Malta, protest and revolution

Abstract

The history of protest and revolt in Malta is complex and intriguing, particularly given its small size (the surface area of Malta is only 122 square miles). Such a varied history is the result of a particular interaction between geography and the actions of people. The Maltese Islands lie right in the center of the Mediterranean Sea, 37 miles to the south of Sicily and 217 miles north of Libya. The major island, Malta, gives its name to the whole of the archipelago, and the word Malta is used interchangeably with the phrase Maltese Islands. The second island, Gozo, is about a third the size of Malta, and the third island, Comino, is miniscule and practically uninhabited. Though Malta lacks any natural resources, its position at the crossroads of the Mediterranean has always made it the object of interest of the powers that vied for control of this sea.