There is no area in the world the size of Malta, one of the smallest nations with a mere total area of 316 sq km, that is so rich in heritage and culture. The origin of Maltese history goes back to some 5,000 years BC. The temples at Ħagar Qim, Mnajdra, Ġgantija, and the Hypogeum, as well as others across the islands, can be dated back as far as 3,600 BC, preceding even Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt by some 1,000 years.
It is believed that the name Malta originated from the Phoenician word Maleth, meaning refuge. The Phoenicians, traders and seafarers who sailed their ships along the shores of the Mediterranean, settled in Malta. Conceivably, the roots of the Maltese language derive from this Phoenician period. The Phoenicians also introduced glass making and weaving.
The islands’ 7,000 year history has seen a succession of foreign conquerors ruling the island: the Greeks, the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Roman empire, the Byzantines, the Normans, the Arabs, the Swabians (Germans), the Angevins (French), the Aragonese (Spanish), the Knights of St. John, the French and the British.
Some milestones in the Maltese history:
- The arrival of St. Paul in 60 AD. He became shipwrecked on the Maltese coast (Acts 28). According to tradition, St. Paul converted the Maltese to Christianity.
- The Great Siege in 1565. A great victory for Malta and the Order achieved against the Ottoman Empire.
- The Founding of Valletta in 1566. The first stone of Malta’s capital city, Valletta, is laid.
- Award of George Cross to Malta in 1942. “To bear witness to this heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history”, King George VI awarded the George Cross to the people of Malta.
- Malta becomes inpenedent in 1964. Malta becomes a Sovereign and Independent state within the Commonwealth. During the same year Malta joins the United Nations.
- Malta becomes a Republic in 1974. The constitution of Malta was substantially amended, transforming the former British colony from a Commonwealth Realm into a republic within the Commonwealth.
- Last British services leave Malta in 1979. Expiry of the Military Agreement between Malta and the United Kingdom. The British forces leave the island.
- Malta joins the European Union in 2004. Malta becomes a member of the European Union alongside nine other Easter European and Mediterranean countries.
- Malta adopts the euro as its national currency in 2008. The new currency replaced the Maltese Lira.