 AD. The last recorded Bishop of Malta before the invasion of the Islands was a Greeknamed Manas, who was subsequently incarcerated at Palermo.[106]

Maltese historian, Giovanni Francesco Abela, states that following their conversion to Christianity atthe hand of St. Paul, the Maltese retained their Christian religion, despite the Fatimid invasion.[107]

Abela's writings describe Malta as a divinely ordained "bulwark of Christian, European civilizationagainst the spread of Mediterranean Islam".[108] The native Christian community that welcomedRoger I of Sicily[22] was further bolstered by immigration to Malta from Italy, in the 12th and 13thcenturies.

For centuries, the Church in Malta was subordinate to theDiocese of Palermo, except when it was under Charles ofAnjou, who appointed bishops for Malta, as did on rareoccasions the Spanish and later, the Knights. Since 1808all bishops of Malta have been Maltese. As a result of theNorman and Spanish periods, and the rule of the Knights,Malta became the devout Catholic nation that it is today. Itis worth noting that the Office of the Inquisitor of Malta hada very long tenure on the island following its establishmentin 1530: the last Inquisitor departed from the Islands in1798, after the Knights capitulated to the forces ofNapoleon Bonaparte. During the period of the Republic of

Venice, several Maltese families emigrated to Corfu. Their descendants account for about two-thirdsof the community of some 4000 Catholics that now live on that island.

The patron saints of Malta are Saint Paul, Saint Publius, Saint Agatha and Saint George. Althoughnot a patron saint, St George Preca (San or Preca) is greatly revered as the first canonisedMaltese saint. Pope Benedict XVI canonised him on 3 June 2007. Also, a number of Maltese

The Mosta Dome known as "Ir-Rotunda"

ejtun city centre Parish church



individuals are recognised as Blessed, including Maria Adeodata Pisani and Nazju Falzon, with PopeJohn Paul II having beatified them in 2001.

Various Roman Catholic religious orders are present in Malta, including the Jesuits, Franciscans,Dominicans and Little Sisters of the Poor.

Most congregants of the local Protestant churches are not Maltese; their congregations draw on themany British retirees living in the country and vacationers from many other nations. There areapproximately 500 Jehovah's Witnesses;[109] The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints(Mormons), the Bible Baptist Church, and the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches have about 60affiliates. There are also some churches of other denominations, such as St. Andrew's Scots Churchin Valletta (a joint Presbyterian and Methodist congregation) and St Paul's Anglican Cathedral, aswell as a Seventh-day Adventist church in Birkirkara. Founded 1983 a New Apostolic Churchcongregation is to be found in Gwardamangia.

The Jewish population of Malta reached its peak in the Middle Ages under Norman rule. In 1479,Malta and Sicily came under Aragonese rule and the Alhambra Decree of 1492 forced all Jews toleave the country, permitting them to take with them only a few of their belongings. Several dozenMaltese Jews may have converted to Christianity at the time to remain in the country. Today, there isone Jewish congregation.

Zen Buddhism and the Bah' Faith claim some 40 members. There is one Muslim mosque. AMuslim primary school recently opened; its existence remains a point of some controversy. Of theestimated 3,000 Muslims in Malta, approximately 2,250 are foreigners, approximately 600 arenaturalised citizens, and approximately 150 are native-born Maltese.[110]

As an EU member state and a party to the Schengen Agreement, Malta applies the EU's visa policy.This means that to enter the country:

Nationals of the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein)and their special territories and of Switzerland require only a passport or a national identity card.Except for Romanian and Bulgarian nationals, citizens of this category of countries do not requirea permit to stay and work legally in Malta.[111]

Nationals of a number of non-EU and non-EEA countries (most countries of the WesternBalkans, most countries of the American continent, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea,Malaysia and Japan) require only a passport and do not need a visa to reside in Malta for lessthan 90 days.Nationals of other countries need a passport and a visa to enter the country, visas being valid forone month.

The estimated net inflow (using data for 2002 to 2004) was of 1,913 persons yearly. Over the last 10years, Malta accepted back a yearly average of 425 returning emigrants.[95]

During 2006, a total of 1,800 illegal immigrants reached Malta making the crossing from the NorthAfrican coast. Most of them intended to reach mainland Europe and happened to come to Malta dueto their sub-standard vessels breaking down or being caught by Maltese and other EUofficials.[112][113] In the first half of 2006, 967 irregular immigrants arrived in Malta almost doublethe 473 who arrived in the same period in 2005.[114] Many immigrants have perished in the journeyacross the Mediterranean, with one notable incident being the May 2007 Malta migrant boat disaster.

Around 45% of immigrants landed in Malta have been granted refugee (5%) or protectedhumanitarian status (40%). A White Paper suggesting the grant of Maltese citizenship to refugeesresident in Malta for over ten years was issued in 2005. Historically Malta gave refuge (and assisted

Migration [edit]

Inbound migration [edit]



in their resettlement) to eight hundred or so East African Asians who had been expelled from Ugandaby Idi Amin and to just under a thousand Iraqis fleeing Saddam Hussein's regime.

Detention costs for the first half of 2006 alone cost 746,385.[115]

In 2005, Malta sought EU aid in relation to reception of irregular immigrants, repatriation of thosedenied refugee status, resettlement of refugees into EU countries, and maritime security.[116] InDecember 2005, the European Council adopted The Global Approach to Migration: Priority Actionsfocusing on Africa and the Mediterranean; but the deployment of said actions has been limited to thewestern Mediterranean, thus putting further pressure on the central Mediterranean route for irregularimmigration of which Malta forms a part.

In the 19th century, most emigration from Malta was to North Africa and the Middle East, althoughrates of return migration to Malta were high.[117] Nonetheless, Maltese communities formed in theseregions. By 1900, for example, British consular estimates suggest that there were 15,326 Maltese inTunisia, and in 1903 it was claimed that 15,000 people of Maltese origin were living in Algeria.[118]

Malta experienced significant emigration as a result of the collapse of a construction boom in 1907and after World War II, when the birth rate increased significantly, but in the 20th century mostemigrants went to destinations in the New World, particularly the United States and Australia. AfterWorld War II, Malta's Emigration Department would assist emigrants with the cost of their travel.Between 1948 and 1967, 30 per cent of the population emigrated.[117] Between 1946 and the late1970s, over 140,000 people left Malta on the assisted passage scheme, with 57.6% migrating toAustralia, 22% to the UK, 13% to Canada and 7% to the United States.[119]

Maltese migration patterns (19461996) [120]

Country To From Net migration Return %

Australia 86,787 17,847 68,940 21.56

Canada 19,792 4,798 14,997 24.24

UK 31,489 12,659 18,830 40.20

USA 11,601 2,580 9,021 22.24

Other 1,647 907 740 55.07

Total 155,060 39,087 115,973 25.21

Emigration dropped dramatically after the mid-1970s and has since ceased to be a socialphenomenon of significance. However, since Malta joined the EU in 2004 expatriate communitiesemerged in a number of European countries particularly in Belgium and Luxembourg.

Main article: Education in Malta

See also: List of schools in Malta

Primary schooling has been compulsory since 1946; secondary education up to the age of sixteenwas made compulsory in 1971. The state and the Church provide education free of charge, bothrunning a number of schools in Malta and Gozo, including De La Salle College in Cospicua, St.Aloysius' College in Birkirkara, St. Joseph's School in Blata l-Bajda and Saint Monica Girls' School inMosta. As of 2006, state schools are organised into networks known as Colleges and incorporatekindergarten schools, primary and secondary schools. A number of private schools are run in Malta,including San Andrea School and San Anton School in the valley of L-Imselliet (l/o Marr), St.Martin's College in Swatar and St. Michael's School in San wann. As of 2008, there are two

Outbound migration [edit]

Education [edit]



international schools, Verdala International School and QSI Malta. The state pays a portion of theteachers' salary in Church schools.[121]

Education in Malta is based on the British model. Primary school lasts six years. At the age of 11pupils sit for an examination to enter a secondary school, either a church school (the CommonEntrance Examination) or a state school. Pupils sit for SEC O-level examinations at the age of 16,with passes obligatory in certain subjects such as mathematics, English and Maltese. Pupils may optto continue studying at a sixth form college such as Junior College, St Aloysius' College, GiovanniCurmi Higher Secondary, De La Salle College, St Edward's College, or else at another post-secondary institution such as MCAST. The sixth form course lasts for two years, at the end of whichstudents sit for the Matriculation examination. Subject to their performance, students may then applyfor an undergraduate degree or diploma.

The University of Malta (U.o.M.) provides Tertiary education at diploma, undergraduate andpostgraduate level. The adult literacy rate is 99.5%.[122]

Maltese and English are both used to teach students at primary and secondary school level, and bothlanguages are also compulsory subjects. Public schools tend to use both Maltese and English in abalanced manner. Private schools prefer to use English for teaching, as is also the case with mostdepartments of the University of Malta; this has a limiting effect on the capacity and development ofthe Maltese language.[103] Most university courses are in English.[100]

Of the total number of students studying a first foreign language at secondary level, 51% take Italianwhilst 38% take French. Other choices include German, Russian, Spanish, and Arabic.[103][123]

Malta has a long history of providing publicly funded health care. The first hospital recorded in thecountry was already functioning by 1372.[124] Today, Malta has both a public healthcare system,known as the government healthcare service, where healthcare is free at the point of delivery, and aprivate healthcare system.[125][126] Malta has a strong general practitioner-delivered primary carebase and the public hospitals provide secondary and tertiary care. The Maltese Ministry of Healthadvises foreign residents to take out private medical insurance.[127]

Malta was ranked number five in the World Health Organization's ranking of the world's healthsystems,[128] compared to the United States (at 37), Australia (at 32), United Kingdom (at 18) andCanada (at 30). The healthcare system in Malta closely resembles the British system,[129] ashealthcare is free at the point of delivery.

Malta also boasts voluntary organisations such as the Emergency Fire & Rescue Unit (E.F.R.U.) andSt John Ambulance, who provide first aid/nursing services during events involving crowds.

Main article: List of hospitals in Malta

The Mater Dei Hospital, Malta's primary hospital, opened in 2007. It has one of the largest medicalbuildings in Europe. Other government hospitals in Malta include:

Paul Boffa Hospital, an oncology hospital in FlorianaSt Vincent De Paule Hospital, a geriatrics hospitalGozo General Hospital, the only hospital on Gozo

In addition, Malta has three major private hospitals:

St Philip's Hospital, with a capacity of 75 beds, is in Santa Venera (currently closed).St James Capua Hospital (the former Capua Palace Hospital), with 80 beds, is in Sliema.St James Hospital has several sites, including a 13-bed unit in Zabbar, as well as a partnerhospital in Libya.

St Mark's Clinic, in Msida, with a capacity of 5 beds, also offers some private hospital services.[129]

Healthcare [edit]



The University of Malta has a medical school and a Facultyof Health Sciences, the latter offering diploma, degree(BSc) and postgraduate degree courses in a number ofhealth care disciplines.

The Medical Association of Malta represents practitionersof the medical profession. MMSA is a separate bodyrepresenting Maltese medical students, and is a member ofEMSA and IFMSA. MIME, the Maltese Institute for MedicalEducation, is an institute set up recently to provide CME todoctors in Malta as well as medical students. TheFoundation Program followed in the UK has beenintroduced in Malta to stem the 'brain drain' of newlygraduated doctors to the British Isles. MADS, the Malta Association of Dental Students, is a studentassociation set up to promote the rights of Dental Surgery Students studying within the faculty ofDental Surgery of the University of Malta. It is affiliated with IADS, the International Association ofDental Students.

Main article: Culture of Malta

The culture of Malta reflects the various cultures that have come into contact with the Maltese Islandsthroughout the centuries, including neighbouring Mediterranean cultures, and the cultures of thenations that ruled Malta for long periods of time prior to its independence in 1964.

Main article: Music of Malta

While Maltese music today is largely Western, traditionalMaltese music includes what is known as gana. Thisconsists of background folk guitar music, while a fewpeople, generally men, take it in turns to argue a point in asing-song voice. The aim of the lyrics, which areimprovised, is to create a friendly yet challengingatmosphere, and it takes a number of years of practice tobe able to combine the required artistic qualities with theability to debate effectively.

Main article: Maltese literature

Documented Maltese literature is over 200 years old.However a recently unearthed love ballad testifies toliterary activity in the local tongue from the Medieval period. Malta followed a Romantic literarytradition, culminating in the works of Dun Karm, Malta's National Poet. Subsequent writers like RuzarBriffa and Karmenu Vassallo tried to estrange themselves from the rigidity of formal themes andversification.

It was late in the 1960s that Maltese literature experienced its most radical transformation amongpoets, prose writers and dramatists. Names of significant poets that stand out from the last quarter ofthe 20th century include Mario Azzopardi, Victor Fenech, Oliver Friggieri, Joe Friggieri, CharlesFlores, Daniel Massa, Maria Ganado, Lillian Sciberras and Akille Mizzi. In prose, Frans Sammut,Paul P. Borg and Joe J. Camilleri led the avant-garde meanwhile among the prominent names intheatre are Francis Ebejer, Alfred Sant, Doreen Micallef, Oreste Calleja, Joe Friggieri and Martin

Maltese student checking bloodpressure

Culture [edit]

Music [edit]

Manoel Theatre, Europe's third-oldestworking theatre. Now Malta's NationalTheatre and home to the MaltaPhilharmonic Orchestra.

Literature [edit]



Gauci.

The next generation of writers widened the tracks further, especially in prose. Guze' Stagno, KarlSchembri and Clare Azzopardi are young writers fast establishing themselves while in poetry,significant names include Adrian Grima, Immanuel Mifsud, Norbert Bugeja and Simone Inguanez.

In literary criticism, Peter Serracino Inglott, Oliver Friggieriand Charles Briffa introduced perceptive historical,philosophical and psycho-social themes into Maltesetheory. Ivan Callus, current Head of the EnglishDepartment at the University of Malta, is also aninternationally known literary critic in academic circles forthe English language.

Other writers, born in Malta or of Maltese descent, haveestablished careers abroad. These included the novelistTrezza Azzopardi, best-selling children's author SaviourPirotta and comic-book artist/journalist Joe Sacco.

Maltese architecture has been influenced by many differentMediterranean cultures and British architecture over itshistory. The first settlers on the island constructed gantija,one of the oldest manmade freestanding structures in theworld. The Neolithic temple builders 38002500 BCendowed the numerous temples of Malta and Gozo withintricate bas relief designs, including spirals evocative ofthe tree of life and animal portraits, designs painted in redochre, ceramics, and a vast collection of human formsculptures, particularly the Venus of Malta. These can beviewed at the temples themselves (most notably, theHypogeum and Tarxien Temples), and at the National

Museum of Archaeology in Valletta. Malta is currently undergoing several large-scale buildingprojects, including the construction of SmartCity Malta, the M-Towers and Pendergardens, whileareas such as the Valletta Waterfront and Tigne Point are receiving renovation.

The Roman period introduced highly decorative mosaic floors, marble colonnades and classicalstatuary, remnants of which are beautifully preserved and presented in the Roman Domus, a countryvilla just outside the walls of Mdina. The early Christian frescoes that decorate the catacombsbeneath Malta reveal a propensity for eastern, Byzantine tastes. These tastes continued to inform theendeavours of medieval Maltese artists, but they were increasingly influenced by the Romanesqueand Southern Gothic movements. Towards the end of the 15th century, Maltese artists, like theircounterparts in neighbouring Sicily, came under the influence of the School of Antonello da Messina,which introduced Renaissance ideals and concepts to the decorative arts in Malta.[130] Malta'stemples such as Imnajdra are full of history and have a story behind them.

The artistic heritage of Malta blossomed under the Knightsof St. John, who brought Italian and Flemish Manneristpainters to decorate their palaces and the churches ofthese islands, most notably, Matteo Perez d'Aleccio, whoseworks appear in the Magisterial Palace and in theConventual Church of St. John in Valletta, and FilippoPaladini, who was active in Malta from 1590 to 1595. Formany years, Mannerism continued to inform the tastes and

Typical architecture built in recent yearsin Malta.

Art and architecture [edit]

Lower Barrakka Gardens



ideals of local Maltese artists.[130]

The arrival in Malta of Caravaggio, who painted at leastseven works during his 15-month stay on these islands,further revolutionised local art. Two of Caravaggio's mostnotable works, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist and Saint Jerome Writing, are on display inthe Oratory of the Conventual Church of St. John. His legacy is evident in the works of local artistsGiulio Cassarino (15821637) and Stefano Erardi (16301716). However, the Baroque movementthat followed was destined to have the most enduring impact on Maltese art and architecture. Theglorious vault paintings of the celebrated Calabrese artist, Mattia Preti transformed the severe,Mannerist interior of the Conventual Church St. John into a Baroque masterpiece. Preti spent the last40 years of his life in Malta, where he created many of his finest works, now on display in theMuseum of Fine Arts in Valletta. During this period, local sculptor Melchior Gaf (16391667)emerged as one of the top Baroque sculptors of the Roman School.

During the 17th and 18th century, Neapolitan and Rococoinfluences emerged in the works of the Italian paintersLuca Giordano (16321705) and Francesco Solimena(16571747), and these developments can be seen in thework of their Maltese contemporaries such as GiovanniNicola Buhagiar (16981752) and Francesco Zahra (17101773). The Rococo movement was greatly enhanced bythe relocation to Malta of Antoine de Favray (17061798),who assumed the position of court painter to Grand MasterPinto in 1744.

Neo-classicism made some inroads among local Malteseartists in the late 18th century, but this trend was reversed in the early 19th century, as the localChurch authorities perhaps in an effort to strengthen Catholic resolve against the perceived threatof Protestantism during the early days of British rule in Malta favoured and avidly promoted thereligious themes embraced by the Nazarene movement of artists. Romanticism, tempered by thenaturalism introduced to Malta by Giuseppe Cal, informed the "salon" artists of the early 20thcentury, including Edward and Robert Caruana Dingli.

Parliament established the National School of Art in the 1920s. During the reconstruction period thatfollowed the Second World War, the emergence of the "Modern Art Group", whose membersincluded Josef Kalleya (18981998), George Preca (19091984), Anton Inglott (19151945), EmvinCremona (19191986), Frank Portelli (b. 1922), Antoine Camilleri (b. 1922) and Esprit Barthet (b.1919) greatly enhanced the local art scene.

Main articles: Maltese cuisine and List of Maltese dishes

Maltese cuisine shows strongSicilian and English influences aswell as influences of Spanish,Maghrebin and Provenal

Saint Jerome Writing, by Caravaggio.Held in St John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta.

The Siege of Malta Flight of the Turks,by Matteo Perez d'Aleccio

Cuisine [edit]



cuisines. A number of regionalvariations, particularly withregards to Gozo, can be noted aswell as seasonal variationsassociated with the seasonalavailability of produce andChristian feasts (such as Lent, Easter and Christmas). Food hasbeen important historically in the development of a national identityin particular the traditional fenkata (i.e. the eating of stewed or fried

rabbit).

Main article: Maltese folklore

A 2010 Charities Aid Foundation study found that Maltese were the most generous peoples in theworld, with 83% contributing to charity.[131]

Maltese folktales include various stories about mysterious creatures and supernatural events. Thesewere most comprehensively compiled by the scholar (and pioneer in Maltese archaeology) ManwelMagri[132] in his core criticism "rejjef Missirijietna" ("Fables from our Forefathers"). This collection ofmaterial inspired subsequent researchers and academics to gather traditional tales, fables andlegends from all over the Archipelago.

Magri's work also inspired a series of comic books (released by Klabb Kotba Maltin in 1984): thetitles included Bin is-Sultan Jiewwe x-Xebba tat-Troniet Mewwija and Ir-Rjie. Many of thesestories have been popularly re-written as Children's literature by authors writing in Maltese, such asTrevor ahra. While giants, witches and dragons feature in many of the stories, some contain entirelyMaltese creatures like the Kaw kaw, Il-Belliega and L-Imalla among others. The traditional Malteseobsession with maintaining spiritual (or ritual) purity[133] means that many of these creatures havethe role of guarding forbidden or restricted areas and attacking individuals who broke the strict codesof conduct that characterised the island's pre-industrial society.A Maltese bread is hobz biz-zejt.

Traditional Maltese proverbs reveal a cultural preoccupation with childbearing and fertility: "i-wiemingajr tarbija ma fihx tgawdija" (a childless marriage cannot be a happy one). This is a belief thatMalta shares with many other Mediterranean cultures. In Maltese folktales the local variant of theclassic closing formula, "and they all lived happily ever after" is "u gammru u tgammru, u spiat"(and they lived together, and they had children together, and the tale is finished).[134]

Rural Malta shares in common with Mediterranean society a number of superstitions regardingfertility, menstruation, and pregnancy, including the avoidance of cemeteries during the monthsleading up to childbirth, and avoiding the preparation of certain foods during menses. Pregnantwomen are encouraged to satisfy their cravings for specific foods, out of fear that their unborn childwill bear a representational birth mark (Maltese: xewqa, literally "desire" or "craving"). Maltese andSicilian women also share certain traditions that are believed to predict the sex of an unborn child,such as the cycle of the moon on the anticipated date of birth, whether the baby is carried "high" or"low" during pregnancy, and the movement of a wedding ring, dangled on a string above theabdomen (sideways denoting a girl, back and forth denoting a boy).

Traditionally, Maltese newborns were baptised as promptly as possible, partly out of fear of limbo

Pastizzi, a typical Maltesesnack

Ftira, a type of Maltese bread

Customs [edit]

Traditions [edit]



should the child die in infancy, and partly because according to Maltese (and Sicilian) folklore anunbaptised child is not yet a Christian, but "still a Turk". Traditional Maltese delicacies served at abaptismal feast include biskuttini tal-magmudija (almond macaroons covered in white or pink icing),it-torta tal-marmorata (a spicy, heart-shaped tart of chocolate-flavoured almond paste), and a liqueurknown as roolin, made with rose petals, violets and almonds.

On a child's first birthday, in a tradition that still survives today, Maltese parents would organise agame known as il-quija, where a variety of symbolic objects would be randomly placed around theseated child. These may include a hard-boiled egg, a Bible, crucifix or rosary beads, a book, and soon. Whichever object the child shows most interest in is said to reveal the child's path and fortunes inadulthood.

Money refers to a rich future while a book expresses intelligence and a possible career as a teacher.Infants who select a pencil or pen will be writers. Choosing bibles or rosary beads refers to a clericalor monastic life. If the child chooses a hard-boiled egg, it will have a long life and many children.More recent additions include calculators (refers to accounting), thread (fashion) and wooden spoons(cooking and a great appetite).

Traditional Maltese weddings featured the bridal partywalking in procession beneath an ornate canopy, from thehome of the bride's family to the parish church, withsingers trailing behind serenading the bride and groom.The Maltese word for this custom is il-ilwa. This customalong with many others has long since disappeared fromthe Islands, in the face of modern practices.

New wives would wear the gonnella, a traditional item ofMaltese clothing. However, it is no longer worn in modernMalta. Today's couples are married in churches or chapelsin the village or town of their choice. The nuptials areusually followed by a lavish wedding reception, often including several hundred guests. Occasionally,couples will try to incorporate elements of the traditional Maltese wedding in their celebration. Aresurgent interest in the traditional wedding was evident in May 2007, when thousands of Malteseand tourists attended a traditional Maltese wedding in the style of the 16th century, in the Village ofurrieq. This included il-ilwa, which led the bride and groom to a wedding ceremony that took placeon the parvis of St. Andrew's Chapel. The reception that followed featured folklore music (gana) anddancing.

Local festivals, similar to those in southern Italy, are commonplace in Malta and Gozo, celebratingweddings, christenings and, most prominently, saints' days, honouring the patron saint of the localparish. On saints' days, the festa reaches its apex with a High Mass featuring a sermon on the lifeand achievements of the patron saint, after which a statue of the religious patron is taken around thelocal streets in solemn procession, with the faithful following in respectful prayer. The religiousatmosphere quickly gives way to several days of revelry, band processions, fireworks, and late nightparties. Lija is one villages with a notable firework display.

Carnival (Maltese: il-karnival ta' Malta) has had an important place on the cultural calendar afterGrand Master Piero de Ponte introduced it to the Islands in 1535. It is held during the week leadingup to Ash Wednesday, and typically includes masked balls, fancy dress and grotesque maskcompetitions, lavish lat

Malta - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Documents

Transcript of Malta - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia