Malta (island)

Malta
Satellite image of Malta
Map of the Maltese Archipelago highlighting the island of Malta
Geography
LocationSouth of Sicily, Mediterranean Sea
Coordinates35°53′N 14°27′E / 35.883°N 14.450°E / 35.883; 14.450
ArchipelagoMaltese Archipelago
Total islands5 islands that surround Malta
Major islandsFilfa, St Paul's Islands, Manoel Island.
Area246 km2 (95 sq mi)
Coastline197 km (122.4 mi)
Highest elevation253 m (830 ft)
Highest pointTa' Dmejrek
Administration
Malta
Capital cityValletta
Largest settlementSt. Paul's Bay (pop. 29,097)
Demographics
PopulationApprox. 500,000 (May 2021)
Pop. density1,664/km2 (4310/sq mi)
Ethnic groupsMaltese people

Malta is an island in Southern Europe. It is the largest and most populous of the three major islands that constitute the Maltese Archipelago.The island is situated in the Mediterranean Sea directly south of Italy and north of Libya. It lies south-east of the smaller islands of Gozo and Comino.The island is 27 kilometres (17 mi) long and 14.5 kilometres (9 mi) wide, with a total area of 246 square kilometres (95 sq mi). The capital is Valletta, while the largest locality is Rabat. The island is made up of many small towns, which together form one larger urban zone with a population of 409,259. The landscape is characterised by low hills with terraced fields.