Location and Physical Features. The Maltese Islands which consist of a trio of sun drenched small islands, Malta, Gozo and Comino, are situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Malta. Malta being the largest of the Islands is 27km long and 14 km wide and covers an area of 246 square. Kilometres. Gozo, Malta's sister island, which is located just a stone's throw to the north, is 14 km long and 7 km wide, for a total area of 67 square. Kilometres. In between the two, Comino, a sparsely inhabited and the smallest of the Islands covers an area of 2.5square. Kilometres. Located 93 km south of Sicily and 290 km north of Tunisia, The Islands physical features show an rugged landscape of low hills, valleys and plains, that sweep down to a coastline which is dotted with natural harbours, sandy beaches and rocky inlets making it an idyllic setting. The People Malta's people came into contact with the many nations that dominated the Mediterranean. Throughout the Islands and their long history they were home to Sicilian migrants, Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Aragonese, Castillians, and Spanish. These settlers of different race have left their mark, both culturally and physically. The Maltese are rumbustious, gregarious and fun loving people and take their revelry very seriously. The National language is Maltese, it sounds rather like Arabic with a few words of Italian, French and even English thrown in. Both Maltese and English are official languages however one will instantly break into English or Italian if a non-Maltese speaker were to join a conversation. Their warmth and hospitality, which can be traced, back to A.D. 60 when a seafarer, the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked on the island and and found safe haven and friendliness. This national trait manifests itself also in the safety and security of life in Malta where one can walk or drive around at night without fear. The people of Malta have developed and maintained definite characteristics, which are and always have been…Distinctly Maltese. History The Maltese Islands with a total of no more than 313 sq.km are steeped in centuries of history and adventure. Dotted with prehistoric temples, towering fortifications, baroque churches and magnificent palaces one can easily see that The Islands have been pivotally involved in the rise and fall of many great nations spanning 5000 years of recorded history. The pre-historic temples at Hagar Qim and Mnajdra mark the furthest frontier of The Islands History. Carved out of living stone by the first settlers using only the simplest of stone tools they built complex temples of massive stone blocks and cut out from the soft rock underground temples such as the one at Hal-Safflieni. These temples are still remarkably well preserved and are said to be the oldest monuments on earth, even outdating the pyramids of ancient Egypt. As the centuries progressed the inhabitants became less primitive and more adventurous. Sailors, tradesmen and travellers emerged, the islands were their route of exploration. The Neolithic period was followed by the Bronze Age, and this by the Phoenicians. The first truly documented history starts when these Semitic people from the eastern Mediterranean with their Phoenician galleys measuring 100ft and each carrying 200 men first sailed into harbour. They brought with them their language and customs and were to colonise the Islands for a long period of time. It was them who cast the dye for Malta Sea faring and merchant heritage and much more important they laid down the foundations of Malta language and alphabet. Even today the Luzzu fishing boats still have their distinctive designs. As civilisation developed so The Islands were invaded. For a 1000 years the Greeks, Etruscans and Carthaginians, amongst others took the Islands as they attempted to dominate the Mediterranean. Around 200 BC the Romans arrived and set about creating a stable and sophisticated society. By 800 AD the Roman era was super cede by a period of Arab rule. Is was a peaceful transition and with them they brought new farming techniques, shrubs and trees that would change the land. It was a rich period that lasted nearly 200 years until Roger the Norman appeared. After the Normans came the Angevines, Aragonese and Castellains until in 1530 when the Maltese Islands were given as a gift by the King of Spain to The Knights of St. John of Jerusalem. Knowing a Moslem invasion was imminent the knights set about fortifying Malta. In 1565, a date etched deep in the minds of the Maltese, the first great siege took place. 200 ships carrying 40,000 of the finest Turkish troops descended onto the Islands. Facing them the defence mustered a total of 700 knights and 7000 Maltese volunteers and mercenaries. Defeat seemed inevitable, but men, women and children defied and eventually drove off the Turkish invasion. The Knights ruled Malta for two hundred and sixty eight years. They were eventually expelled by the French under Napoleon Bonaparte who only stayed six days but in that time he introduced sweeping reforms. He set up a new system of law and established primary school education. The French were eventually driven out of Malta by the British under Admiral Lord Nelson. As a part of the British Empire Malta grew into a great fortress. The British administered The Maltese Islands up until Malta gained Independence in 1964. During the Second World War The Islands endured its other great siege. Wave upon wave of raids bombed the Islands to bring the Islanders to their knees. Deprivation and malnutrition took heavy toll as rations became smaller and smaller. But still the Islanders held on. The islands lay in ruins yet once again. To mark their heroism King George VI awarded them the George cross. This cross now adorns the national flag of red and white. The end of the war brought political and social changes to Malta. The people were ready to mould their own future. Becoming an independent Island they had to become self sufficient and thus an industrial and commercial infrastructure had to be rapidly established. Malta Today Today The Maltese Islands compete with the highly industrialized countries of Europe. The Islands have also attracted a number of foreign companies to its shores. The thriving tourist industry grew to take advantage of The Islands natural assets. The old and new stand side by side, where there were once warships now stand luxury cruise liners. Malta is now preparing to play a more important role in the life of the European Community having been accepted to be a part of the European Union. As a nation of over the centuries they have experienced the long hard road of adversity, trial and pain, above all triumph. From this experience has grown a unique culture and unique people, a nation who in spite of or, perhaps, because of this past remain friendly, cheerful and welcoming. The Climate Predominantly warm and sunny, The Maltese Island experience short mild winters and long hot and sunny summers. Frost and snow are unknown. Rain falls only for very short periods, an hour or so, and the average rainfall for a whole year is 580mm. Temperatures for the November - April average 14deg.cel, May - October an average of 23deg.cel, The hottest period is from July to mid September. Average daily sunshine hours for Winter are 6.5 hours and for Summer 10.5 hours. The nice thing about The Maltese climate is that whenever you plan a picnic or a trip to the beach you can be pretty sure that is will take place as scheduled. The Islands constant Sunny weather imparts a feeling of well-being and according to many locals has a beneficial effect as many of them enjoy a high standard of health. Population The Maltese population stood at 372,130 (Malta 344,370, Gozo and Comino 27,760) on 31st December 1995. The total population density registered no marked variations in recent years and in 1995 stood at 1194 per sq.km. At 12.4 per thousand, the birth rate is one of the lowest in Europe. The death rate, which for the last few years has been stable, stood at 7.3 per thousand in 1995. Cost of Living As compared to other countries, Malta is considered as having one of the lowest costs of living in Europe. Foodstuffs, clothing, furniture and many other items and services are all very reasonably priced. Other services such as water, electricity, telephone and gas are also very reasonable. It is also worth noting that the cost of labour in Malta is much lower than that of the UK, making beneficial effect on British residents in such matters as maintenance of property, domestic appliances, vehicles, etc. Tradesmen such as electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc are competent and inexpensive. Schools Malta has excellent schooling to above UK standards. It also has a free state school system or optional private schooling. Leisure and Entertainment Life in Malta allows you to set your own pace. The activities one may take up is endless and for many first time visitors they are often quite surprised by the vast amount of events taking place. Nightlife in Malta can be very active with its restaurants, clubs and discos. Many Maltese even make their own entertainment with barbeques by the beach, picnics in the countryside and various other social events. The theatres, cinemas, bowling, horse racing, water sports, golf, diving, yachting, and shopping are a few of the activities once can take up on these islands.