Malta is a great place to visit – it has, arguably, the best climate in Europe, it has good accommodation, a well-developed tourist industry, and fascinating history providing loads of places of interest to visit. Additionally there are no language problems as English is a common language on the island.
Malta’s location has historically given it great strategic importance as a naval base, and a succession of powers, including the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, French and British, have ruled the islands.
Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars and King George VI of the United Kingdom awarded the George Cross (GC) to Malta in 1942 for the country’s bravery in the Second World War. The George Cross continues to appear on Malta’s national flag. (The George Cross is the highest award for bravery than Britain awards to civilians and equates with Britain’s Victoria Cross (VC) which is a military award.)
Under the Malta Independence Act passed by the British Parliament in 1964, Malta gained independence from the United Kingdom as an independent sovereign Commonwealth realm, officially known from 1964 to 1974 as the State of Malta, with Elizabeth II as its head of state.
The country became a republic in 1974, and although no longer a Commonwealth realm, remains a current member state of the Commonwealth of Nations. Malta was admitted to the United Nations in 1964 and to the European Union in 2004; in 2008, it became part of the Eurozone.
Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight trans-shipment point, a financial centre, and a tourist destination while its key industries moved toward more service-oriented activities. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.
Further Information About Malta:
- Accommodation & Places to Stay
- Places of Interest
- How to Get There
- Weather & Climate
- Local Cuisine
- Things to Do in Malta
- A Brief History of Malta