Malta Index

Malta Geography - 2023

SOURCE: 2023 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

Location

Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)

Area

total: 316 sq km

land: 316 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

196.8 km (excludes 56 km for the island of Gozo)

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm

Climate

Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain

mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Elevation

highest point: Ta'Dmejrek on Dingli Cliffs 253 m

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m

agricultural land: 32.3% (2018 est.)

arable land: 28.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 3.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest: 0.9% (2018 est.)

other: 66.8% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

35 sq km (2020)

Population distribution

most of the population lives on the eastern half of Malta, the largest of the three inhabited islands

Natural hazards

occasional droughts

Geography - note

the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing oil exploration on the continental shelf between their countries, although no commercially viable reserves have been found as of 2017

NOTE: The information regarding Malta on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Malta 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Malta 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.