What animals live in Malta?

Malta is a small island nation in the Mediterranean Sea, so most of its wild animals are ones that can fly there or swim nearby. You'll find creatures like the Maltese wall lizard, which you can spot darting across old stone walls in the sun, and plenty of birds that stop on Malta during long migrations between Europe and Africa. The waters around Malta are home to fish like the lampuka, which is actually a favorite food for Maltese families — they catch it every autumn and cook it in all kinds of ways. Hedgehogs and weasels also roam the countryside at night. It is a small island, but God packed a surprising variety of creatures into it, and the Maltese people who care for these lands have a rich history that goes all the way back to the Apostle Paul, who was shipwrecked on Malta and shared the gospel there!

What do kids eat in Malta?

Kids in Malta love pastizzi — small, flaky pastry pockets filled with ricotta cheese or mushy peas. They are sold from little shops called pastizzerias, and you can grab one for just a few cents. Maltese kids also enjoy ftira, a round sourdough bread that gets loaded with tuna, tomatoes, olives, and capers. Malta sits right in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, so fresh fish shows up on a lot of family tables. A favorite is lampuki, a local fish that Maltese families look forward to catching each autumn. For something sweet, kids reach for imqaret — deep-fried date pastries that are crispy on the outside and warm and sticky inside. Food in Malta tells the story of a small island with a very long history.

How do people say hello in Malta?

In Malta, people say hello by saying 'Bonġu' (say it like BOHN-joo) in the morning, and 'Bonswa' (BON-swah) in the evening. These words actually come from old French and Italian, which tells you a lot about Malta's interesting history — many different peoples have passed through those rocky islands over the centuries. Maltese is one of the most unique languages in the world. It is the only Arabic-based language written in the Latin alphabet, and it mixes in Italian and English words too. When missionaries share the gospel in Malta, they get to use this one-of-a-kind language that sounds unlike anything else in Europe. Pretty much everyone in Malta also speaks English, which means the Bible and Christian books are easy to find there.

What sports or games do kids play in Malta?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Kids in Malta are absolutely wild about football — that's what most of the world calls soccer. Nearly every village on the island has its own football club, and kids grow up cheering for their local team with serious pride. Rusty wants to add that because Malta is a small island surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, swimming and water polo are huge too. Kids also play a traditional Maltese game called 'Gostra,' which is a greasy pole competition done at village festas — that's a word for festival celebrations, many of which have deep Catholic roots in Maltese history. Life on a sunny island means a lot of outdoor play, and Maltese kids take full advantage of it.

What's the weather like in Malta?

Malta is a small island country in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its weather is warm and sunny for most of the year. Summers are hot and dry, often reaching around 35°C (95°F), while winters are mild and a little rainy — nothing like the cold winters you might find further north in Europe. Because Malta sits between Europe and North Africa, it gets strong sunshine from May all the way through October. The island is also known for its warm winds that blow in from the Sahara Desert, which can make the air feel very dry and dusty on some days. It is the kind of weather that makes it easy to be outside exploring all year round!

Tell me a fun fact about Malta.

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Malta is one of the smallest countries in the whole world, but it packs in some of the oldest buildings humans have ever found. The temples at Ġgantija are older than the Egyptian pyramids — we're talking nearly 5,500 years old! Rusty loves this part: Malta is a tiny island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and almost everyone there speaks two languages — Maltese and English. Maltese is a remarkable language because it's the only Arabic-rooted language written in the Latin alphabet, and it has words mixed in from Italian and English too. It sounds like nothing else you've ever heard!

What is school like for kids in Malta?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Kids in Malta go to school six days a week — yes, including Saturday mornings in some cases. School is taught in both Maltese and English, because most Maltese people speak both languages fluently. That means kids there get a real workout for their brains every single day! Rusty wants you to know that Malta has both government schools and many church-run schools, since Malta is a very Roman Catholic country. Religion class is actually part of the regular school day for most students. This is interesting for missions, because while many Maltese children learn about God, evangelical missionaries work to make sure kids hear the full gospel message — that knowing about Jesus and truly trusting Him as your Savior are two different things. That is a message worth praying travels far across that small island nation.

Who are the unreached people in Malta?

Great question! Malta is a small island in the Mediterranean Sea, and most people there call themselves Catholic — but having a church background doesn't always mean someone has personally trusted Jesus as their Savior. The most unreached groups in Malta are Muslim immigrants and refugees, many of whom have come from North Africa and the Middle East. Many of them have never had a real chance to hear the good news about Jesus. There are also Arab and sub-Saharan African communities in Malta where few people have heard the gospel in a way they could truly understand. Malta can feel like a very Catholic place, which sometimes makes it harder for missionaries and local believers to start honest conversations about who Jesus really is. Pray that Maltese Christians would be bold in sharing their faith, and that these immigrant communities would hear about Jesus and trust Him as Savior.

How can I pray for the people of Malta?

Malta is a small island nation in the Mediterranean Sea, and most people there would say they are Christian — but many have never made a personal decision to trust Jesus as their Savior. You can pray that the gospel would move from being a tradition people grew up with into something real and alive in their hearts. You can also pray for the small but faithful group of evangelical churches in Malta, that they would grow strong and bold in sharing the good news with their neighbors. Pray for local Maltese leaders who love Jesus to rise up and teach others, and for any families and children who have not yet heard clearly who Jesus truly is to have that chance very soon.

What is a holiday or celebration in Malta?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! One of the biggest celebrations in Malta is the 'festa' — a village feast day honoring the patron saint of that village's church. Streets fill with fireworks, brass bands, and bright decorations, and nearly every village has its own festa at some point during the year. Rusty loves this detail: Malta has over 360 churches for a tiny island, so there is almost always a festa happening somewhere! These celebrations show how deeply the Christian faith is woven into Maltese history and culture. It's a good reminder to pray that Maltese people would move beyond tradition and come to personally know Jesus as their living Savior — not just celebrate Him from a distance.

What language do people speak in Malta?

Malta is a small island nation in the Mediterranean Sea, and its people speak two official languages: Maltese and English. Maltese is one of the most unusual languages in Europe — it grew out of Arabic spoken centuries ago, but it also mixed in words from Italian, French, and English over time. Because Malta was ruled by the British for many years, English is spoken widely and taught in schools, so most Maltese people can switch between both languages easily. The Maltese language is the only Arabic-rooted language written in the Latin alphabet, which makes it truly one of a kind in the whole world!

What's a famous place to visit in Malta?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! One of the most famous places in Malta is the ancient city of Valletta, the capital. It is one of the smallest capital cities in the world, but it is packed with old stone buildings, grand churches, and a harbor that has seen thousands of years of history. Rusty especially loves the story of St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta — it was built by the Knights of Malta in the 1570s and is decorated floor to ceiling with intricate carvings and paintings. Malta also has some of the oldest stone temples in the entire world, even older than the pyramids of Egypt. People have lived on these rocky islands for a very, very long time, and the Maltese people have a deep history of Christian faith going all the way back to when the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked there, as recorded in the book of Acts!

Malta — Kids Missions Explorer

Maltese Freshwater Crab

This small reddish-brown crab lives only in Malta's rocky streams and is found nowhere else on Earth, making it one of the rarest crabs in the world.

Blue Rock Thrush

Malta's national bird, the male blue rock thrush wears deep blue feathers and perches on cliffsides overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Maltese Wall Lizard

This quick little lizard darts across Malta's ancient stone walls and has slightly different colors depending on which small island it lives on.

Pastizzi

These flaky, diamond-shaped pastries are stuffed with either ricotta cheese or mushy peas and are eaten as a cheap, beloved snack at any hour of the day.

Ħobż biż-Żejt

A thick slice of crusty Maltese bread rubbed with ripe tomato, drizzled with olive oil, and topped with tuna or olives — simple, filling, and deeply traditional.

Stuffat tal-Fenek

Rabbit stew is considered Malta's national dish, slow-cooked with wine, garlic, and herbs until the meat is very tender and the whole kitchen smells rich and savory.

Malta

Things you should know about Malta

Wildlife you might meet

What’s on the table

Did you know?

Life in Malta

Missions in Malta

Pray for Malta