Geography |
The Republic of Malta, located in the Mediterranean Sea about 100 km south of Sicily, consists of the islands of Malta, Gozo, and Comino, and the tiny, uninhabited islands of Cominotto and Filfla. The total land area is 316 km2, of which the area of the largest island, Malta, is 246 km2.
The islands consist of low-lying coralline limestone plateaus surrounded by impermeable clay slopes. The highest point is 239 m above sea level.
The climate is dry and temperate, with a mean temperature of 19° C. Winters are moist and mild and summers are hot and dry but moderated by ocean breezes. Average annual rainfall is about 530 mm.
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.