The Maltese Islands are an archipelago of six islands of which, Malta, Gozo and Comino are inhabited. They are situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, 58 miles from Sicily and 180 miles from Libya.
Malta is the largest island in the archipelago, measuring 27kms by 14.5kms. Malta has neither rivers nor mountains, but is characterised by a series of low, flat-topped hills with terraced fields on their slopes. Malta’s coastline is well indented with natural and man-made harbours, bays, creeks, several sandy beaches and rocky coves.
Malta is the more urban and cosmopolitan of the islands. It has every amenity from modern residential and commercial areas to a vibrant nightlife and numerous leisure options. While the Grand Harbour area and a most of the central-eastern region are built up, the countryside to the North is rugged and sparsely populated.
Gozo is smaller than its sister island Malta and has a character all its own. The Island is more rural and quieter than Malta. The countryside is greener and has some spectacular cliffs and inland scenery. The flat-topped hills here are more evident than in Malta and give an idea of the way all the Islands would have looked in prehistoric times. Gozo’s coastline has picturesque bays, coves and rugged cliffs penetrated by steep gorges hewn by rivers in the ice age. Gozo is 14.5kms long and 7.2kms wide at its widest point. Gozo's Capital is called Victoria and is also known by its older name, Rabat. There is no airport on Gozo but further down this page you will find information about methods of travel to Gozo.
Comino is the smallest inhabited island in the archipelago. The Island is a quiet escape - there are no cars on Comino, nor any other noise to disturb the peace. Comino has only two beach hotels, ideal for that get-away-from-it-all holiday and for water sports enthusiasts. The Islands’ numerous bays and its crystal clear waters make it the perfect choice for most kinds of water sports, especially snorkelling and diving. There is a regular ferry service operated by the Comino Hotel to both Malta and Gozo.
The Maltese Islands are soaked in history covering nearly 7000 years, for example there are temples on Malta that date from 5000 BC, the Phoenicians colonised the islands around 800 BC. The Romans made Malta part of their empire in 218 BC. St Paul was shipwrecked on Malta in AD 60 and converted the Maltese people to Christianity. Malta was under Arab rule in the 9th and 10th centuries which strengthened the Semitic roots of the Maltese language.
In 1530, the Emperor of Spain gave Malta to the Knights of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem. They survived a three-month siege by the Turks in 1565 and governed until 1798 when Malta fell to Napoleon. In 1800, the Maltese expelled the French with the assistance of the British Royal Navy. In 1814, Malta became a British colony. Malta was an important naval base, being strategically placed between Europe and North Africa. During World War Two, it was subjected to a long blockade and five months of bombing raids by the Axis powers. Malta was devastated but did not surrender. In 1942 the island of Malta was awarded the George Cross. During World War Two Malta became the most bombed country on the face of the planet, having the same quantity of bombs which fell on London in two years, fall on Malta in 2 months.
An interactive map of the Maltese Islands is found in the link below
http://www.visitmalta.com/includes/map/popup1.html
