Malta (island) built first fortifications in Malta. Malta was later ruled by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs before it was occupied by the County of Sicily in 1091. The island then became part of the Kingdom of Sicily until it was given to the Order of Saint John along with Gozo and Tripoli in 1530. In 1565, the Order and the Maltese withstood a major Ottoman invasion which became known as the Great Siege of Malta. The Order ruled Malta for over 250 years and built many great pieces of architecture, including the capital city Valletta. In 1798 the French
Districts of Malta Districts of Malta Malta is subdivided in districts of localities in order to administer the country in regions rather than locality. The districts have no administrative significance as the local councils provide the first-tier divisions of the country. There are 6 districts, used for statistical purposes and which are, in turn, grouped into 3 regions: Gozo, Malta Majjistral and Malta Xlokk. Each district consists of a number of localities. The Northern Harbour District, Western District and Northern District together form the North Western Region ("Malta Majjistral"). The South Eastern District and Southern Harbour District together form the South Eastern Region