Malta

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

Republic of Malta Repubblika ta' Malta
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Virtute et constantia (Latin) "By strength and persistence"
Anthem: L-Innu Malti (Maltese) "The Maltese Hymn"
Location of Malta (green circle) – in Europe (light green & dark grey) – in the European Union (light green)  –  [Legend]
Capital	Valletta 35°54′N 14°31′E
Largest settlement	St. Paul's Bay 35°56′54″N 14°24′6″E
Official languages	Maltese English Maltese Sign Language
Recognised national languages	Maltese
Other languages	Italian (66% conversational)
Ethnic groups (2021)	77.7% Maltese 22.3% other ethnic groups
Religion (2021)	88.5% Christianity 82.6% Catholicism (official) 5.9% other Christian 5.1% no religion 3.9% Islam 1.4% Hinduism 1.1% other
Demonym	Maltese
Government	Unitary parliamentary republic
• President	Myriam Spiteri Debono
• Prime Minister	Robert Abela
Legislature	Parliament of Malta
Independence  from the United Kingdom
• State of Malta	21 September 1964
• Republic	13 December 1974
Area
• Total	316 km2 (122 sq mi) (187th)
• Water (%)	0.001
Population
• 2025 census	588,254
• Density	1,649/km2 (4,270.9/sq mi) (9th)
GDP (PPP)	2024 estimate
• Total	$36.870 billion (140th)
• Per capita	$67,682 (20th)
GDP (nominal)	2024 estimate
• Total	$22.737 billion (118th)
• Per capita	$41,738 (25th)
Gini (2020)	31.4 medium inequality
HDI (2023)	0.924 very high (24th)
Currency	Euro (€) (EUR)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Calling code	+356
ISO 3166 code	MT
Internet TLD	.mt[b]
^ 2021 Malta census Chapter 4: Racial Origin according to the most recent national census. Meanwhile 77.8% of the population were Maltese citizens or nationals. ^ Also .eu, shared with other European Union member states

Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country located in the central Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago which is 80 km (50 mi) south of Italy, 284 km (176 mi) east of Tunisia, and 333 km (207 mi) north of Libya. The two official languages are Maltese and English; Maltese is recognised as the national language. The country's capital is Valletta, which is the smallest capital city in the European Union by both area and population.

Malta is the world's tenth-smallest country by area, the ninth-most densely populated, and the 166th most populated. Various sources consider the country to consist of a single urban region, for which it is often described as a city-state.

The island of Malta has been inhabited since at least 6500 BC, during the Mesolithic period. Its location in the centre of the Mediterranean has historically given it great geostrategic importance, with multiple powers having ruled the islands and shaped its culture and society. These include the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and Romans in antiquity; the Arabs, Normans, and Aragonese during the Middle Ages; and the Knights Hospitaller, French, and British in the modern era. Malta came under British rule in the early 19th century and served as the headquarters for the British Mediterranean Fleet. It was sieged by the Axis powers during World War II and was an Allied base for North Africa and the Mediterranean. Malta gained independence in 1964, and established its current parliamentary republic in 1974. It has been a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations since its independence, and it joined the European Union in 2004 and the eurozone monetary union in 2008.

Malta's history of foreign rule and its proximity to both Europe and North Africa have influenced its art, music, cuisine, and architecture. Malta has close historical and cultural ties to Italy and especially to the island of Sicily, with 66% of Maltese people speaking or having significant knowledge of the Italian language. Malta was an early centre of Christianity, and Catholicism is the state religion, although the country's constitution guarantees freedom of conscience and religious worship. Nowadays, Malta is a developed country with an advanced, high-income economy. It is heavily reliant on tourism, attracting travellers with its warm climate, recreational areas, and architectural and historical monuments.