56 Interesting Facts About Malta

Last updated on February 12th, 2022

31. Cars are much loved by the Maltese. Now that you know the size of the country, it should be no surprise that traffic jams would be an issue on the island.

32. The Nationalist Party (PN) and the Labour Party (PL) are the two political parties on the island.

33. Abortion is a taboo in Malta.

34. Malta has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites…and there are another seven tentative sites on the list that have been submitted to the UNESCO World Heritage Organization.

35. Malta is devoid of forests and rivers. Yes, you would not find any of these across its seven islands.

36. Another interesting fact about the Maltese islands is that you can find some equidistant uniform grooves that are formed in several locations throughout the islands. These grooves are known as “cart tracks” or “cart ruts.” The grooves are supposed to have been formed by the wooden-wheeled carts that eroded the soft limestone at the time.

Facts about Malta for kids

37. Ta’ Dmejrek, at 253 m (830 ft), near Dingli, is the highest point in Malta.

38. The Maltese enjoy fourteen public holidays each year. The country that enjoys the most of them in a year in the European Union is Cyprus with 17; and the country that has the least number of public holidays in the European Union is Spain with just 8.

39. Malta has one of the world’s oldest Universities. Established in 1592, The Maltese Cross is the country’s only university.

40. You might be surprised to learn that there are more Maltese people in Melbourne, Australia then there are in Malta.

41. There are more than 365 churches on the Maltese islands. So you have a new church in which to pray every day of the year.

42. The Maltese cross, most famously associated with the Knights of Malta, was introduced to Malta by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in 1530. The cross is featured on the Maltese Euro coins and is also used by the national airline Air Malta.

43. Malta is mainly made up of limestone, and there are no hills in the country that are higher than 300 meters.

Did you know?

44. Mdina, which served as Malta’s capital from antiquity to the medieval period, is a walled city. There are approximately 300 people residing inside the walls of the city. Perhaps surprisingly, only the cars of its residents are allowed inside its boundaries. In spite of the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of cars in Malta, you should not dare to take your car past the walls of this fortified city. The city is also known as the “Silent City.”

45. When tourists arrive in the country, its population triples? Yeah, that’s how popular the island is amongst visitors.

46. For sea divers or those who are interested in seeing WWII ship wrecks, Malta’s coastline is home to many such sunken ships.

47. On your visit to Malta, you have a chance to see a limestone temple that dates back to some 5000 years ago.

48. A village was built in Malta for the musical production “Popeye.” The film set was erected in 1979 and today it has become a tourist attraction. It provides attractions such as boat rides, water trampolines, sun bathing decks, beach lido, food outlets, a winery offering free wine tastings, mini golf and Santa’s toy town.

49. The capital city of Malta, Valletta, has more than 300 monuments. The city is rewarded with the crown of the most concentrated historical areas in the world by UNESCO.

50. The capital was named after Jean Parisot de la Valette, a Grand Master of the Knights of St John.

51. The country also has the third-largest unsupported church dome in Europe. Surprisingly, it was spared from destruction when a bomb dropped by the German forces failed to detonate. The lives of some 300 people were also saved during the failed attack. The bomb broke through the ceiling and came all the way to the floor of the church.

52. Malta has also been described as the country with the best climate in the world by International Living.

53. The International Monetary Fund has defined Malta’s economy as an advanced economy.

54. The Maltese language is spoken by at least a million people all over the world. Malta might be a small country, but its language is popular.

55. The Maltese language is the only Semitic language written in Latin script.

56. Malta is an island country. It is surrounded by water on all four sides. Yet do not take for granted the availability of safe and fresh drinking water. Remember: sea water is saline; it cannot be used for drinking unless it is purified. Thus, the point to remember here is that Malta has a limited supply of safe drinking water. Though tap water, which is supplied throughout the island, is safe to drink. One can also buy bottled water from various convenience stores.

Malta – country at a glance