About Malta
Malta is an archipelago of 5 islands in the middle of the Mediterranean, two of which are inhabited (Malta and Gozo). The population of Malta stands at around half a million, which, given its surface area of 300 square kilometres, makes it one of the most densley populated areas in the world.
Civilization here is documented from prehistoric times. In fact, Malta is home to the oldest free-standing monuments in the world, thought to belong to a fertility cult that was present on the islands around 5,000 B.C.
Malta was a much-sought after location, due to its strategic position, and as a result was colonized by many throughout the centuries, from the Romans, to the Arabs, Normans, French, the Knights of St. John, and finally the British. The country gained its independence on September 21, 1964 and became a republic on December 13, 1974. Since then the country has made large strides ahead in governship, private enterprise, and civil society.
Having been part of the British empire for close to 200 years, English became a widely spoken language and today, Malta is in fact officially bilingual, speaking English and Maltese, a language of semitic origian but reflecting the country's past through its vocabulary which denotes wide European influence. Most Maltese can speak at least one foreign language, with the most commonly spoken being Italian, French, German or Arabic.
Clients wishing to work with Maltese companies benefit from a country which has a highly developed IT structure, a highly competitive business environment, the lateset technology around, and various government incentives.
| Quick facts: | |||
| Population | 500,000 | Languages | English and Maltese |
| Surface area | 300 sq. km | Capital city | Valletta |
| Airport | Luqa International Airport | Timezone | GMT +1 (saving daylight hours) |
| Currency | Euro | Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Distance from major European hubs: | |||
| Rome | 689KM | Frankfurt | 1828KM |
| Paris | 1749KM | London | 2086KM |
| Maltese public holidays: (our offices will be closed on these days) | |||
| January 1 | New Year's Day | June 29 | St. Peter and St. Paul |
| February 10 | St. Paul's Shipwreck | August 15 | The Assumption |
| March 19 | St. Joseph's Day | September 8 | Our Lady of Victories |
| March 31 | Freedom Day | September 21 | Independence Day |
| March/April (date changes) | Good Friday | December 8 | Immaculate Conception |
| May 1 | Labour Day | December 13 | Republic Day |
| June 7 | Sette Giugno | December 25 | Christmas Day |