Geology of Malta elephant fossils), as well as island gigantism (fossils of Leithia melitensis). Geology of Malta The Geology of Malta consists of a sequence of sedimentary rocks of late Oligocene to late Miocene age cut through by a set of extensional faults of Pliocene age. The Maltese archipelago is situated on the mainly shallow water continental platform between Sicily and North Africa that lies beneath the Sicily Channel, separating the Ionian Basin from the western Mediterranean Basin. The islands lie around 200 km to the south of the subduction boundary between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate. The platform is crossed
Climate of Malta Climate of Malta Malta has a Mediterranean climate according to the Köppen climate classification ("Csa"), with very mild winters and warm to hot summers. Rain occurs mainly in winter, with summer being generally dry. According to the Troll-Paffen climate classification and the Siegmund/Frankenberg climate classification, Malta lies within the subtropical zone, being at 35ºN latitude. The average yearly temperature is around during the day and at night (one of the warmest temperature averages in Europe). In the coldest month – January – the typical maximum temperature ranges from during the day and the minimum from at night. In the warmest