User manual

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One of the constant factors in human occupation of Malta is the scarcity
of fresh water. Malta lacks a river and, until recently, it obtained its
drinking water from storing winter rainfalls in cisterns. Rooftop cisterns
are still common on the islands today, although Malta now has a modern
de-salinization plant.
Some history
The oldest megaliths in the world are located on the islands of Malta and
Gozo.
The first settlers arrived on Malta and Gozo around 5000 B.C.E. from Sicily.
Throughout the years the islands have been vastly influenced by the
cultures of the Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans,
Swabians, Spanish, the Knights of St. John, the French and the British,
who all left their mark on the general characteristics of the population.
The Knights of the Order of St. John governed Malta between (1530-
1798). The work of the Knights had made Valletta‘s Grand Harbour one
of the most extensively fortified ports in Europe. The island‘s central
location in the Mediterranean made it an essential naval base for both sail
and steam ships.
Malta was British between 1814-1964. During World War II, Malta was
the target of German and Italian bomb raids. The island endured the
heaviest conventional bombardment of the entire war. To honor the valor
of the Maltese people, King George VI awarded the George Cross to the
„Island Fortress of Malta“ in 1942. The cross today appears on the
Maltese flag.
In these times Malta is a parliamentary democracy. Malta voted to join
the European Union in 2003.
The currency is Maltese Lira (ML).