The Maltese islands lie in the centre of the blue Mediterranean Sea, 93km south of Sicily and 300km from North Africa. The archipelago is made up of three islands - Malta, Gozo and Comino. Malta is easily reached by air (from any major European city) and sea. The climate is typically Mediterranean, long warm summers and mild winters. Malta has a long historical trading back ground stretching from 5600 B.C, to the Phoenicians, the Romans, the Normans, the Arabs, the Knights of St. John, the French, the British till gaining Independence in 1964. Being a nation of traders has left a distinct mark on Maltese life style, making it very cosmopolitan and open to different cultures.