How Big Is Malta? (+ Size Comparison Maps)

Ever wondered how big is Malta compared to other islands and cities?

Malta, a paradise island in the center of the Mediterranean Sea, is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe, and this is in part due to being the only island country in the world where everything from towns, beaches, museums, treks, historical sites, and adventures, are within 1-2 hours reach of each other.

Incredibly, the island is so tiny that it’s not even visible to the eye on a world map!

A common question people often ask: just how big is Malta?

This post breaks down some useful facts and information on how far all the major spots and attractions are from each other across the Maltese islands. It also gives you a perspective of the size of Malta compared to other islands, cities, and regions around the world.

Scroll on to read all the details in this post: How Big Is Malta? (+ Size Comparison Maps)

Malta: Background Information

The archipelago of Malta is situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, directly south of Sicily, north of Libya, and east of Tunisia.

The capital city is Valletta, while the largest locality is Birkirkara. The island is made up of many small towns, which together form one larger urban zone with a population of 409,259. The landscape is characterised by low hills with terraced fields.

With a population of around 475,000 over an area of 316 square kilometers (122 square miles), Malta is the world’s tenth smallest and the fifth most densely-populated sovereign country.

Capital: Valletta

Malta’s capital city, Valletta, is a UNESCO World Heritage City and is the smallest national capital in the EU – at 0.8 square kilometers (0.31 square miles) in size. Once the base of the legendary Knights of St John, it was also the first planned capital in Europe. 

Malta Island

Malta is the largest of the three major islands that form the Maltese archipelago.

How many miles long is Malta?

The main island is 27 kilometers (17 miles) long, and 14.5 kilometers (9 miles) wide, with a total area of 246 square kilometers (95 square miles).

Gozo Island

Malta’s sister island Gozo is 67 square kilometers in size. Though smaller than Malta island, it’s still much bigger than Comino, so a car is required to get around.

Comino Island

Malta’s third and smallest of its three main islands, Comino, is 2.7 square kilometres. Considerably smaller than Gozo, let alone Malta, this makes the island easy to explore on foot in a day.

How Does Malta Look on a Map?

The following are satellite images from Google, showing Malta on a map of Europe. I’ve placed a red circle around Malta to show how tiny Malta is amongst its fellow European countries.

Here’s a map of the European mainland. You can see that Malta is barely visible within the red circle.

Now here’s’ a close up, of the Mediterranean Sea. Even amongst the other islands, we can just about see the Balearic islands (Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera), Sardinia, Sicily, Crete and more, and yet Malta is still so tiny!

Zooming in further, we can finally see a clearer image of Malta (and barely make out its second island Gozo, but not Comino island). From this image, we can see the enormity of Sicily compared to Malta.

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Malta: Highlights (Interactive Map)

Check out the map below, of all the top landmarks, sites, and attractions across Malta, Gozo and Comino islands.

Malta: Distances and Durations:

Here’s a guide to how far each of the major locations are from each other in Malta, and how long it would take to reach them. 

(Note: the estimations below are based on a typical journey by car).

If you’re based in Valletta:

• Malta International Airport (MIA) to Valletta Malta: 13 mins (9.7km)
• Valletta to St. Julian’s / Sliema: 14 mins (7.9km)
• Valletta to Bugibba: 26 mins (16km)
• Valletta to Mdina: 20 mins (13.2km)
• Valletta to Gozo: 1 hour 28 mins (includes 33 min ferry ride from Cirkewwa) (40.3km)

Tip: there’s a ferry route between Valletta and Sliema that costs less than €2 a person, each way.

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If you’re based in St. Julian’s / Sliema:

• St. Julian’s to Mellieha: 27 mins (18.5km)
• St. Julian’s to Mdina: 18 mins (13km)
• St. Julian’s to Blue Grotto: 25 mins (17.2km)
• St. Julian’s to Marsaxlokk: 23 mins (14.4km)
• St. Julian’s to Gozo: 1 hour 19 mins (includes 33 min ferry ride from Cirkewwa) (35km)
• St. Julian’s to Malta International Airport (MIA): 15 mins (10.5km)

If you’re based in Bugibba / St. Paul’s Bay:

• Bugibba to Mdina: 12 mins (8km)
• Bugibba to Marsaxlokk: 33 mins (21.4km)
• Bugibba to Blue Grotto: 26 mins (18km)
• Bugibba to Gozo: 1 hour 5 mins (includes 33 min ferry ride from Cirkewwa) (25.6km)
• Bugibba to Malta International Airport (MIA): 25 mins (18km)

How Big is Malta Compared to Other Places?

Using satellite images from Google and data from other sources like mapfight.appspot.com, I created some comparison images that accurately display the size of Malta alongside other popular islands and cities around the world, to give you an idea of just how big (or how small) Malta and those other places are.

Ibiza (Spain):

Ibiza island is 1.8 times bigger than Malta.

Malta is approximately 316 sq km, while Ibiza island is approximately 570 sq km. Meanwhile, the population of Ibiza is ~147,914 people (268,424 more people live in Malta).

Cyprus:

Cyprus is 29 times bigger than Malta.

Malta is approximately 316 sq km, while Cyprus is approximately 9,251 sq km. Meanwhile, the population of Malta is ~416,338 people (805,211 more people live in Cyprus).

Gran Canaria (Spain):

Gran Canaria is approximately 5 times bigger than Malta.

Malta is approximately 316 sq km, while Gran Canaria, the third largest of the Canary Islands, is approximately 1,560 sq km. Meanwhile, the population of Gran Canaria is ~851,231 people (nearly twice the size as Malta).

Crete (Greece):

Crete (Greece) is 26 times bigger than Malta.

Malta is approximately 316 square kilometers, while Crete is approximately 8,303 square kilometers. Meanwhile, the population of Crete is ~634,930 people (218,592 fewer people live in Malta).

Bali (Indonesia):

Bali is 18 times bigger than Malta.

Malta is approximately 316 sq km, while Bali island is approximately 5,780 sq km. Meanwhile, the population of Bali is ~4.3 million people (3.9 million fewer people live in Malta).

Singapore:

Singapore is 2.3 times bigger than Malta.

Malta is approximately 316 sq km, while Singapore is approximately 719 sq km. Meanwhile, the population of Singapore is ~5,850,342 people (5.5 million more people live in Singapore).

Interestingly, Singapore is twice the size of Malta, but has nearly 12 times more people.

Hong Kong (China):

Hong Kong is 3.5 times bigger than Malta.

Malta is approximately 316 sq km, while Hong Kong is approximately 1,108 sq km. Meanwhile, the population of Hong Kong is ~7,496,981 people (6.8 million more people live in Hong Kong).

New York City (USA):

New York City (USA) is 2.5 times bigger than Malta.

Malta is approximately 316 square km, while NYC (including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten Island) is approximately 781 sq km. Meanwhile, the population of New York City is ~8.7 million people (8.3 million fewer people live in Malta).

San Francisco Bay Area, USA:

San Francisco is 2.6 times smaller than Malta.

Malta is approximately 316 square km, while the city of San Francisco is approximately 121 square km. Meanwhile, the population of San Francisco is ~881,549 people (465,211 fewer people live in Malta).

What is Malta the same size as?

If you ever wondered how big is Malta compared to Isle of Wight, well it is roughly the same size as the Isle of Wight off the coast of England. Although the latter is slightly larger, it is less densely populated.

The Isle of Wight (UK) is 1.2 times the size of Malta.

Here are some other islands that are roughly the same size as Malta:

• Hvar, Croatia (300 sq km)
• Karpathos, Greece (301 sq km)
• Als, Denmark (321 sq km)
• Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago (300 sq km)
• Grenada (310 sq km)
• Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda (279 sq km)

Other Interesting Size Comparisons

Malta is one-tenth the size of Rhode Island (USA), and one-fifth the size of Greater London (UK).

How big is Malta in miles?

Malta, the largest island of the archipelago, has a total area of 245.7 square kilometers (95 square miles). The total shoreline for Malta is approximately 196.8 kilometers (122 miles).

So.. Malta is indeed a very small country!

The definition of small is subjective – countries like Denmark, Serbia, and Cambodia, are considered small, and even islands like Iceland and Sri Lanka. And yet, all of these countries dwarf Malta in size. 

From my own experience of visiting Malta, I was able to see most of the major attractions across the country in 7 days, without even rushing. It really is easy to enjoy a week-long, laidback vacation without missing out. 

Tip: Be sure to spend at least one day (more is better) exploring Gozo island.

Malta FAQs:

Here are the most commonly asked questions about Malta:

Thank you for reading my post: How Big Is Malta? (+ Size Comparison Maps). Now you know just how small Malta really is! I hope you enjoyed this post and that it inspires you to visit Malta someday.

Traveling to Malta soon?

• Be sure to visit the Popeye Village – Malta’s most popular tourist attraction
• Don’t miss The Blue Lagoon on Comino Island (and Crystal Lagoon) for the most breathtaking scenery
• Planning a week holiday in Malta? head over to Malta: The Ultimate 7 Day Itinerary