Missing Piece · Map quiz · Series
Missing Piece #16: name the country in 3 clues
Three clues, four options, one piece of the world: its language is the only Semitic one official in the European Union, its capital is the smallest capital city in the EU, and knights built that capital after a great siege in 1565. Watch the film and lock in your answer before the piece drops. The answer is below. Spoilers from here on.
The places in this film
- 1
The answer: Malta
Malta is a small island country in the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, made up of three inhabited islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino. Maltese, one of its two official languages with English, developed from Arabic and is written in the Latin alphabet, which makes it the only Semitic language with official status in the European Union.
- 2
Valletta
Valletta is the capital and the smallest capital city in the EU by area. The Knights of St John founded it in 1566, the year after they held off the Ottoman Great Siege of 1565, and named it after their Grand Master, Jean de Valette. The whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 3
Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is a sheltered channel of clear, shallow water between Comino and the islet of Cominotto. Boats run from Malta and Gozo. It gets very busy in summer, so arrive early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Plan it
- Best time
- April to June and September to October are warm and less crowded. July and August are hot and busy.
- How long
- Four to five days for Valletta, Mdina, Gozo and a boat trip to Comino.
- Getting around
- Buses cover the main island. Ferries link Malta and Gozo, and boats run to Comino.
Good to know
- Visit the Blue Lagoon early or late in the day to avoid the midday crowds.
- Valletta is hilly and stepped: wear comfortable shoes.
- Give Gozo at least one full day.
Frequently asked
What is Missing Piece? +
Missing Piece is a short 3D map quiz by Drift Vistas. A country is lifted out of the globe, you get three clues and four options, and the piece drops back into place to reveal the answer. Then the film cuts to real footage of the country.
What language do they speak in Malta? +
Maltese and English are both official languages. Maltese developed from Arabic, with many words from Italian and English, and it is the only Semitic language that is official in the European Union.
Is Valletta the smallest capital in Europe? +
It is the smallest capital city in the European Union by area. The Knights of St John founded it in 1566, after the Great Siege of 1565.
