

Over the years, the ruling power in Valletta kept changing several times. On March 18, 1571, Valletta became the capital of the island. The building of the city was nearly complete by the 1570’s. Thus, a new fortified city was built under the supervision of Jean de Valette, the grandmaster of the Order of Malta, after whom the city is named. Although the fort was annexed by the Ottomans in 1565, the Order managed to get it back and it was then that the decision to build a larger settlement was taken. The earliest building here was a watchtower which was demolished in 1552 to be replaced by Fort Saint Elmo. In 1524, the Order of Saint John was the first to propose the establishment of a city in the Sciberras Peninsula where the modern city of Valletta stands today. Valletta experiences a Mediterranean climate. As of 2014, the city proper hosts a population of 6,444 while the metropolitan area has a population of 393,938. Valletta is regarded as Europe’s southernmost capital city. Valletta has two natural habors with the Grand Harbour on the eastern coast of the city and the Marsamxett Harbour on the city’s western coast.

The city is located in the country’s South Eastern Region on the main island of the country. Valletta serves as the capital city of the country. What Is The Capital Of Malta And Where Is It Located? Due to its strategic location, Malta has a long history of the succession of powers ruling over the island. Italy is the nearest country to Malta and lies at a distance of 80 km north of the country across the Mediterranean Sea. The country is one of the smallest countries in the world, covering an area of about 316 square km. Malta is a small island nation strategically located near the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.
