Quick Facts

• 98% Roman Catholic
• most practicing Catholic nation in the world
• population 403,532 ^{2008 census}
• geographically located in the 10-40 window

Location

The Republic of Malta is a densely populated, developed European country in the European Union. Malta is an island nation located in southern Europe that includes the inhabited islands of Malta, Gozo, and Comino along with a number of smaller, uninhabited islands. It is situated in the central part of the Mediterranean Sea southwest of Sicily, Italy and north of Tunisia. Gibraltar is to its west and Alexandria is to its east.

History

Throughout its history, Malta's location in the Mediterranean Sea has given it strategic importance. Consequently, the island nation was conquered many times during its history. Malta gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964 and became a Republic in 1974, while retaining its membership in the Commonwealth of Nations. Today it is a member of the European Union (joined in 2004) and the United Nations.Malta is known for its old world history. The most notable site being the Megalithic Temples, which are the oldest freestanding structures in Europe. The Apostle Paul was shipwrecked on Malta in the first century AD and Malta is thought by some to be a possible location of the mythical city of Atlantis.

Religion

Malta has a long history of Roman Catholicism serving as its national religion and it is practiced by the vast majority of Maltese. There is freedom to practice any form of religion and a few other religions are practiced, but none have large numbers of participants.