Malta has a total area of 315.718 km2 (121.899 sq mi)[3] with land making up all of that and water taking up zero area. Compared to other political entities, this makes Malta, in comparison with
Australia: slightly less than one-seventh the Australian Capital Territory's size;
Canada: roughly one-eighteenth of Prince Edward Island's size;
Excluding 56 km (35 mi) from the island of Gozo,[clarification needed] Malta has a coastline of 196.8 km (122.3 mi). Its maritime claims of territorial sea are 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi), contiguous zone is 24 nmi (44.4 km; 27.6 mi), continental shelf is 200 m (660 ft) depth or to the depth of exploitation, and Malta's exclusive fishing zone spans 25 nmi (46.3 km; 28.8 mi).
Situated near Gozo. No soil exists on the islet because the island is inundated by water wave action during rough weather. The flora consisted of only 14 individuals ofInula crithmoides (2010).[5]
Crocodile Rock & Bear rocks (Il-Ġebla tal-Baqra u il-Ġebel tal-Orsijiet)
The geology of Malta consists of a sequence ofsedimentary rocks of lateOligocene tolate Miocene age cut through by a set ofextensional faults ofPliocene age.[10] The sequence is divided into fiveformations, from the oldest, the Lower Coralline Limestone, followed by the Globigerina Limestone, the Blue Clay and the youngest unit, the Upper Coralline Limestone.[11]
The seabed surrounding Malta's islands retains traces of ancient geomarine features, suggesting potential archaeological discoveries that could shed light on the region's prehistoric environment.[12] The shelf is narrower south of the archipelago and wider on its northern side, with swaths ofseagrass close to shore andmaerl in the outer part of the shelf.[13] These form belts are regulated by the availability of light and intensity of currents.[14]
According toEurostat, in 2023, 34.7% of Maltese households reported being affected bypollution, grime, or other environmental nuisances, making Malta the nation with the highest percentage in theEuropean Union for that year and more than double the EU average of 12.2%.[15] The rate has been increasing steadily from 26.5% in 2017 and highlights several issues: traffic-related emissions, dust from road or building works, garbage waiting to be collected, rodent and cockroach infestations, sea slime during the summer months, noise pollution, a lack of greenery and illegal dumping.[16][17][18]
In 2023, Malta recorded an annual averagePM2.5 concentration of12 micrograms per cubic metre, more than double the number of fine-particle pollutants recommended byWorld Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The WHO guidelines are 5 micrograms per cubic meter. The World Air Quality Report 2023 by IQAir ranked Malta49th out of 134 countries (best to worst) for PM2.5 concentration, while among European countries, Malta ranked26th when ordered from best to worst air quality. Fine particles include contaminants like sulphates, black carbon, nitrates, and ammonium, specifically those measuring 2.5 millionths of a meter, approximately one-fiftieth the diameter of human hair. These little particles, despite their size, can significantly harm human health since they are readily absorbed into the lungs and bloodstream, resulting in conditions such asasthma,cancer,strokes, andlung disease, and have been associated with automobile use and construction, among other contributors. From 2011 to 2021, the number of residences in Malta increased from about 224,000 to over 297,000, representing a growth of roughly one-third, exceeding the population's rise. The quantity of automobiles in Malta has persistently risen, currently exceeding 420,000, with approximately 30 new vehicles being introduced daily. Official data from the National Statistics Office reveals that there are more than 18,000 automobiles per square kilometre of road and 1,500 cars for every 1,000 individuals.[19]
Limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance ondesalination. A 2021 study assessed the impact of climate change on the groundwater resources of the Maltese Islands, simulating the combined effects of sea-level rise, reduced groundwater recharge, and increased water demand on Malta’s mean sea-level aquifer up to the year 2100. The model was calibrated using observed hydraulic data from 1944, 1990, and 2014. The results indicated thatrising water demand anddecreasing recharge are the dominant drivers of groundwater decline, whilesea-level rise has a relatively minor direct effect over the study period. In the worst-case scenarios, freshwater storage could fall by more than16% by 2100. Localised overextraction, particularly in southeastern Malta, was shown to accelerate saltwater intrusion, posing a risk of contamination.[20]
Since 2016, the network of Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC) supported by the Union for the Mediterranean and Plan Bleu (UN Environment/MAP Regional Activity Centre), has been assessing the risks associated with climate and environmental changes in the Mediterranean. They indicate the average annualair temperatures have risen by around 1.5 °C compared to the preindustrial era, significantly more than the current global warming trend of +1.1 °C, with projections of 2.2 °C by 2040 and more than 3.8 °C by 2100.[21][22]
Surface seawater temperature was found to have risen by approximately 0.4 °C every decade. The forecasts for 2100 range from +1.8 °C to +3.5 °C compared to the period between 1961 and 1990. Sea levels have risen approximately 3 mm annually over recent decades, while the future global mean sea level is projected to range from 52 to 190 cm by 2100, resulting in increased coastal threats associated withrising sea levels,storm surges, andflooding.Seawater acidification, primarily caused by the sea absorbing excesscarbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere together with increased temperatures, adversely affects carbonate shells and skeletons.Mass mortality events among marine species are anticipated to be replaced by non-native ones, particularly those originating from theRed Sea.[21][22]
The frequency ofextreme occurrences such asheat waves,droughts,floods, andfires is anticipated to increase. Droughts may exacerbate social strife in the Mediterranean region. Scarce resources and wars can result in widespreadpeople migrations. Heat-related illnesses and mortality will increase, particularly due to theurban heat island effect. Climate change will influence the proliferation ofvector- andwaterborne illnesses, while the quality of air, soil, and water will decline.Pollen allergies are expected to increase, while sanitary conditions may decline due to the ensuing societal and political circumstances.[21][22]
^Barberi, F.; Civetta, L.; Gasparini, P.; Innocenti, F.; Scandone, R.; Villari, L. (May 1974). "Evolution of a section of the Africa-Europe plate boundary: Paleomagnetic and volcanological evidence from Sicily".Earth and Planetary Science Letters.22 (2):123–132.Bibcode:1974E&PSL..22..123B.doi:10.1016/0012-821X(74)90072-7.
^FromŻebbuġ in Malta, coordinates: 36°04'48.2"N 14°15'06.7"E to Cava d'Aliga (Scicli) in Italy, coordinates: 36°43'22.5"N 14°41'10.9"E – Google Maps
^Caruana, Joseph (2011)."Toponomi t'Għajnsielem (1)"(PDF).L-Imnara.9 (4). Rivista tal-Għaqda Maltija tal-Folklor: 189. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016.
^Micallef, Aaron; Foglini, Federica; Le Bas, Timothy; Angeletti, Lorenzo; Maselli, Vittorio; Pasuto, Alessandro; Taviani, Marco (January 2013). "The submerged paleolandscape of the Maltese Islands: Morphology, evolution and relation to Quaternary environmental change".Marine Geology.335:129–147.Bibcode:2013MGeol.335..129M.doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2012.10.017.hdl:11380/1331520.
^Bialik, Or M.; Coletti, Giovanni; Berndt, Christian; Schmidt, Mark; Micallef, Aaron (October 2024). "Controls on mesophotic carbonate facies and sediment distribution across the Maltese shelf, central Mediterranean Sea".Facies.70 (4) 16.Bibcode:2024Faci...70...16B.doi:10.1007/s10347-024-00690-1.hdl:10281/522407.
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This article incorporatespublic domain material fromThe World Factbook (2025 ed.).CIA.
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