1939: Malta

Malta, a British Crown Colony in the Mediterranean, a supremely important port of call and naval base, is situated with its dependency, the island of Gozo, 58 miles south of Sicily in a strategic position between Italy and the northern coast of Africa. Over 17 mi. long, the colony has a total area of 122 sq. mi. which includes Malta, 95 sq. mi., Gozo, 26 sq. mi., and the island of Comino, 1 sq. mi. The total civil population in 1938 was estimated at 264,663 inhabitants, almost entirely native Maltese of Norman, Spanish, and Italian descent. The capital is Valetta, on Malta.

The principal products are barley, beans, wheat, figs, cotton, honey, grapes and green vegetables. Livestock and fishing are important occupations. Lace, beer, filigree, cigarettes, and wine are exported. The colony is administered by a Governor, under a new constitution which went into effect Feb. 26, 1939. The new constitution provides for an administrative council composed of twenty members.

During 1939, Malta was of special importance from a strategic viewpoint, owing to the repeated crises occurring in the Mediterranean region and to the outbreak of the European War. When Italy seized Albania on April 9, the British Government rushed reenforcements to the Malta naval base, fearing further aggressions by Italy in the Balkans and an attempt on Greece. At the outbreak of the European War in September, Malta was used as a base from which to patrol the Mediterranean and to supplement the Gibraltar patrol which searched ships passing through the Straits for contraband.