Malta Cities

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Malta Cities by Population

56 cities shown of 56 total Malta cities that are over 1,000 in population...

1. Birkirkara 21,676
2. Qormi 18,230
3. Mosta 17,789
4. Zabbar 15,030
5. Rabat 12,914
6. San Gwann 12,346
7. Fgura 11,819
8. Zejtun 11,549
9. Sliema 11,318
10. Zebbug 11,063
11. Hamrun 10,680
12. Naxxar 10,378
13. Attard 9,510
14. Paola 9,257
15. Zurrieq 9,149
16. Birzebbuga 8,668
17. Tarxien 7,761
18. Siggiewi 7,676
19. Il-Gzira 7,513

20. San Pawl il-Bahar 7,396
21. Msida 6,920
22. San Giljan 6,799
23. Valletta 6,794
24. Victoria 6,596
25. Santa Vennera 6,264
26. Cospicua 6,096
27. Mellieha 5,976
28. Is-Swieqi 5,973
29. Marsa 5,116
30. Luqa 5,053
31. Ghaxaq 4,375
32. Nadur 3,933
33. Santa Lucija 3,760
34. Xaghra 3,680
35. Senglea 3,543
36. L-Iklin 3,360
37. Xewkija 3,303
38. Balzan 3,240

39. Marsaxlokk 3,026
40. Gudja 3,023
41. Dingli 3,009
42. Mgarr 3,000
43. Kalkara 2,982
44. Vittoriosa 2,936
45. Mqabba 2,891
46. Mgarr 2,868
47. Il-Furjana 2,516
48. Qrendi 2,493
49. Lija 2,471
50. Kirkop 2,137
51. Gharghur 2,025
52. Safi 1,863
53. Sannat 1,681
54. Ta' Xbiex 1,642
55. Kercem 1,627
56. Qala 1,534

Malta History

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. The Greeks called the island 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"". Not only was there Greek influence on the island as early as 700 BCE, but the island was later dominated by the Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire from 395 to 870. Another etymology given is the Phoenician word Maleth meaning ""a haven,"" in reference to Malta's many bays and coves."

The Maltese islands were first settled in 5200 BC by stone age farmers who had arrived from the nearby, much larger island of Sicily, possibly the Sicani who were the only known tribe to be inhabiting the island at this time. The Sicani are generally regarded to be related to the Iberians. During 3500 BC, these people built some of the oldest free-standing structures and some of the oldest religious structures in the world, in the form of the megalithic gantija temples on Gozo, other early temples include those at aar Qim and Mnajdra. Around 700 BC, there was Ancient Greek culture on Malta, especially around the area of Valletta. A century later the natives were joined on the island by Phoenician traders, who used the islands as an outpost for their trade route explorations from the east Mediterranean Sea across to Cornwall.

After the fall of Phoenicia, the area came under the control of people from a former Phoenician colony in 400 BC: the Carthaginians. During this time Malta was mainly used as a place to cultivate olives, carobs and produce textiles. During 218 BC in the Punic Wars tensions arose and the Maltese people rebelled against the rule of Carthage, turning over control of their garrison to Roman Republic consul Sempronius. During the Syracusan revolt Malta remained loyal to Rome and was rewarded accordingly with the title Foederata Civitas; a designation which meant a level of autonomy within the juristiction of Sicilia province while being allied to Rome. The island known then as Melita had its capital located in the centre, this carried the same name, though today it is known as Mdina.