General Information

Area
316 sq km (122 sq miles).

Population 
400,000 (1997, excluding non-Maltese).

Population Density 
1189.0 per sq km.

Capital
Valletta                                        

Geography
The Maltese archipelago is situated in the middle of the Mediterranean, with the largest inhabited island, Malta, lying 93km (58 miles) south of Sicily and 290km (180 miles) from North Africa. Gozo and Comino are the only other inhabited islands. The landscape of all three is characterised by low hills with terraced fields. Malta has no mountains or rivers. Its coastline is indented with harbours, bays, creeks, sandy beaches and rocky coves. Gozo is connected to Malta by ferry and is more thickly vegetated, with many flat-topped hills and craggy cliffs. Comino, the smallest island, is connected to Malta and Gozo by ferry and is very sparsely populated. The Maltese Islands enjoy a healthy climate, with mild winters and a hot summer season. Cold winds, snow, frost and fog are unknown. Rain falls between September and April. It seldom rains after April, and nearly never in the summertime. The temperature averages 15 degrees Celsius / 57.5 Fahrenheit  in winter (Nov-Apr) and 32 degrees Celsius / 89.6 Fahrenheit during the summer (May-Oct). The hottest period is from mid-July through mid-September although the islands seldom get too hot, as hot summer days and nights are regularly tempered by cool sea breezes.  There are no mountains or rivers. The majority of fields are small and terraced, but despite lack of rain and other adverse terrain conditions, agriculture is well-developed.