Malta

Malta's megalithic temples, such as Ġgantija on Gozo, stand as the second oldest man-made religious structures globally, dating back to around 3500 BC. These Neolithic settlements, alongside Bronze Age cemeteries like those of the Tarxien culture, reveal cultural continuities with Sicily and hint at broader Mediterranean connections. Archaeological evidence also points to Phoenician colonization beginning in the 7th century BC, suggesting Malta's strategic significance in ancient maritime trade networks.

(Ed.). (2024). Malta. The Statesman’s Yearbook 2025, 747–751. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-96112-2_118