Total area: 321 sq km (124 sq mi)
Population (2009 est.): 405,165
Capital (2003 est.): Valletta - 194,200 (metro. area)
Largest city: Birkirkara - 21,600
Currency: Euro
Languages: Maltese and English (both official)
Ethnicity: Maltese
Religion: Roman Catholic 98%
Time zone: GMT+1; Daylight Savings Time: GMT+2, observed from the last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Electricity: AC 240V/50Hz; British three-pin plugs are used
Malta is small a country in southern Europe comprising an archipelago situated centrally in the Mediterranean, 93 km (58 mi) south of Sicily (Italy) and 288 km (179 mi) north-east of Tunisia. Gibraltar is 1,826 km (1,135 mi) to the west and Alexandria (Egypt) 1,510 km (938 mi) to the east. The main islands of Malta archipelago, and the only three that are inhabited, are: Malta, Gozo and Comino.
Malta's terrain is dominated by low hills with terraced fields. The shoreline has many bays that provide good harbors. There are no permanent rivers or lakes on Malta. The country has to rely on underground water sources as well as water that comes from desalination.
