Malta Geography - 2024

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

35 50 N, 14 35 E

Map references

Europe

Area

total: 316 sq km

land: 316 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

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

Natural resources

limestone, salt, arable land

Land use

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