Malta — the EU's smallest country, but one of the oldest centres of civilisation. Temples older than Stonehenge and Egypt. Here are 15 facts.
- Malta's megalithic temples are OLDER than the Egyptian pyramids — 3600-2500 BC. Ġgantija (UNESCO) is 5500 years old. The world's oldest freestanding structures.
- Malta has 365 churches — one for every day of the year. St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta has a floor of 400 marble tombs of Maltese knights.
- Maltese language — the only Semitic language in the EU. Derived from Arabic (Sicilian), written in Latin alphabet. The only Arabic official language in the EU.
- Malta is 27× smaller than Mazovia — 316 km² area. The EU's smallest country. You can drive from north to south in 35 minutes.
- "Game of Thrones" was filmed on Malta — Mdina palace served as King's Landing in Season 1. Plus "Captain Phillips", "Troy", "Munich", "Assassin's Creed".
- Knights of Malta — 1530. Emperor Charles V gave Malta to the Order for rent: 1 falcon per year. Hence the "Maltese Falcon" (Dashiell Hammett's novel, 1941 film).
- Malta has the most sunshine hours in the EU — averaging 3000 h/year (vs Poland 1600). Only 30 rainy days annually.
- The Great Siege of Malta (1565) — 600 Knights + 8000 Maltese repelled 40,000 Turks after 4 months of fighting. Changed European history.
- Azure Window — natural rock arch on Gozo. Collapsed on 8 March 2017 during a storm. Previously Game of Thrones was filmed there (Daenerys' wedding).
- The Maltese cross has 8 arms = 8 Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount (since 1567). Symbol of the Knights of Malta, today's Sovereign Order of Malta.
- The EU's smallest capital — Valletta (5800 residents on 0.8 km²). The whole city planned by the Knights of Malta (1566) — entirely UNESCO.
- Malta drives on the left — remnant of British colonialism (1814-1964). The only EU country besides Ireland and Cyprus with left-hand traffic.
- Hypogeum Hal-Saflieni — underground temple from 4000 BC. Carved in rock 12 m underground, on 3 levels. Tour limit: 60 people daily (book 2 months ahead).
- Maltese honey is unique — bees gather nectar from wild thyme growing on rocky soil. Production: only ~25 tonnes per year.
- Malta invented modern tax havens — since 1988. Corporations from around the world register headquarters here (Microsoft, Tipico, Betsson). Hence 36% of GDP is "finance & gaming".
Sources: Heritage Malta, National Statistics Office Malta, UNESCO World Heritage, Visit Malta.