The Maltese Islands are located in Southern Europe, in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy).
Geographic Coordinates: 35 50 N,14 35 E
The Maltese Archipelago consists of three islands (Malta 250km2, Gozo 64km2, Comino 2.5km2) and several uninhabited islets, of which Filfla and Cominotto are the largest.
Population (2006 est.): 400,214.
Maltese Coastline: 196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 24 NM
Territorial sea: 12 NM
Exclusive fishing zone: 25 NM
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation.
Terrain: Mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs.
Elevation extremes:
Lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m
Climate: Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers.
The position of the Maltese Islands, in the very centre of the Mediterranean, makes the composition of the flora and fauna very interesting since one can derive relationships with the biotic components of other parts of the Mediterranean.
