When it comes to the country of Malta, perhaps 90% of people do not know where it is. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean, it is the only country in the world that is a member of the Schengen Area, the Eurozone, the European Union, and the Commonwealth of Nations.
An irreplaceable and excellent geographical location
Malta is located in Southern Europe, adjacent to Italy. It is 90 kilometers south of Sicily, Italy, 284 kilometers east of Tunisia, and 333 kilometers north of Libya. It occupies a strategic position at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, serving as an important maritime transport hub and transit station. In terms of military strategy, Malta has been a highly contested location as a naval base, earning it the reputation as the "Heart of the Mediterranean."
A developed economy and a financial center in Southern Europe
Malta has a highly industrialized service-based economy. It is classified as an advanced economy by the International Monetary Fund and rated as a high-income country by the World Bank. In 2015, Malta's GDP per capita reached 22,596 USD. Tourism, financial services, film and television production, and shipping are the pillars of Malta's economy. In particular, tourism and financial services: in terms of tourism, Malta receives approximately 1.2 million visitors annually, which is more than three times its total population; in terms of financial services, Malta has now developed into a global banking center. In the 2013-2014 World Economic Forum's Soundness of Banks ranking, Malta ranked 14th out of 148 countries; its hedge funds ranked 1st in Europe. In the March 2017 Wealth Briefing Swiss Awards, Malta once again won the "Editor's Award" for Best Financial Center, further proving its status as the "Financial Center of Southern Europe."
A transit hub for European and African trade
By establishing free trade zones, Malta has become a free port in the Mediterranean. Malta possesses one of the best natural harbors in the world, ranks 1st in Europe for registered vessels, receives an average of 1,700 ships annually, and is one of the most important transshipment ports in the Mediterranean region.
Malta's ports have cargo connections with over 100 ports worldwide, with regular cargo shipping routes to European countries such as Italy and France, as well as coastal countries in North Africa.
Malta possesses a world-class banking system. Locally, Malta not only has commercial banks such as HSBC and Bank of Valletta, but also institutions from 16 countries and regions, including Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland, Italy, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Belgium, have established operations in Malta. Many of the top 100 companies ranked by Fortune magazine have already established financial operations in Malta. All of these factors have injected vitality and prosperity into Malta's financial services industry.