A small but influential island

At the center of the Mediterranean, Malta has historically received great strategic importance as a succession of powers have ruled the islands, including the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, French and British. Malta is a great tourist destination with its warm climate, beautiful sea, three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and seven megalithic temples that are some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world. With an area half the size of New York, Malta is a member of the European Union and plays a very active role in the United Nations on issues related to international law and environmental protection.