Geography of Malta
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The geography of Malta is dominated by water. Malta is an archipelago of coralline limestone, located in the Mediterranean Sea, approximately 93 kilometres south of Sicily, Italy, and nearly 300 km north (Libya) and northeast (Tunisia) of Africa. Although Malta is situated in Europe, it is located farther south than African Tunis, capital of Tunisia, Algiers, capital of Algeria, Tangier in Morocco and also Aleppo in Syria, and Mosul in Iraq in the Middle East. Only the three largest islands – Malta, Gozo and Comino – are inhabited. Other (uninhabited) islands are: Cominotto, Filfla and the St.Paul's Islands. The country is approximately 316 km2 (122 sq mi) in area. Numerous bays along the indented coastline of the islands provide good harbours. The landscape of the islands is characterised by high hills with terraced fields. The highest point, at 253 metres, is the Ta' Zuta on mainland Malta. The capital is Valletta.
Geographic coordinates: 35°50′N 14°35′E / 35.833°N 14.583°E
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[edit] Statistics
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 316 km2
land: 316 km2
water: 0 km2
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 140 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nmi (44.4 km; 27.6 mi)
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 25 nmi (46.3 km; 28.8 mi)
territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)
[edit] Climate
See also: Climate of Malta
Subtropical-Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers
[edit] Elevation extremes
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)
[edit] Land use
arable land: 38%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 59% (1993 est.)
[edit] Irrigated land
10 km2 (1993 est.)
[edit] Environment - current issues
very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination, the slaughter of migratory birds on migration during unregulated hunting
[edit] Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
[edit] See also
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