Geography & environment — Malta
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Malta: Europe
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Europe
- Geographic Coordinates
35 50 N, 14 35 E
- Total Area
122 Square Miles 316 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
122 Square Miles 316 Square Kilometers
- Coastline
122 Miles 197 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
- Highest Point
253 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)
- Lowest Point Location
Mediterranean Sea 0 m
- Natural Resources
limestone, salt, arable land
- Irrigated Land
12 Square Miles 32 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate
- Climate
The climate is subtropical in the summer, temperate the rest of the year, with occasional fog and rare frosts. Temperatures range from 35°F in winter to 95°F in summer, with brief periods above 100°F in August and early September. The driest months are May and July. Annual rainfall averages 19-22 inches, but fluctuates to less than 10 inches. The rains are heaviest from November to January and ease off slightly in February and March. Summer is hot and humid, with almost cloudless skies. The "scirocco," a warm humid southeast wind, occurs in spring and from mid-September to mid-October. The "gregale," a cold wind from the east and northeast in the winter, occasionally reaches gale forces of 70 miles per hour. Winter is chilly and damp with occasional heavy downpours, but also with many fine sunny days.
- Terrain
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
- Location
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)
- Total Area
122 Square Miles 316 Square Kilometers
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination
- Environment - International Agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
