The ocean blue island of Malta
5/4/2009 -Kategori: Travel
VALLETTA -- Malta is a country we hear about often but don't quite know its place on the map. The popularity of this small country has increased in recent years, especially with its English language schools. Each year, thousands of students come to Malta to learn English in a typical Mediterranean country. The famous Order of Knights of St. John of Jerusalem (the Knights of Malta), the beautiful blue sea, old yellow buses, narrow streets, buildings made from different shades of white stone, homes with bay windows and impressive churches and chapels make Malta unique.
Located in the Mediterranean, it is 97 kilometers south of Sicily and 257 kilometers north of Libya. It has great geopolitical importance. It has served as a strategic base in the Mediterranean Sea and as a land in which different countries have displayed their strength. Arabs, Sicilians, Normans, the Knights of Malta, the French and the British have controlled the island.
As in England and countries that were occupied by British forces, cars drive on the left-hand side in Malta. It gained its independence from Britain in 1964, but the last British forced departed in 1979. Along with English, the official language is Maltese.
Malta is an archipelago that consists of three large islands -- Malta, Comino and Gozo. There are other islands, but they are extremely small and uninhabited. Regular daily ferries travel between the islands, the most densely populated of which is Malta. Gozo has the second highest population after Malta, but Comino is very sparsely populated. The population density is 1,282 per square kilometer and the gross domestic product per capita is around $12,000.
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Malta joined the European Union in 2004 and adopted the euro as the country's currency in 2008. Turkish citizens were not required to have a visa to enter Malta until 2007, when Malta implemented the Schengen agreement. Its economy depends on foreign trade. Cars, electronic products, water and electricity are expensive. With no permanent rivers or lakes, Malta has limited freshwater resources and is required to resort to the costly process of purifying sea water as a source of drinking water.
Malta is a perfect country for tourism with its hot, dry summers and mild winters. With almost no greenery and no mountains, the country attracts tourists with its beautiful sparkling sea. The number of tourists that visit the country each year is three times that of the population, which is why many large hotels line the country's coastline.
Maltese people are proud of their Catholic heritage -- an important part of the culture. There are churches around every corner in Malta, where 98 percent of the population is Roman Catholic. Churches and chapels are one of the most attractive features for tourists. There are 365 churches, one for every day. The divorce rate in Malta is zero because according to the Church, couples cannot officially divorce or separate. Abortion is also illegal in Malta.
Valletta, Malta's capital has a population of 92,000. In terms of total area, it could be the smallest capital in the world. Upper Barrakka Gardens in the capital offer a magnificent view of the Grand Harbor and the sea. A popular tourist attraction is the firing of the noon-day gun. The castle that was formerly home to the leader of the Knights of St. John is now used as the president's official office and parliamentary building. The Cathedral of St. John is also a popular tourist attraction.
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