Malta: Capital, Flag and Fun Facts

About Malta

Malta is a small island country in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily. Only three of its islands, Malta, Gozo and Comino, have people living on them. It is known for sunny weather, honey-coloured stone forts and some of the oldest buildings on Earth.

About Valletta

Valletta stands on a peninsula between two deep natural harbours on the island of Malta. Built by the Knights of St John from the 1560s, it is the smallest capital in the European Union and the whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Fun facts about Malta

1. Malta's Ġgantija temples on Gozo were built more than 5,000 years ago, before Egypt's pyramids.
2. The Megalithic Temples of Malta rank among the earliest free-standing stone buildings in the world.
3. Valletta is the smallest capital city in the European Union, and the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
4. Maltese is a Semitic language, related to Arabic, but it is written with Latin letters.
5. Malta has no permanent rivers or lakes, so much of its fresh water is made from seawater.
6. Only three of Malta's islands are lived on: Malta, Gozo and tiny Comino.