[mawl-tuh] 
| 1. | an island in the Mediterranean between Sicily and Africa. 95 sq. mi. (246 sq. km). |
| 2. | a former British colony consisting of this island and two small adjacent islands: now an independent sovereign state and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 379,365; 122 sq. mi. (316 sq. km). Capital: Valletta. |
Mal·ta (môl'tə)  (click for larger image in new window) An island country in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily, comprising the island of Malta and two smaller islands. Occupied successively by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Saracens, and Normans, Malta was granted to the Knights Hospitalers in 1530 and passed to France in 1798 and Great Britain in 1800. The country became independent in 1964 but has remained part of the British Commonwealth. Valletta, on Malta Island, is the capital. Population: 402,000. |
Republic in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily, made up of five small islands.
Note: Malta, strategically located, has belonged to a succession of civilizations, including the ancient Greeks and the Roman Empire. In 1800, the British established control of Malta, which, since its independence in 1964, has continued to maintain close ties with Britain.
tə