| Repubblika ta' Malta Republic of Malta | ||||||
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| Anthem: L-Innu Malti ("The Maltese Anthem") | ||||||
 Location of Malta (dark green) – on the European continent (light green & dark grey) – in the European Union (light green) | ||||||
| Capital | Valletta (de facto) | |||||
| Largest city | Birkirkara | |||||
| Official languages | Maltese, English | |||||
| Demonym | Maltese | |||||
| Government | Parliamentary Republic | |||||
| - | President | Edward Fenech Adami | ||||
| - | Prime Minister | Lawrence Gonzi | ||||
| Independence | ||||||
| - | from the United Kingdom | September 21, 1964 | ||||
| - | Republic | December 13, 1974 | ||||
| EU accession | May 1, 2004 | |||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 316 km² (185th) 121 sq mi | ||||
| - | Water (%) | 0. List of flags of Malta The Flag of Malta is a basic bi-colour with white in the hoist and red in the fly colours from the blazon of the arms of Malta The Coat of Arms of Malta is the Emblem of the country of Malta. A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's L-Innu Malti (in English: The Maltese Hymn) is the National anthem of Malta. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Valletta ( Belt Valletta or Città Umilissima) is the capital city of Malta. Malta is the most densely populated country in the EU and one of the most densely populated countries in the world with about 1265 inhabitants per square kilometre (3000 per square mile Birkirkara or B'Kara ( English: Birchircara) is a town of 21775 inhabitants (as of November 2005 in central Malta. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Maltese (Maltese Malti is the National language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English, English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place The Maltese people or Maltese are a Southern European Nation and Ethnic group native to Malta, an island nation consisting of an archipelago For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A parliamentary republic or parliamentary constitutional republic is a form of a Republic which operates under a Parliamentary system of government The office of the President of Malta (President ta' Malta came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. Edward Fenech Adami (born February 7, 1934, Birkirkara) was the Prime Minister of Malta from 1987 until 1996 and from 1998 until 2004 The Prime Minister of Malta is the Head of Government of Malta. Lawrence Gonzi (born July 1, 1953) is the incumbent Prime Minister of Malta. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in A Member State of the European Union is any one of the twenty-seven sovereign Nation states that have acceded the European Union (EU since its De facto Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare different Orders of magnitude and geographical regions we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 001 | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | 2006 estimate | 402,000 (174th) | ||||
| - | 2005 census | 404,5001 | ||||
| - | Density | 1,282/km² (7th) 3,339/sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2007 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $9. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 342 billion (143rd) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $23,200 (40th) | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2006 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $5. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita 39 billion (120th) | ||||
| - | Per capita | $13,408 (35th) | ||||
| HDI (2007) | ▲0. PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product Per capita at Nominal values, the The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 878 (high) (34th) | |||||
| Currency | Euro (€)2Banks (EUR) | |||||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |||||
| - | Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||||
| Internet TLD | .mt 3 | |||||
| Calling code | +356 | |||||
| 1 Total population includes foreign residents. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e The euro sign (€ is the Currency sign used for the Euro, the official currency of the European Union (EU Central Bank Central Bank of Malta Commercial Banks Akbank * APS Bank * Banif Bank ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Daylight saving time ( DST Central European Summer Time ( CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Maltese residents population estimate at end 2004 was 389,769. All official population data provided by the NSO [2]. 2Before 2008: Maltese lira 3 Also .eu, shared with other European Union member states. The lira (lira maltija plural liri, ISO 4217 code: MTL) was the currency of Malta until December 31 2007 The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in | ||||||
Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Maltese: Repubblika ta' Malta), is a small and densely populated island nation comprising an archipelago of seven islands, three of which are inhabited. Maltese (Maltese Malti is the National language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English, An island country is a Country that is wholly confined to an Island, several islands an Island group or several island groups and has no territory on An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian It is located in the Mediterranean Sea in Northern Africa just 93 km (58 mi) south of Sicily, giving the country a warm, Mediterranean climate, and 288 km (179 mi) to its south is North Africa. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan [1][2] The nation's de facto capital city is the historic Valletta. Valletta ( Belt Valletta or Città Umilissima) is the capital city of Malta.
Throughout much of its history, Malta has been considered a crucial strategic location due in large part to its position in the Mediterranean Sea. [3] It was held by several ancient cultures including Sicilians, Romans, Phoenicians, Byzantines and others. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial The island is commonly associated with the Knights of St. John who ruled it. The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St This, along with the historic Biblical shipwreck of St. Paul on the island, ingrained the strong Roman Catholic legacy which is still the official and most practised religion in Malta today. The Acts of the Apostles is a book of the Bible, which now stands fifth in the New Testament. Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and In the small Mediterranean Island nation of Malta the predominant religion is Roman Catholicism.
The country's official languages are Maltese and English, the latter a legacy from Malta's period as a British colony – the United Kingdom is the most recent outside ruling power. Maltese (Maltese Malti is the National language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English, English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Malta gained independence in 1964 and is currently a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising
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Etymology
The origin of the term "Malta" is uncertain, though the modern day variation is from the Maltese language. Maltese (Maltese Malti is the National language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English, The more common etymology is that it comes from the Greek word μέλι (meli) ('honey'). Etymology is the study of the History of Words &mdash when they entered a language from what source and how their form and meaning have changed over time The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c The Greeks called the island Μελίτη (Melite) meaning "honey" or "honey-sweet" possibly due to Malta's unique production of honey; Malta has had an endemic species of bee which lives on the island, giving it the common nickname the "land of honey". Honey is a sweet and Viscous fluid produced by Honey bees (and some other species and derived from the nectar of Flowers According to the Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere [4] Not only was there Greek influence on the island as early as 700 BC,[5] but the island was later dominated by the Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire from 395 to 870. [5]
Another etymology given is the Phoenician word Maleth meaning "a haven". Phoenician was a language originally spoken in the coastal region then called Pūt in Ancient Egyptian Canaan in Phoenician, Hebrew, and [6]
History
Early settlements of Malta
The Maltese islands were first settled in 5200 BC by stone age farmers who had arrived from the nearby, much larger island of Sicily, they were called Sicanians. During the 6th millennium BC, Agriculture spreads from the Balkans to Italy and Eastern Europe and from Mesopotamia to Egypt. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. The Sicani ( Greek Sikanoi) or Sicanians were one of three ancient peoples of Sicily present at the time of Phoenician and Greek colonization [7][8] During 3500 BC, these people built the oldest free-standing structures and oldest religious structures in the world, in the form of the megalithic Ġgantija temples on Gozo,[9] other early temples include those at Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra. Ġgantija ( Ggantia) is a Neolithic, Megalithic Temple complex on the Mediterranean Island of Gozo, which Gozo ( Għawdex) is an Island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, the island is part of the Southern European The temple of Ħaġar Qim IPA stands on a ridge some two kilometers away from the village of Qrendi. Mnajdra is a prehistoric Megalithic temple complex that lies on the southern coast of Malta and is approximately 500 metres from the Ħaġar Qim megalithic Around 700 BC, there was Ancient Greek culture on Malta, especially around the area of Valletta. The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage in the development of the Hellenic language family spanning the Archaic (c Valletta ( Belt Valletta or Città Umilissima) is the capital city of Malta. [5] A century later the natives were joined on the island by Phoenician traders,[5] who used the islands as an outpost for their trade explorations in the Mediterranean Sea.
After the fall of Tyre, the islands later came under the control of Carthage (400 BC), a former Phoenician colony, and then of Rome (218 BC). In 332 BC, Alexander the Great set out to conquer Tyre, a strategic coastal base in the war between the Greeks and the Persians. Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a Republican form of government a period which began with the overthrow of the The islands prospered under Roman rule, during which time they were considered a Municipium and a Foederata Civitas. A municipium (pl municipia) belonged to the second highest class of Roman cities being In the history of the Roman empire, civitas (pl civitates mainly referred to the condition of Roman Citizenship It was also used to describe a type of settlement Many Roman antiquities still exist, testifying to the close link between the Maltese inhabitants and the people of Rome. The island was a favourite among Roman soldiers as a place to retire from active service. In 60 AD the islands were visited by Saint Paul, who is said to have been shipwrecked on the shores of the aptly-named "San Pawl il-Baħar" (Saint Paul's Bay). Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and Saint Paul's Bay ( Maltese: San Pawl il-Baħar) is situated in the north east of the island of Malta, sixteen kilometres from the capital city Valletta Studies of the currents and prevalent winds at the time however, render it more likely that the shipwreck occurred in or around Daħlet San Tumas in Marsascala. Marsascala ( Maltese: Marsaskala or just M'skala) is a modest sea-side village in Malta that has grown up around the small harbour at the
After a period of Byzantine rule (fourth to ninth century) and a probable sack by the Vandals, the islands were conquered by the Arabs in 870 AD. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Arabs, who generally tolerated the population's Christianity, introduced the cultivation of citrus fruits and cotton, and irrigation systems. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Arab influence can be seen most prominently in the modern Maltese language, a Semitic language which also contains significant Romance influences, and is written in a variation of the Latin alphabet.
The period of Arab rule lasted until 1091, when the islands were taken by the Siculo-Normans. The Italo-Normans, or Siculo-Normans when referring to Sicily, were the Italian -born descendants of the first Norman conquerors to travel to A century later the last Norman king, Tancredo di Lecce, appointed Margarito di Brindisi the first Count of Malta. Tancred (died February 20, 1194) was King of Sicily from 1189 to 1194 Margaritus of Brindisi (also Margarito; Italian Margaritone or Greek Megareites or Margaritoni: c Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands Subsequent rulers included the Swabian, Angevin, Aragonese, Castillians who reconstituted a County of Malta in 1283. Angevin (ˈændʒəvɪn ( French, from Old French, from Medieval Latin Andegavinus from Andegavia Anjou, France) is the name applied The Castilian people are the inhabitants of those regions in Spain where most people identify themselves as Castilian Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands The Maltese nobility was established during this period; some of it dating back to 1400. The Maltese nobility consist of those titles of Nobility recognised by the British and those titles never presented to or failed recognition by the Royal Commission Around thirty-two noble titles remain in use today, of which the oldest is the Barony of Djar il-Bniet e Buqana.
Knights of Malta and Napoleon
In 1530 Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Spain gave the islands to the Order of Knights of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem in perpetual lease. The Holy Roman Emperor (Römischer Kaiser or Römisch-Deutscher Kaiser Romanorum Imperator was the elected monarch ruling over the many varying numbers of states Charles V (24 February 1500 &ndash 21 September 1558 was Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St The Crown of Aragon had owned the islands as part of its Mediterranean empire for some time. The Crown of Aragon was a permanent union of multiple titles and states in the hands of the King of Aragon. These knights, a military religious order now known as the "Knights of Malta", had been driven out of Rhodes by the Ottoman Empire in 1522. The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St Rhodes (Ρόδος Ródos, ˈɾo̞ðo̞s Rodi ردوس Rodos; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes) is a Greek island The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish They withstood a full-blown siege by the Ottoman Turks in 1565, at the time the greatest naval power in the Mediterranean sea. For the 1940-42 siege see " Siege of Malta (World War II " The Siege of Malta (also known as the Great Siege of Malta) took After this they decided to increase the fortifications, particularly in the inner-harbour area, where the new city of Valletta, named after Grand Master Jean de la Valette, was built. Fortifications are Military Constructions and Buildings designed for defense in Warfare Humans have constructed defensive works for Valletta ( Belt Valletta or Città Umilissima) is the capital city of Malta. Grand Master is the typical Title of the supreme head (in some national orders below the Sovereign Head of state of various orders of knighthood including Military orders Jean Parisot de Valette (born in 1494 died in Malta 21 August 1568) was born into a noble family in Quercy.
Their reign ended when Malta was captured by Napoleon en route to his expedition of Egypt during the French Revolutionary Wars in 1798. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. 1798 was a relatively quiet period in the French Revolutionary Wars. As a ruse, Napoleon asked for safe harbour to resupply his ships, and then turned his guns against his hosts once safely inside Valletta. Grand Master Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim capitulated, and Napoleon stayed in Malta for a few days, during which time he systematically looted the movable assets of the Order, and established an administration controlled by his nominees. Grand Master is the typical Title of the supreme head (in some national orders below the Sovereign Head of state of various orders of knighthood including Military orders Ferdinand von Hompesch zu Bolheim ( November 9, 1744 - May 12, 1805) was the 71st Grand Master of the Order of Saint John He then sailed for Egypt, leaving a substantial garrison in Malta.
The occupying French forces were unpopular, however, due particularly to their negative attitude towards religion. Their financial and religious reforms did not go down well with the citizens. The Maltese rebelled against them, and the French were forced behind the fortifications. Great Britain, along with the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, sent ammunition and aid to the rebels, and Britain also sent her navy, which instigated a blockade of the islands. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies ( Regno delle Due Sicilie) commonly known as just the Two Sicilies, was the name of a Kingdom in Europe. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The isolated French forces, under General Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois, surrendered in 1800, and the island became a British Dominion, being presented by several Maltese leaders to Sir Alexander Ball. Claude-Henri Belgrand de Vaubois (1748 - 1839 was a French general A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities under sovereign authority within the British Empire and Sir Alexander John Ball 1st Baronet (22 July 1756?—20 October 1809 was a British Admiral and governor of Malta.
British rule and World War II
In 1814, as part of the Treaty of Paris, Malta officially became a part of the British Empire, and was used as a shipping way-station and fleet headquarters. The Treaty of Paris, signed on 30 May 1814 ended the war between France and the Sixth Coalition. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. Malta's position half-way between Gibraltar and the Suez Canal proved to be its main asset during these years, and it was considered to be an important stop on the way to India. Gibraltar (dʒɨˈbrɒltər is a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country
In the early 1930s, the British Mediterranean Fleet, which was at the time the main contributor for the commerce on the island, was moved to Alexandria as an economic measure. Mediterranean Fleet redirects here For the Mediterranean Fleets of other countries see Mediterranean Fleet (disambiguation. Alexandria ( Egyptian Arabic: اسكندريه Eskendereyya; Standard Arabic: ar الإسكندرية Al-Iskandariyya; Ἀλεξάνδρεια Malta played an important role during World War II, owing to its proximity to Axis shipping lanes. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Axis powers also known as the Axis alliance Axis nations Axis countries or sometimes just the Axis were those Countries The bravery of the Maltese people in their long struggle against enemy attack moved HM King George VI to award the George Cross to Malta on a collective basis on April 15, 1942 "to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history". The George Cross was awarded to the island of Malta by King George VI of the United Kingdom in a letter dated 15 April 1942 to the island's Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Some historians argue that the award caused Britain to incur disproportionate losses in defending Malta, as British credibility would have suffered if Malta was surrendered, as Singapore had been. Singapore [10] A replica of the George Cross now appears in the upper hoist corner of the Flag of Malta. List of flags of Malta The Flag of Malta is a basic bi-colour with white in the hoist and red in the fly colours from the blazon of the arms of Malta The collective award remained unique until April 1999, when the Royal Ulster Constabulary became the second – and, to date, the only other – recipient of the collective George Cross. The Royal Ulster Constabulary GC was the name of the Police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001
Independence
After the war, and after the Malta Labour Party's unsuccessful attempt at "Integration with Britain", Malta was granted independence on September 21, 1964 (Independence Day). History Foundation (1920-1949 The inequalities that existed at the time led to the riots of 7 June 1919 ( Sette Giugno) - the importers Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC from the Italian island of Sicily. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC from the Italian island of Sicily. Under its 1964 constitution, Malta initially retained Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of Malta, with a Governor-General exercising executive authority on her behalf. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II This title of Queen of Malta (Maltese Reġina ta' Malta) was held by Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom between September 21, 1964 and The term governor general or governor-general refers to a vice-regal representative of a Monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. On December 13, 1974 (Republic Day) it became a republic within the Commonwealth, with the President as head of state. Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Republic Day is the name of a Public holiday in several countries to commemorate the day when they first became Republics January 9th in Republika A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its The office of the President of Malta (President ta' Malta came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state A defence agreement signed soon after independence (and re-negotiated in 1972) expired on March 31, 1979 (Freedom Day) when the British military forces were withdrawn. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) March 31, 1979 is remembered in the Maltese calendar as Freedom Day (Jum il-Ħelsien Malta adopted an official policy of neutrality in 1980 and for a brief period was a member of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. For other uses of Neutral and Neutrality see Neutral A neutral country takes no side in a War between other parties The Non-Aligned Movement ( NAM) is an International organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc In 1989 Malta was the venue of an important summit between US President Bush and Soviet leader Gorbachev, their first face-to-face encounter, which signaled the end of the Cold War. The Malta Summit consisted of a meeting between US President George H George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12 1924 served as the forty-first President of the United States from 1989 to 1993 Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev ( Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachyov;; born 2 March 1931 in Privolnoye Stavropol Krai) is a Russian politician Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the
Malta joined the European Union on May 1, 2004. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " [11] Following the European Council of 21 to 22 June 2007 it joined the Eurozone on January 1, 2008. Euro Enlargement of the New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common [12]
Politics and government
Malta is a republic,[13] whose parliamentary system and public administration is closely modeled on the Westminster system. The politics of Malta take place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Republic, whereby the President of Malta is the The Government Of Malta is the executive branch of Malta It is made up of the Cabinet and the Parliamentary Secretaries A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Public administration can be broadly described as the development implementation and study of branches of government Policy. The Westminster system is a democratic Parliamentary system of Government modelled after the British government (the Parliament of the United The unicameral House of Representatives, (Maltese: Il-Kamra tar-Rappreżentanti), is elected by direct universal suffrage through single transferable vote every five years, unless the House is dissolved earlier by the President on advice of the Prime Minister. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber The Parliament of Malta, the House of Representatives ( Il-Kamra tar-Rappreżentanti) currently has 69 members elected for a five year term Single transferable vote (STV is a preferential Voting system designed to minimize Wasted votes and provide Proportional representation The office of the President of Malta (President ta' Malta came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. The Prime Minister of Malta is the Head of Government of Malta. The House of Representatives is made up of sixty-five Members of Parliament. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. However, where a party wins an absolute majority of votes, but does not have a majority of seats, that party is given additional seats to ensure a parliamentary majority. The Constitution of Malta provides that the President appoint as Prime Minister the member of the House who is best able to command a (governing) majority in the House. The current Constitution of Malta was adopted as a legal order on September 21, 1964, and has been amended twenty-four times most recently in 2007 with the entrenchment
The President of the Republic is elected every five years by the House of Representatives. The office of the President of Malta (President ta' Malta came into being on 13 December 1974, when Malta became a Commonwealth republic. The role of the president as head of state is largely ceremonial.
The main political parties are the Nationalist Party, which is a Christian democratic party, and the Malta Labour Party, which is a social democratic party. History In its early years the party was divided between abstentionists and anti-abstentionists Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian (and often specifically Catholic) principles to public policy History Foundation (1920-1949 The inequalities that existed at the time led to the riots of 7 June 1919 ( Sette Giugno) - the importers Social democracy is a Political ideology of the left and centre-left
The Nationalist Party is currently (2008) at the helm of the government, the Prime Minister being Dr. Lawrence Gonzi. Lawrence Gonzi (born July 1, 1953) is the incumbent Prime Minister of Malta. The Malta Labour Party is in opposition.
There are a number of smaller political parties in Malta that presently have no parliamentary representation.
Geography
Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean Sea (in its eastern basin), some 93 km south of the Italian island of Sicily across the Malta Channel; east of Tunisia and north of Libya in Africa. The Geography of Malta is dominated by water Malta is an Archipelago of Coralline limestone, located in the Mediterranean Sea, approximately An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Only the three largest islands Malta Island (Malta), Gozo (Għawdex), and Comino (Kemmuna) are inhabited. Malta Island is the largest of the three islands that constitute the Maltese archipelago and Republic of Malta. Gozo ( Għawdex) is an Island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, the island is part of the Southern European Comino (Maltese Kemmuna) is an island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea, The smaller islands, such as Filfla, Cominotto and the Islands of St. Paul are uninhabited. Filfla is a small barren uninhabited Islet south of Malta, and is the most southerly point of the Maltese Archipelago. Cominotto ( Kemmunett) sometimes referred to as Cominetto is an uninhabited Mediterranean Island off the northern coast of Malta. St Paul's Island (also referred to as Selmunett is a flat islet (there are in fact two of them well separated when the sea is rough lying in St Numerous bays along the indented coastline of the islands provide good harbours. The archipelago itself lies on the edge of the African tectonic plate, as it borders with the Eurasian plate. The landscape is characterised by low hills with terraced fields. The highest point is at Ta' Dmejrek on Malta Island at 253 metres (830 ft) near Dingli. The Geography of Malta is dominated by water Malta is an Archipelago of Coralline limestone, located in the Mediterranean Sea, approximately A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Dingli (or Ħad-Dingli) is a village on the west coast of Malta, with a population of 3326 persons (Nov 2005 13 kilometers from the capital Valletta Although there are some small rivers at times of high rainfall, there are no permanent rivers or lakes on Malta. However, some watercourses are found around the island that have fresh water running all year round. Such places are Baħrija, l-Intaħleb and San Martin. Running water in Gozo is found at Lunzjata Valley.
Malta implemented the Schengen Agreement on December 21, 2007. The term Schengen Agreement is used for two agreements concluded among European states in 1985 and 1990 which deal with the abolition of systematic Border controls Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. [14] Customs and border controls remained at airports until March 2008.
Contrary to popular belief, the south of Malta is not Europe's most southern point; that distinction belongs to the Greek island of Gavdos. Comino (Maltese Kemmuna) is an island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea, This is a list of the extreme points of Europe, the points that are farther North, South, East or West than any other location in Europe Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Gavdos or Gávdhos ( Greek: Γαύδος) is the southernmost Greek island, located to the south of its much bigger neighbour Crete
Phytogeographically, Malta belongs to the Liguro-Tyrrhenian province of the Mediterranean Region within the Boreal Kingdom. Phytogeography, also called geobotany is the branch of Biogeography that is concerned with the geographic distribution of Plant Species, or more generally The Mediterranean Basin refers to the lands around and surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. Rhododendron-palustreJPG|thumb|right| Rhododendron tomentosum ]]The Boreal Kingdom or Holarctic Kingdom ( Holarctis) is a Floristic kingdom According to the WWF, the territory of Malta belongs to the ecoregion of Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests. An ecoregion ( ecological region) sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or "
Climate
The climate is Mediterranean (Köppen climate classification Csa), with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems It was developed by Wladimir Köppen, a German climatologist There is no real thermal dormant season for plants, although plant growth can be checked briefly by abnormal cold in winter (patches of ground frost may occur in inland locales), and summer heat and aridity may cause vegetation to wilt. Effectively there are only two seasons, which makes the islands attractive for tourists, especially during the drier months. However, strong winds can make Malta feel cold during the springtime.
Water supply poses a problem on Malta, as the summer is both rainless and the time of greatest water use, and the winter rainfall often falls as heavy showers running off to the sea rather than soaking into the ground. Malta depends on underground reserves of fresh water, drawn through a system of water tunnels called the Ta' Kandja galleries, which average about 97 m. below surface and extend like the spokes of a wheel. In the galleries in Malta's porous limestone, fresh water lies in a lens upon brine. More than half the potable water of Malta is produced by desalination, which creates further issues of fossil fuel use and pollution. Desalination, desalinization, or desalinisation refers to any of several processes that remove excess salt and other Minerals from Water [15]
In January 2007 International Living chose Malta as the country with the best climate in the world. International Living (IL is a publishing group founded in Baltimore Maryland in 1979 as the flagship of Agora Inc [16]
The lowest temperature ever recorded at Valletta was on February 19, 1895, with +1. Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year 2 °C (34. 2 °F), and the highest temperature was +43. 8 °C (110. 8 °F) recorded in August 1999 at Luqa International Airport. An unofficial lowest temperature of −1. 7 °C (28. 9 °F) was recorded on February 1, 1962 in the Ta' Qali airfield with snow on the ground. Events 1327 - Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ta' Qali is a village in Malta, a wide open space in the middle of Malta containing the national stadium, Ta' Qali National Park and a national Snow is virtually unheard of, with very few and brief snow flurries recorded in February 1895, January 1905 and January 31st, 1962. No accumulation has been reported on the coast at least since 1800, but in the last day of January 1962 snow briefly covered some parts of the interior of the main island. The following night the only frost in the history of Malta was recorded in the in the Ta' Qali airfield. Ta' Qali is a village in Malta, a wide open space in the middle of Malta containing the national stadium, Ta' Qali National Park and a national
| Month | Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high °C (°F) | 21 (71) | 15 (59) | 15 (59) | 16 (61) | 18 (65) | 22 (72) | 27 (80) | 30 (86) | 30 (86) | 28 (82) | 24 (75) | 19 (67) | 16 (61) |
| Avg low temperature °C (°F) | 15 (60) | 9 (49) | 9 (49) | 10 (51) | 12 (54) | 15 (59) | 19 (66) | 22 (71) | 22 (72) | 20 (69) | 18 (64) | 14 (57) | 11 (52) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
Local councils
Since 1993 Malta has been subdivided into sixty-eight local councils. Since 1993, Malta has been subdivided into 68 local councils or localities (meaning municipalities These form the most basic form of local government. There are no intermediate levels between local government and national government. A list is below:
Economy
Until 1800 Malta had very few industries except the cotton, tobacco and shipyards industry. The strengths of the Economy of Malta are its Limestone, a favourable geographic location and a productive labour force Grand Harbour (in Maltese: Il-Port il-Kbir is a Natural harbour on the island of Malta. SmartCity is a planned Technology park to be constructed in Kalkara, Malta. Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. The dockyard was later used by the British for military purposes. Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships These can be Yachts military At times of war Malta's economy prospered due to its strategic location. This could be seen during the Crimean War of 1854. The Crimean War, also known in Russia as the Eastern War (Восточная война Vostochnaya Vojna) (March 1854–February 1856 was fought This benefited those who had a military role, as well as the craftsmen.
In 1869 the opening of the Suez Canal benefited Malta's economy greatly, as there was a massive increase in the shipping which entered the port. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation Entrepôt trade saw many ships stopping at Malta's docks for refuelling, which brought great benefits to the population. An entrepôt (from the French " Warehouse " is a Trading post where merchandise can be imported and Exported without Towards the end of the 19th century the economy began declining, and by the 1940s Malta's economy was in serious crisis. This was partially due to the longer range of newer merchant ships which required less frequent refuelling stops.
Presently, Malta’s major resources are limestone, a favourable geographic location and a productive labour force. Limestone is a Sedimentary rock composed largely of the Mineral Calcite ( Calcium carbonate: CaCO3 Malta produces only about 20% of its food needs, has limited freshwater supplies and has no domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade (serving as a freight trans-shipment point), manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles) and tourism. Tourism infrastructure has increased dramatically over the years and a number of good-quality hotels are present on the island. An increasing number of Maltese now travel abroad on holiday. [17] Although they are still a net importer of tourism, the ratio of inbound tourists to outbound tourists is decreasing. Film production is a growing contributor to the Maltese economy, with several big-budget foreign films shooting in Malta each year. This is a list of Films shot on the Mediterranean island of Malta. The country has increased the exports of many other types of services such as banking and finance.
The government is investing heavily in the country's provision of education. As all education is free, Malta is currently producing a pool of qualified persons which heavily contribute to the country's growing economy.
Malta has recently privatised some state-controlled firms and liberalised markets in order to prepare for membership in the European Union, which it joined on May 1, 2004. Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of business from the Public sector (government to the Private sector (business The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " For example, the government announced on January 8, 2007 that it is selling its 40% stake in Maltapost, in order to complete a privatisation process which has been ongoing for the past five years. Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Malta and Tunisia are currently discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf between their countries, particularly for petroleum exploration. Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa.
The Maltese government entered ERM II on May 4, 2005, and adopted the euro as the country's currency on January 1, 2008. The European Exchange Rate Mechanism, ERM, was a system introduced by the European Community in March 1979 as part of the European Monetary System (EMS Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common [18] Maltese euro coins feature the Maltese Cross on €2 and €1 coins, the Maltese Coat of Arms on the €0. Maltese euro coins feature three separate designs for the three series of coins The Maltese cross or Amalfi cross is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta The Coat of Arms of Malta is the Emblem of the country of Malta. 50, €0. 20 and €0. 10 coins, and the Mnajdra Temples on the €0. Mnajdra is a prehistoric Megalithic temple complex that lies on the southern coast of Malta and is approximately 500 metres from the Ħaġar Qim megalithic 05, €0. 02 and €0. 01 coins. [19]
Military
The objectives of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) are to maintain a military organisation with the primary aim of defending the Islands' integrity according to the defence roles as set by Government in an efficient and cost effective manner. The Armed Forces of Malta is the name given to the combined armed services of Malta. This is achieved by emphasising the maintenance of Malta's territorial waters and airspace integrity.
The AFM also engages in combating terrorism, fighting against illicit drug trafficking, conducting anti-illegal immigrant and anti-illegal fishing operations, operating Search and Rescue (SAR) services, and physical/electronic security/surveillance of sensitive locations. Malta's Search and Rescue area extends from east of Tunisia to west of Crete covering an area of around 250,000 km².
As a military organisation, the AFM provides backup support to the Malta Police Force (MPF) and other government departments/agencies in situations as required in an organised, disciplined manner in the event of national emergencies (such as natural disasters) or internal security and bomb disposal. Law enforcement in Malta is the responsibility of The Police Force of Malta a 1732 strong police force with 106 other civilian employees whose mission is defined by the Penal
On another level, the AFM establishes and/or consolidates bilateral co-operation with other countries to reach higher operational effectiveness related to AFM roles. This article is about the political term for the term as used in Biology, see symmetry (biology.
Demographics
Population
A census of population and housing is held every ten years. Malta is the most densely populated country in the EU and one of the most densely populated countries in the world with about 1265 inhabitants per square kilometre (3000 per square mile The last census was held over three weeks in November 2005 and managed to enumerate an estimated 96% of the population. A preliminary report was issued in April 2006, and results were weighted to an estimate for 100% of the population.
Native Maltese people make up the majority of the island. The Maltese people or Maltese are a Southern European Nation and Ethnic group native to Malta, an island nation consisting of an archipelago Howevere there are minorities, the largest of which are British people, many of whom retired to Malta. British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the
The resident population of Malta, which includes foreigners residing in Malta for at least a year, as of November 27, 2005 was estimated at 404,039 of whom 200,715 (49. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 7%) were males and 203,324 (50. 3%) were females. Of these, 17. 1 per cent were aged 14 and under, 68. 2 per cent were within the 15–64 age bracket whilst the remaining 13. 7 per cent were 65 years and over. Malta's population density of 1,282 per square kilometre (3,322/sq mi) is by far the highest in the EU, and one of the highest in the world. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The only census year showing a fall in population was that of 1967, with a 1. 7% total decrease, attributable to a substantial number of Maltese residents who emigrated. [20] The Maltese-resident population for 2004 was estimated to make up 97. 0% of the total resident population. [21]
Through all the censuses since 1842 there was always a slightly higher female-to-male ratio. Closest to reaching equality were 1901 and 1911 censuses. The highest female-to-male ratio was reached in 1957 (1088:1000), and since the ratio has been constantly dropping. The 2005 census showed a 1013:1000 female-to-male ratio.
Population growth has slowed down, from +9. 5% between the 1985 and 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 at 3025. Thus, there was a natural population increase of 835 (compared to +888 for 2004, of which over a hundred were foreign residents). [22]
The population's age composition is similar to the age structure prevalent in the EU. Since 1967 there was observed a trend indicating an aging population, and is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. Malta's old-age-dependency-ratio rose from 17. 2% in 1995 to 19. 8% in 2005, reasonably lower than the EU's 24. 9% average. In fact, 31. 5% of the Maltese population is aged under 25 (compared to the EU's 29. 1%); but the 50-64 age group constitutes 20. 3% of the population, significantly higher than the EU's 17. 9%. In conclusion, Malta's old-age-dependency-ratio is expected to continue rising steadily in the coming years.
Maltese legislation recognises both civil and canonical (i. e. ecclesiastical) marriages. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** Annulments by the ecclesial and civil courts are unrelated and are not necessarily both granted. There is no divorce legislation and abortion within Maltese territory is illegal. Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the termination of a Marriage. An A person has to be 16 to marry. The number of brides aged under 25 decreased from 1471 in 1997 to 766 in 2005; while the number of grooms under 25 decreased from 823 to 311. There is a constant trend that females are more likely than males to marry very young. In 2005 there were 51 brides aged between 16 and 19, compared to 8 grooms. [22]
Languages
The official languages of Malta are Maltese and English. The current national language of Malta is Maltese, which along with English, is one of the official languages Maltese (Maltese Malti is the National language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English, English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Maltese, the national language, is a Semitic language, descended from Siculo-Arabic, from Sicily and surrounding Southern Italy, with substantial borrowing from Sicilian and Italian. The Semitic languages are a Language family whose living representatives are spoken by more than 467 million people across much of the Middle East, Siculo Arabic (or Sicilian Arabic) was a variety of Arabic spoken in Sicily and Malta between the ninth and the fourteenth centuries Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Geography Southern Italy forms the lower "boot" of the Italian peninsula containing the ankle (Abruzzo and Molise and southern Lazio the toe (Calabria and the heel Sicilian (scn '''''lu sicilianu''''' lingua siciliana, also known as Siculu or Calabro-Sicilian) is a Romance language. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. [23] The Maltese alphabet of 29 letters is based on the Latin alphabet, but uses the diacritically altered letter ż, also found in Polish, ċ, ġ found also in Irish, as well as the letters għ, ħ, and ie, which are unique to Maltese. The Maltese alphabet is based on the Latin alphabet with the addition of some letters with Diacritic marks and Digraphs It is used to write the Maltese A diacritic ( also called a diacritic or diacritical mark, point, or sign, is a small sign added to a letter to alter pronunciation Ż is a letter in the Polish, Kashubian and Maltese alphabets Polish ( język polski, polszczyzna) is the Official language of Poland. The Grapheme Ě, ě ( E with Háček) is used in the Czech alphabet. Ġ ( minuscule: ġ) is a letter of the Latin alphabet, formed from G with the addition of a dot above the letter Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. Gh is a digraph found in many languages In Latin-based orthographies English In English, gh historically represented (the Ħ ( minuscule: ħ) is a letter of the Latin alphabet, derived from H with the addition of a bar. Ie is a Digraph found in many Languages In English, it usually represents the /aɪ/ sound as in pries and allied or the /iː/
Italian was an official language of Malta until the 1930s, and is widely spoken as a second or third language. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Italian television channels from Italy-based broadcasters, such as Mediaset and RAI, reach the Maltese Islands due to their proximity, and remain popular even today. Mediaset is the main Italian commercial Television network with headquarters in Milan, Lombardy. Rai - Radiotelevisione Italiana, known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian public service broadcaster, and is considered [24][25][26]
In the 1995 census it was reported that 98% of the population fluently spoke Maltese, 76% English, 36% Italian, and 10% French. [27] As a first language, 86% of the population preferred to use Maltese, 12% English, and 2% Italian. [26]
- See also: Languages in education section (below)
Religion
The Constitution of Malta provides for freedom of religion but establishes Roman Catholicism as the state religion. The Rotunda of St Marija Assunta (sometimes shortened to Mosta Dome) is a church in Mosta, Malta; built in the 19th century on the site of a previous In the small Mediterranean Island nation of Malta the predominant religion is Roman Catholicism. Freedom of religion is the freedom of an individual or community in public or private to manifest religion or belief in teaching practice worship and observance A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or Creed officially [28] Freedom House and the World Factbook report that 98 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, making the nation one of the most Catholic countries in the world. Freedom House is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Democracy, political The World Factbook ( ISSN; also known as the CIA World Factbook) is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the The Sunday Mass Attendance Census 2005[29] commissioned by the Archdiocese of Malta reports that 52. 6% of the population attends regular religious services. This is one of the highest rates of attendance in Europe
Around 22% of the population is reported to be active in a church group, movement or community. Malta has the highest concentration of members per capita of the Neocatechumenal Way in the world, since it was introduced in the islands in 1973 by three Italian catechists, who started the first community in the Immaculate Conception Parish in Ħamrun. The Neocatechumenal Way is an organisation within the Catholic Church dedicated to the Christian formation of adults
The patron saints are Saint Paul, Saint Agata, Saint George and Saint George Preca, known as Dun Ġorġ - the first Maltese saint, canonised on 3 June 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI. Paul the apostle (שאול התרסי Šaʾul HaTarsi, meaning " Saul of Tarsus " Σαούλ Saul and Σαῦλος Saulos and Saint George Preca (in Maltese: San Ġorġ Preca) ( 12 February 1880 - 26 July 1962) was a Maltese Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman Emperor, entering Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin: Benedictus PP XVI; Italian: Benedetto XVI; German: Benedikt XVI; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger A number of Maltese individuals are recognised as Blessed, including Maria Adeodata Pisani and Nazju Falzon, these having been beatified by the late Pope John Paul II. Blessed Maria Adeodata Pisani, OSB is on 25th February Pope John Paul II declared her as a Blessed on 9 May, 2001 at Floriana Blessed Nazju (sometimes Ignatius) Falzon ( July 1, 1813 - July 1, 1865) was a Maltese Priest; Pope
Various Roman Catholic religious orders are found in Malta, such as the Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans and Little Sisters of the Poor. The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order The term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic The Little Sisters of the Poor is a Roman Catholic Religious order for women
Most congregants at the local Protestant churches are not Maltese; many British retirees live in the country, and vacationers from many other nations compose the remainder of such congregations. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. There are approximately 500 Jehovah's Witnesses; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), the Bible Baptist Church, and the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches have about 60 affiliates. Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known There is one Jewish congregation. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Zen Buddhism and the Bahá'í Faith also have about 40 members. Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind There is one Muslim mosque and a Muslim primary school. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Of the estimated 3,000 Muslims in Malta, approximately 2,250 are foreigners, approximately 600 are naturalized citizens, and approximately 150 are native-born Maltese. [30] There are also some churches of other denominations, such as St. Andrew's Scots Church in Valletta (a joint Presbyterian and Methodist congregation) and St Paul's Anglican Cathedral, as well as a Seventh-day Adventist church in Birkirkara. St Andrew's Scots Church Malta is a joint congregation (a "Local Ecumenical Partnership" of the Church of Scotland and the Methodist Church of Great Britain Presbyterianism is a family of Christian denominations within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity The Methodist Church of Great Britain or British Methodist Church is the largest Wesleyan / Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations St Paul's Anglican Cathedral is a Pro-Cathedral in Valletta, Malta, commissioned by Queen Adelaide during a visit to Malta in the 19th Century The Seventh-day Adventist (abbreviated " Adventist " Church is a Christian denomination which is distinguished mainly by its observance Birkirkara or B'Kara ( English: Birchircara) is a town of 21775 inhabitants (as of November 2005 in central Malta.
Migration
EU nationals require neither a visa nor a passport (an ID card or an expired passport are enough) to enter the country. A visa (short for the Latin carta visa, lit "a document that has been seen" is a document issued by a Country giving an individual Citizens of a number of third countries are not required to apply for a visa and require only a valid passport when residing in Malta for up to three months. Visas for other nationalities are valid for one month.
Immigrants, even those with EU citizenship, are required to apply for a work permit. This exception to EU law was agreed upon before accession to safeguard the Maltese labour market. Labour economics seeks to understand the functioning of the Market and dynamics for labour. In practice though, all work permits to EU nationals are granted and currently this exercise is only used to monitor the labour market for any needed intervention. The safeguards negotiated in Malta's accession have never been put into effect and it is unlikely that they will.
The estimated net inflow (using data for 2002 to 2004) was of 1,913 persons yearly. Over the last 10 years, Malta accepted back a yearly average of 425 returning emigrants. [21]
During 2006, a total of 1,800 illegal immigrants reached Malta making the boat crossing from the North Africa coast. Most of them intended to reach mainland Europe and happened to come to Malta by mistake. [31][32] Given Malta's high population density, the impact of this figure on Malta is equivalent to that of an arrival of 369,000 irregular immigrants in Germany and other large EU member states. [33] In the first half of 2006, 967 irregular immigrants arrived in Malta – almost double the 473 who arrived in the same period in 2005. [34]
Around 45% of immigrants landed in Malta have been granted refugee (5%) or protected humanitarian status (40%). According to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race A White Paper suggesting the grant of Maltese citizenship to refugees resident in Malta for over ten years was issued in 2005. A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that often addresses problems and how to solve them Historically Malta gave refuge (and assisted in their resettlement) to eight hundred or so East African Asians who had been expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin and to just under a thousand Iraqis fleeing Saddam Hussein's regime. The Republic of Uganda is a Landlocked country in East Africa. Idi Amin Dada (mid 1920s &ndash 16 August 2003 commonly known as Idi Amin, was a Ugandan military dictator and the President of Uganda For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic: ar صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي --> April 28 1937 &ndash December 30
Presently the problem of illegal immigration has increased steadily, causing real or perceived strains on Malta's health, employment and social services, its internal security and public order and labour market. Detention costs for the first half of 2006 alone cost € 746,385. [35]
In 2005, Malta sought EU aid in relation to reception of irregular immigrants, repatriation of those denied refugee status, resettlement of refugees into EU countries, and maritime security. [36] In December 2005, the European Council adopted The Global Approach to Migration: Priority Actions focusing on Africa and the Mediterranean; but the deployment of said actions has been limited to the western Mediterranean, thus putting further pressure on the central Mediterranean route for irregular immigration of which Malta forms a part.
Political tension started developing as the EU persistently ignored Malta's precarious situation: member states party to the legally-binding Cotonou Agreement continued not to fulfill their obligations and East African countries, from which most central Mediterranean irregular immigration originates, were excluded from the Euro-African Conference on Migration and Development held 10-11 July 2006 in Tripoli). The Cotonou Agreement is a Treaty between the European Union and the group of African Caribbean and Pacific states ( ACP countries) [34]
Education
Primary schooling has been compulsory since 1946, and secondary education was made compulsory in 1971 up to the age of sixteen. Education is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16 years. While the state provides education free of charge, the Church and the private sector run a number of schools in Malta and Gozo, such as St. Aloysius' College in Birkirkara. Gozo ( Għawdex) is an Island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea, the island is part of the Southern European Birkirkara or B'Kara ( English: Birchircara) is a town of 21775 inhabitants (as of November 2005 in central Malta. Most of the teachers' salary in Church schools is paid by the state. [37]
Education in Malta is based on the British Model. Education in the United Kingdom is organised separately in each of the countries of the United Kingdom with power over education in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland being devolved Primary School lasts six years. At age 11 students sit for an examination to enter a Secondary School, either a Church School (the Common Entrance Examination) or a State School. Students sit for SEC O-level examinations at age 16, with passes obligatory in certain subjects such as Mathematics, English and Maltese. The O-level (Ordinary Level is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education (GCE Students may opt to continue studying at a Sixth Form college or else at another post-secondary institution such as MCAST. MCAST is the Malta College of Arts Science and Technology. Its mission is "To provide universally accessible vocational and professional Education and The Sixth Form course lasts for two years, at the end of which students sit for the Matriculation examination. Subject to their performance, students may then apply for an undergraduate degree or diploma.
Tertiary education at diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate level is mainly provided by the University of Malta (UoM). The University of Malta ( Maltese L-Università ta' Malta) is the highest educational institution in Malta.
The adult literacy rate is 92. traditional definition of literacy is considered to be the ability to read and write or the ability to use Language to read, write, listen, 8%. [38]
Languages in education
English and Maltese are both used to teach students at primary and secondary school level, and both languages are also compulsory subjects. Public schools tend to use both Maltese and English in a balanced manner. Private schools prefer to use English for teaching, as is also the case with most departments of the University of Malta; this has a limiting effect on the capacity and development of the Maltese language. The University of Malta ( Maltese L-Università ta' Malta) is the highest educational institution in Malta. [26]
Of the total number of students studying a first foreign language at secondary level, 51% take Italian whilst 38% take French. Other choices include German, Russian, Spanish, and Arabic. [39][26]
Healthcare
Malta has a long history of healthcare, and the first hospital recorded in the country was already functioning by 1372. [3]
Modern-day Malta has both a public healthcare system, known as the government healthcare service, and a private healthcare system. [4][5]
Malta was ranked number 5 in the World Health Organization's ranking of the world's health systems,[6] well above the USA (at 37), Australia (at 32), and Canada (at 30). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Great Britain, the best of this group of larger comparator countries, was ranked at number 18, which is interesting in that the healthcare system in Malta closely resembles the British system, [7] as healthcare is free at the point of delivery. See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands Also, like the UK Malta has a strong general practitioner-delivered primary care base, supplemented by secondary care and tertiary care provided by a number of public hospitals, some of which (such as St. Luke's Hospital, Malta) are large (see List of hospitals in Malta). St Luke's Hospital (in Maltese Sptar San Luqa is a general Hospital located on Gwardamanġia hill in Pietà, Malta. The following is a list of Hospitals in Malta. Public Hospitals Mater Dei Hospital, Msida St
There is both a medical school and a dental school at the University of Malta, as well as a nursing school [8]. Medical education A medical school or faculty of medicine is a Tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches Medicine Dentistry' is the "evaluation diagnosis prevention and/or treatment (nonsurgical surgical or related procedures of diseases disorders and/or conditions of the oral cavity The University of Malta ( Maltese L-Università ta' Malta) is the highest educational institution in Malta. A Nursing school is a type of educational institution, or part thereof providing education and training to become a fully-qualified Nurse.
Malta has three major private hospitals. These are St Philip's Hospital, with a capacity of 75 beds, in Santa Venera, and St James Capua Hospital in Sliema, with 80 beds (the former Capua Palace Hospital) - St James Hospital also has other sites, including a 13 bed unit in Zabbar, as well as a partner hospital in Libya. St Philip's Hospital is a 75 bedded capacity hospital located in Santa Venera Malta. St James Capua Hospital, or Saint James Hospital Sliema started out in 1996 as the Capua Palace Hospital Libya ( ليبيا ar-Latn Lībiyā; Libyan vernacular: Lībya; Amazigh:) officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab There is also St Mark's Clinic, with a capacity of 5 beds, based in Msida and which offers private hospital services.
In recent years, Malta has been trying to develop as a medical tourism destination [9]. Medical tourism (also called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare is a term initially coined by travel agencies and the Mass media However, up to 2008 no Maltese hospitals in either the public or the private sectors had undergone independent international healthcare accreditation. Providing healthcare especially of an adequate standard is a complex and challenging process Malta is popular with British medical tourists [10][11], and logically this may point Maltese hospitals towards seeking UK-sourced accreditation, such as with the Trent Accreditation Scheme, or possibly to seek dual accreditation with the American-orientated Joint Commission if they wish to compete with the Far East and Latin America for medical tourists from the USA, as well as from the UK. The Trent Accreditation Scheme (TAS is a United Kingdom -based Non-profit organisation formed with a mission to maintain and continually evaluate standards of quality The Joint Commission is a private sector United States -based non-profit organization. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A number of health tourism providers are involved in developing medical tourism in Malta. A Health tourism provider or medical tourism provider is an organisation or a company which seeks to bring together a prospective patient with a service provider usually Medical tourism (also called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare is a term initially coined by travel agencies and the Mass media
The Maltese Ministry of Health advises foreign residents to take out private medical insurance. [12]
The Medical Association of Malta represents practitioners of the medical profession. MMSA is a separate body representing Maltese medical students, and is a member of EMSA and IFMSA. The Malta Medical Students' Association (MMSA is one of the oldest student associations found at the University of Malta, established in 1951 The International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA is a Non governmental organization representing associations of Medical students It was MIME, the Maltese Institute for Medical Education, is an institute set up recently to provide CME to doctors in Malta as well as medical students. Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions ( MIME) is an Internet standard that extends the format of e-mail to support text in Character MADS, the Malta Association of Dental Students, is a student association set up to promote the rights of Dental Surgery Students studying within the faculty of Dental Surgery of the University of Malta. The Malta Association of Dental Students MADS is a non-profit association aimed at promoting the study of dentistry in Malta and representing and protecting the interest of all It is affiliated with IADS, the International Association of Dental Students.
Culture
The culture of Malta is a reflection of various cultures that have come into contact with the Maltese Islands throughout the centuries, including neighbouring Mediterranean cultures, and the cultures of the nations that ruled Malta for long periods of time prior to its independence in 1964. The culture of Malta is a reflection of various cultures that have come into contact with the Maltese Islands throughout the centuries including neighbouring Mediterranean Malta has been inhabited since around 5200 BC from the Italian island of Sicily.
Cuisine
Maltese cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the Islanders and the many foreigners who made Malta their home over the centuries. Maltese cuisine is typically Mediterranean, based on fresh seasonal locally available Produce and Seafood, with some influence from Italian The Maltese people or Maltese are a Southern European Nation and Ethnic group native to Malta, an island nation consisting of an archipelago This marriage of tastes has given Malta an eclectic mix of Mediterranean cooking. Mediterranean cuisine is the food of the areas around the Mediterranean Sea. Many popular Maltese specialities are Sicilian-Southern Italian or Eastern in origin. The cuisine of Sicily shows traces of all the cultures which established themselves on the island over the last two millennia Italian cuisine as a national Cuisine known today has evolved through centuries of social and political changes with its roots traced back to 4th century BC The term Middle Eastern cuisine refers to the various Cuisines of the Middle East.
Music
While Maltese music today is largely western, traditional Maltese music includes what is known as għana. While Maltese Music today is largely western, traditional Maltese music includes what is known as " għana " (pronounced as aana Western music is the genres of Music originating in the Western world (Europe and its former colonies including Western classical music, American For other meanings see Ghana (disambiguation Għana (pronounced /anə/ - "ah-na" is the term given to a specific type of traditional Maltese This consists of background folk guitar music, while a few people, as a general rule men only, take it in turns to argue a point in a singsong voice. A steel-string acoustic guitar, is a modern form of Guitar descended from the Classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter louder sound The aim of the lyrics, which are improvised, are to create a friendly yet challenging atmosphere, and takes a number of years of practice to be able to combine the required artistic qualities with the ability to debate effectively. Debate ( American English) or debating ( British English) is a formal method of interactive and position representational Argument.
Special activities
In the last decade the aviation sport of Microlight Flying has been introduced on the island by the Island Microlight Club[13]In under ten years there are a total number of twenty two microlight aircraft that operate out of the Malta International Airport.
Other
See also
Notes and citations
- ^ CIA Factbook - Geographic location
- ^ The Maltese Islands, Department of Information - Malta. Malta is the country with the most Holidays in the European Union. This is a partial list of Famous or Notable Maltese people including people who were not born weren't or aren't based in Malta but they are either Maltese This is a list of radio stations in Malta. Maltese Podcasts 'Mużika Mod Ieħor' by Toni Sant Radju Lauretana Podcasts Maltese (Maltese Malti is the National language of Malta, and a co-official language of the country alongside English, The Maltese nobility consist of those titles of Nobility recognised by the British and those titles never presented to or failed recognition by the Royal Commission The Maltese people or Maltese are a Southern European Nation and Ethnic group native to Malta, an island nation consisting of an archipelago An endemic Organism is said to be found only in certain areas of the world The Scout Association of Malta is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association of the island nation of Malta. BirdLife Malta is Malta 's biggest environmental movement The aim of the organisation is to achieve protection of wild Birds, natural Habitat and
- ^ "Situation", A History of Malta, 6 February 2008. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
- ^ "Controversy over unique Maltese bee population", Malta Today, February 6, 2008. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
- ^ a b c d "Notable dates in Malta's history", Department of Information - Maltese Government, February 6, 2008. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common
- ^ Pickles, Tim. Malta 1565: Last Battle of the Crusades. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1855326033.
- ^ "Gozo", IslandofGozo. org, 7 October 2007. Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar)
- ^ "Brief History of Malta", LocalHistories. org, 7 October 2007. Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar)
- ^ Old Temples Study Foundation (OTSF)
- ^ The Siege of Malta in World War Two. Retrieved on April 15, 2007.
- ^ The History of the European Union - 2000-today. Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
- ^ Cyprus and Malta set to join eurozone in 2008 (16 May 2007). Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
- ^ Chapter 1 / The Republic of Malta / Maltese Constitution. Constitution of Malta Act, 1964. Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
- ^ European Commission. Europe and you in 2007, Passport-free travel extended. Retrieved on 2007-12-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian
- ^ BBC News "Briney future for vulnerable Malta" 4 April 2007
- ^ World's Best Climate
- ^ More Maltese travel abroad. The Malta Independent. Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
- ^ "Cyprus and Malta to adopt euros", BBC News Business, 10 July 2007. Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
- ^ Maltese Cross on the Euro coins. Malta Media (June 12 2006). Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
- ^ (2005) Census of Population and Housing 2005: Preliminary Report. Valletta: National Statistics Office. ISBN-13 978-99909-73-38-9.
- ^ a b National Statistics Office (2005). Demographic Review 2004. Valletta: National Statistics Office, 59. ISBN 99909-73-32-6.
- ^ a b National Statistics Office (10 July 2006). Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. "World Population Day - 2006: Special Observances". Press release. A news release, media release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded Communication directed at members of the News Retrieved on 2006-07-12. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre.
- ^ Evolution of the Maltese Language.
- ^ Country profile: Malta BBC News; 2008-01-10; 2008-02-21
- ^ Europeans and languages (PDF) p. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland 4. European Commission (September 2005). Retrieved on 2007-01-29. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher.
- ^ a b c d Ignasi Badia i Capdevila; A view of the linguistic situation in Malta; NovesSl; 2004; retrieved on 2008-02-24
- ^ Census 1995, Volume 4 Chapter 2, Table 7: Languages Spoken by type; National Statistics Office - Malta; 2004-09-01; retrieved on 2008-02-25
- ^ Malta - U.S. Department of State. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
- ^ [1]PDF (26. 2 KiB)
- ^ International Religious Freedom Report 2003 – Malta. A kibibyte (a contraction of ki lo bi nary byte) is a unit of Information or Computer storage, established by the International Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, United States Department of State. The Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor Affairs (DRL at the United States Department of State is one of four bureaus that comprise the Office of the Under Secretary Retrieved on 2008-01-09. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople.
- ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (30 January 2006). Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. "Frendo holds talks with three European Union Commission Members". Press release. A news release, media release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded Communication directed at members of the News Retrieved on 2006-07-06. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England
- ^ "Immigrant frustration for Malta", BBC News Europe, 21 October 2005. Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
- ^ Malta experiences illegal immmigrant crush, requests EU help (4 July 2006). Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
- ^ a b Ministry of Foreign Affairs (3 July 2006). Events 324 - Battle of Adrianople Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. "Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Michael Frendo to resident EU Ambassadors on irregular immigration in Malta". Press release. A news release, media release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded Communication directed at members of the News Retrieved on 2006-07-06. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England
- ^ "Immigrants refused entry into Malta", The Sunday Times, 16 July 2006. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Retrieved on 2006-07-17. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 180 - Twelve inhabitants of Scillium in North Africa are executed for being Christians
- ^ Frendo, Michael (5 July 2005). Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. "Illegal Immigration in Malta". EU Foreign Ministers Council, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved on 2006-07-06. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England
- ^ Education in Malta. Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
- ^ CIA Factbook. Retrieved on 2007-10-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon.
- ^ Foreign Language Learning; National Statistics Office - Malta; 2004-09-01; retrieved on 2008-02-25
References
- Photos of Gozo sister island of Malta. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor Photos of Gozo. Retrieved on November 17, 2006.
- Photos of Malta. Photos of Malta. Retrieved on May 26, 2008.
- Malta. CIA World Factbook. The World Factbook ( ISSN; also known as the CIA World Factbook) is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the Retrieved on September 6, 2006.
- Gov.mt. Government of Malta. Retrieved on November 1, 2005.
- Malta. MSN Encarta. Retrieved on November 1, 2005.
- 1942: Malta gets George Cross for bravery. BBC "On this day". Retrieved on 22 June 2006.
- Jones, H. Bowen; et al (1962). Malta Background for Development. Dhurham College. OCLC 204863. The OCLC Online Computer Library Center is according to its website a "nonprofit membership computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purpose
- Carolyn Bain (2004). Malta. Lonely Planet Publication. ISBN 1-74059-178-X.
- United Nations Development Programme (2006). Human Development Report 2005 - International cooperation at a crossroads: Aid, trade and security in an unequal world. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-522146-X.
- Omertaa, Journal for Applied Anthropology – Volume 2007/1, Thematic Issue on Malta
- Malta-The George Cross Island
External links
- Malta travel guide from Wikitravel
- Gov.mt – Maltese Government official site. Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide.
- Diving Malta – All the dive sites in Malta
- Laws of Malta – A summary of principal laws and glossary of terms.
- Malta
- The Maltese Armed Forces official website
- The Nobility of Malta and Maltagenealogy.com
- Malta Environment and Planing Authority's GIS Map Server which includes place names and street's layout and names
- Official Maltese Tourism website
- 101 Things to do in malta an offbeat guide to what to do in Malta and Gozo
Dictionary
malta
-noun
- A non-alcoholic carbonated malt beverage, popular in Latin America
Malta
-proper noun
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