December 13th marks the annual celebration of Republic Day in Malta. This day of remembrance began in 1974, when the constitution of the country was substantially modified. Maltese citizens no longer called Queen Elizabeth their head of state; instead, they elected a President as a republic in the Commonwealth of Nations. To celebrate this 44th anniversary of Malta’s Republic Day, here are ten things you may not know about this country!
1 – You probably already knew that Malta is one of the smallest countries in the world, but did you know that it is technically an archipelago – not an island? It is comprised of seven tiny islets, the two largest islands, Malta and Gozo, are regularly inhabited, while the third biggest, Comino, features just one luxury vacation resort. The remaining four are totally uninhabited. Collectively, they total a land-mass of just 316 km².
2 – In the 1970s, Kim Jong-il, the father of the current leader of North Korea, spent one year learning English at the University of Malta. Rumours say that this was part of a secret agreement between the Labour government and the North Korean regime: English lessons in exchange for the provision of military training and weapons.
3 – The George Cross – the second highest award of the United Kingdom, awarded “for acts of the greatest heroism or for most conspicuous courage in circumstance of extreme danger” – was awarded to the whole of Malta and its inhabitants for the resistance during the siege in World War II. The Cross was incorporated into the design of Malta’s flag at the beginning of 1943 and has remained there since.
4 – Malta is known for its variety of unique traditional boats. Among these the luzzu, used for fishing, is particularly noteworthy. It is decorated with very bright colours, and the bow of the boat is painted with a pair of eyes. These eyes, known as eyes of Horus or of Osiris, are said to protect the fishermen while at sea. They are thought to be the modern survival of an ancient Phoenician custom.
5 – During the Great Siege of Malta of 1595, an Ottoman general beheaded nine Maltese knights and sent them across the bay on mock crucifixes. The Maltese responded by beheading all of the Turkish prisoners and shooting their heads out cannons across the bay again towards the Ottomans.
6 – In 1956, Malta – at the time officially the Crown Colony of Malta – almost because the 5th constituent country of the United Kingdom. In February of that year, citizens went to the polls to decide for or against ‘integration’ with the UK. The proposals provided for three Maltese MPs in the House of Commons and for all matters other than defence and foreign policy to continue to be the responsibility of the Maltese Parliament. The referendum was approved by 77% of those who voted. However, the turnout of 59% led the opposition to decry the results as inconclusive and Britain, which had initially agreed to accept the referendum results, never implemented it. Malta achieved independence eight years later.
7 – There are seven megalithic temples on the islands of Malta and Gozo. These prehistoric monumental buildings were constructed between the 4th millennium BC and the 3rd millennium BC. They rank amongst the earliest free-standing stone buildings in the world and they are unique architectural masterpieces, especially given the limited resources available to their builders. No surprise they are on the UNESCO World Heritage List!
8 – Maltese, the national language of the country and co-official one together with English, is the only existent example of a standardized Semitic language written in the Latin script.
9 – People in Gozo often leave their keys on their house door. This is a habit from the Fifties, when a wave of emigration saw numerous men leaving the island to Australia, US or Canada. The women used to leave the key on the door in case of her husband came back. In a strong exhibition of serenity and confidence, supported by very low crime rates, people often don’t lock the car either.
10 – While it showcases some great architecture and natural sites, you won’t find a single forest in Malta. There are also no mountains or rivers across all seven islands that comprise the Republic.
