Malta at a glance – January 2022

These emails are designed for those investing into Malta and those who have plans to do so. We aim to keep the points short and sweet, and to merely list snippets of relevant but easy to read information.

January 2022

  1. The Maltese love their cars! Over 329,000 vehicles are registered in Malta, quite a few considering the 500,000 or so inhabitants and the relatively small road network.
  2. The principle of neutrality is enshrined in Malta’s constitution. This is one of the reasons why, in 1989, Malta was chosen to host the then US President George H.  W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev; they reached an agreement which signalled the end of the Cold War.
  3. The working week in Malta has 40 hours on the average, and 48 hours are the statutory maximum allowed by law including overtime. Daily office hours in the private sector are usually between 08:00 or 08:30 and 17:00 or 17:30.
  4. Throughout history, Malta, sitting in the Mediterranean Sea between Italy, Tunisia and Libya, has fallen under the rule of the Phoenicians, Romans, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Order of St John, French and British, and gained independence in 21 September 1964. This is reflected in language, food and also in the legislative framework.
  5. Valletta has been chosen to be the European capital of culture in 2018. Built by the Knights of Jerusalem (now Knights of Malta), Valletta is one of the Unesco world heritage sites (the whole city, no exception!).
  6. With a population of just over 500,000, Malta has 365 Roman Catholic churches, a church for every day of the year. The Mosta church dome is the largest dome in Europe and the third largest in the world. St Paul (the 13th apostle) shipwrecked in Malta together with St Luke the evangelist. This is the only reference to Malta in the Bible.
  7. The blue rock thrush (Merill) is Malta’s national bird. A melodious bird, it nests in rock cavities and rugged cliff-faces near the sea. Prior to the adoption of the Euro in 2008, the merill was also featured in the Maltese currency (the Lira).
  8. The 1964 constitution, under which Malta became an independent monarchy and parliamentary state, was amended in 1974 to make Malta a Republic within the Commonwealth.
  9. Malta is a unitary multiparty republic. The Maltese parliament consists of a unicameral House of Representatives with a strong leaning towards the British model. Members of the parliament are elected by proportional representation and hold office for a tenure of five years.
  10. In addition to unique Neolithic ruins, Malta can boast several churches finished in 17th and 18th century Baroque style. The Italian artists Michelangelo Merisi (better known as Caravaggio) and Mattia Preti spent several years in Malta, the latter’s most important paintings embellishing many of Malta’s churches.

This message is not given in the form of an opinion, legal opinion or tax advice. If any of the information provided is of interest or relevance to you or your company we would strongly recommend you contact us or another qualified professional for specific advice. 

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