Malta

Factbook

Official Name: Malta

Population: 379.563 (1996)

Capital: Valetta

Other important cities: Rabat

Official language: Maltese, English

Other languages: Lingua Franca, Sicilian, Italiot

Malta is a small island in the Mediterranean, long administered by the Knights Hospitallers of St. John. In the mid 19th century, external matters have been assumed by the Federated Kingdoms, leaving internal governance to the Knights. Malta is known for its ancient ruins and is a thriving tourist destination. It served honorably during the Second Great War as an airbase for Royal Navy dirigible fleets that harrassed Europe from the south and Africa from the north.