Malta is an island country located in the central Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Libya. It consists of an archipelago of three inhabited islands: Malta (the largest), Gozo, and Comino, as well as some uninhabited islets. Malta has a total area of 316 km² and a population of approximately 467,138 people as of 2023. The country has a rich history and culture, with influences from various civilizations that have contested and ruled the islands throughout history, including the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Aragonese, Knights of St. John, French, and British. Malta gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964 and became a republic in 1974. It is a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations, the United Nations, and the European Union.