Geography  地理状况

    Malta consists of a group of small, barren rocks, jutting out of the dark blue Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily. The five main islands—Malta, Gozo, Comino, Cominotto, and Filfla—have a combined area of only 316 square kilometers – that’s less than one twentieth of the area of Shanghai! Malta is the largest island of the archipelago. It houses the capital, Valletta, which occupies a small peninsula surrounded on all sides by a busy natural harbor.

    马耳他是深蓝色的地中海上从西西里岛南面延伸出来的一群贫瘠的岩石地组成的。其五个主岛——马耳他、Gozo、Comino、Cominoto、Filfla——的面积总计只有316平方公里——还不到上海的二十分之一！马耳他是世界上最大的群岛。其首都瓦莱塔拥有一个小半岛，周围是繁忙的天然海港。

    The northernmost island Gozo with its population of only 25,000 people is much sleepier than bustling Malta. The countryside is greener and more spectacular, with flat-topped hills and steep valleys. The coast reveals rugged cliffs and beautiful bays.

    最北边的岛是Gozo，仅有25000人口，和喧嚣的马耳他相比，显得非常安静。这里的乡村满目绿茵，风景如画，既有平缓的山坡，也有陡峭的山谷。海岸线上有危险的悬崖和美丽的海湾。

    Comino is the third smallest island. Only a handful of farmers live there and neither cars, nor other noisy activities disturb the tranquility of this little paradise. The bays and rocks in Comino and the crystal-clear waters are ideal for water sports, especially snorkeling and scuba diving. A regular ferry and helicopter service connects the three principal islands. The remaining islands are too small and rocky for people to live on but are home to lots of birds

    Comino是第三小的岛屿。那里只住着少数农民，既没有汽车也没有任何其他吵吵嚷嚷的活动来打扰这个小小天堂的安宁。Comino的海湾和岩石以及水晶般清澈的海水是水上运动，尤其是用水下呼吸管或佩带水肺潜水的绝佳地方。定期渡船和直升飞机服务是该岛和其他三个主要岛屿联系的主要方式。其余一些岛屿太小了，岩石成堆，不适合人们的居住，但是却成了很多鸟儿的家。