Malta

Less than 50 miles from Italy, across the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean Sea, sits the island country of Malta. Malta gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1964 and became an independent sovereign state and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The country is also a part of the European Union and Schengen Area.

Officially known as the Republic of Malta, this country is known for its rich culture, temperate year-round climate, and extensive history dating back thousands of years. An extremely popular holiday destination, the country receives more than 1.6 million tourists every year – that’s triple its population of 420,000!

Malta has been inhabited since about 5900 BC, and it has many European influences, such as Roman, Arab, French, British, Greek, and Norman, among others. Though its capital, Valletta, is the smallest national capital in the European Union by area, it has 320 monuments and is sometimes called an “open-air museum”. It is officially recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and boasts many spots of tourism including megalithic temples, Baroque palaces, gardens, and more.

Foreign investment is popular in Malta due to its wide range of benefits. Some of these are a multilingual workforce, an attractive tax system, a stable economy, and access to the European Single Market. It also helps investors that the country utilizes the Euro as its currency. The two largest commercial banks are Bank of Valletta and HSBC Bank Malta, both of which can trace their origins back to the 19th century. Recently, digital banks have also increased in popularity.

What truly distinguishes this beautiful country from its European counterparts is that English is one of the country’s official languages, which allows greater levels of accessibility for foreign investors when conducting business.