In Short About Malta

Republic of Malta constitutes a little and densely-populated island country representing an archipelago of 7 islands in the Mediterranean Sea. A nation of Southern Europe, Republic of Malta lies south of Sicily, east of Republic of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The country's established languages are Maltese and English. Roman Catholicism constitutes the most practised religious belief but a substantial fall has been marked among young adults in recent years. The islands constituting the Maltese land have been reigned by several powers – most recently the United Kingdom – and fought over for centuries. Republic of Malta is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It has been a member state of the European Union (EU) since 2004 and it is presently the smallest EU country in both population and area.

The Maltese Islands are a group of islands in the Mediterranean. The primary islands are Malta Island and Gozo. Additional islands that constitute part of the archipelago include: Comino (Kemmuna), Cominotto (Kemmunett, unpopulated), Filfla (unpopulated), Fungus Rock (Il-Ġebla tal-Ġeneral, unpopulated), Manoel Island (which is connected to the town of Gżira, on the mainland, by a bridge), and the Islands of St. Paul (unpopulated). The Maltese Islands have been an sovereign republic since 1974. The heart of authorities, commerce and culture is the capital city of Valletta, on the eastern coast of Malta.

In January 2007, International Living chose Malta as the country with the best climate in the world.

Malta is the country with the most holidays in the European Union. Since 2005, any holidays falling on Saturdays or Sundays do not add an extra day to the workers' leave pool. See: Public holidays in Malta

Economy

Currently, Malta’s leading resources are limestone, a prosperous geographic position, and a productive labour force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food demands, has restrained freshwater provisions, and has no national energy sources. The economy is dependent on external trade (assisting as a cargo trans-shipment point), manufacturing (particularly electronics and textiles), and tourism. Tourism base has expanded dramatically over the years and a number of good-quality hotels are present on the island. Film production is a growing contributor to the Maltese economy, with numerous big-budget foreign films shooting in Malta each year. The country has increased the exports of many other types of services such as banking and finance.

A different significant resource for the Republic is Human Resources. The authorities are investing heavily in the country's supply of education. As all education is free, Republic of Malta is presently raising a pool of certified individuals which to a great extent add to the country's developing economy.

Social

The resident population of Malta, which includes noncitizens living in Malta for at least a year, as of 27 November 2005 was approximated at 404,039.

The official languages are Maltese and English. Italian was an official language of Malta until the 1930s, and is widely spoken as a second or third language. French, Arabic, German and Spanish, amongst other languages, are learned as foreign languages in secondary schools.

The Constitution of Malta allows freedom of religious belief but institutes Roman Catholicism as the state faith. The Maltese Islands are preponderantly Roman Catholic, and St. Paul (Maltese: San Pawl) and the Blessed Virgin Mary (Maltese: l-Imqaddsa Verġni Marija) are considered to be their Patron Saints.

EU nationals need neither a visa nor a passport (an ID card or an expired passport are sufficient) to get into the country. Citizens of a number of third countries are not needed to apply for a visa and need only a valid passport when living in Malta for up to three months. Visas for other nationalities are valid for one month.

Education and Healthcare

Education is mandatory between the ages of 3 and 16 years. Although the state offers education for free, the Church and the private sector run a number of schools in Malta and Gozo, such as St. Aloysius' College in Birkirkara. Most of the teachers' salary in Church schools is paid by the state. Education in Malta is based on the British Model.

Contemporary Republic of Malta has both a public healthcare system, known as the government healthcare service, and a private healthcare system.

Republic of Malta was graded number 5 in the World Health Organization's ranking of the world's health systems, well above the USA (at 37), Australia (at 32), and Canada (at 30).