Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean Sea south of the Italian island of Sicily across the Malta Channel. Only the three largest islands - Malta Island (Malta), Gozo (Għawdex), and Comino (Kemmuna) - are inhabited. The smaller islands, such as Filfla, Cominotto and the Islands of St. Paul are uninhabited. Numerous bays along the indented coastline of the islands provide good harbours. The islands of the archipelago were formed from the high points of a land bridge between Sicily and North Africa which became isolated as sea levels rose after the last Ice Age.
The modern-day landscape is characterised by low hills with terraced fields. The highest point is at Ta' Dmejrek on Malta Island at 253 metres (830 ft) near Dingli. Although there are some small rivers at times of high rainfall, there are no permanent rivers or lakes on Malta. However, some watercourses are found around the island that have fresh water running all year round.
Maltese Landscape
Contrary to popular belief, the south of Malta is not Europe's most southern point; that distinction belongs to the Greek island of Gavd. Such places are Baħrija, l-Intaħleb and San Martin. Running water in Gozo is found at Lunzjata Valley.
Maltese Carnival (Maltese: il-karnival ta' Malta) has had an important place on the cultural calendar for just under five centuries, introduced to the Islands by Grand Master Piero de Ponte in 1535. It is held during the week leading up to Ash Wednesday, and typically includes masked balls, fancy dress and grotesque mask competitions, lavish late-night parties, a colourful, ticker-tape parade of allegorical floats presided over by King Carnival (Maltese: ir-Re tal-Karnival), marching bands and costumed revellers.
Maltese cuisine is typically Mediterranean, based on fresh seasonal locally available produce and seafood, with some influence from Italian cuisine, particularly Sicily and the south. There are many unique and distinctive local dishes and the cuisine also embodies the gastronomic legacies of Malta's past, including not only Italian or Tunisian, but Spanish, Berber, and more recently British and French influence.
Maltese cuisine is still popular in households and restaurants in Malta, but influences from outside Malta's shores continue, though nowadays they come through travel and TV rather than foreign domination. Alongside Malta's traditional cuisine with its strong Southern Mediterranean character, there is today an eclectic mix of dishes drawn from other cuisines, not only Italian but also Asian, North American and Mexican for example. This article on Maltese cuisine however refers exclusively to the traditional dishes of Malta and Gozo, still widely prepared and enjoyed on the islands of Malta and Gozo.
The Maltese cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the Islanders and the many foreigners who dominated Malta over the centuries. This marriage of tastes has given Malta a distinctive cuisine that is decidedly Mediterranean in character. While many dishes are native to the island, some popular Maltese recipes show Sicilian, Southern Italian or Turkish culinary influences. Popular local dishes include ftira biż-żejt, ġbejniet, pastizzi and Ross il-Forn.
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