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Malta /'m??lt?/&_160;(help·info), officially the Republic of Malta (Maltese Repubblika ta' Malta), is a small and densely populated European microstate,[3][4][5] comprising an archipelago of seven islands, making it an island nation. Situated in Southern Europe, 93&_160;km (58&_160;mi) off the coast of Sicily (Italy), it is located in the Mediterranean Sea, giving the country a warm, Mediterranean climate, while a further 288&_160;km (179&_160;mi) to the island's west is Tunisia and about 300&_160;km (186&_160;mi) south is Libya.[6][7] Valletta is in practice the nation's capital city. Throughout much of its history, Malta has been considered a crucial strategic location due in large part its position in the Mediterranean Sea.[8] It was held by several ancient cultures including Sicilians, Romans, Phoenicians, Byzantines, Carthaginians and others. The island is commonly associated with the Knights Hospitaller who ruled it. This, along with the historic Biblical shipwreck of St. Paul on the island, ingrained the strong Roman Catholic legacy which is still the official and most practiced religion in Malta today. The country's official languages are Maltese and English, although there are strong historical ties to the Italian language on the islands. Malta gained independence from Britain in 1964 and is currently a member of the European Union which it joined in 2004, in addition to being part of the British Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations. The origin of the term "Malta" is uncertain, though the modern day variation is from the Maltese language. The more common etymology is that it comes from the Greek word µ??? (meli) ('honey'). The Greeks called the island ?e??t? (Melite) meaning "honey" or "honey-sweet" possibly due to Malta's unique production of honey; Malta has had an endemic species of bee which lives on the island, giving it the common nickname the "land of honey".[9] Not only was there Greek influence on the island as early as 700 BCE,[10] but the island was later dominated by the Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire from 395 to 870.[10] Another etymology given is the Phoenician word Maleth meaning "a haven,"[11] in reference to Malta's many bays and coves.
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