Malta's long history of foreign rule and its proximity to both Europe and North Africa have influenced its art, music, cuisine, and architecture. Malta has close historical and cultural ties to Italy and especially Sicily.

In Malta, the official languages are Maltese and English Maltese, a Semitic language influenced by Italian and Arabic, is the national language, spoken in daily conversations, local media, and cultural events. English, introduced during British rule, remains widely used in government, business, education, and tourism. This bilingual environment makes Malta one of the easiest European destinations for international travelers to navigate.

Over the centuries, Malta’s language evolved through contact with neighboring cultures. During the medieval period, the island experienced significant influence from Italian and Sicilian powers. This introduced a large number of loanwords, especially in areas such as religion, administration, and literature. These influences shaped Maltese into a hybrid language, combining its Semitic base with Romance vocabulary, creating a unique linguistic identity.

For many centuries and until 1934, Italian was the official language of Malta. Indeed, it was considered the language of culture in Malta since the Italian Renaissance In the 19th century.