Geology of Malta The largest of the second set are the Victoria Lines Fault on northern Malta and the Qala Fault on southern Gozo. Overall, the islands of the archipelago are tilted towards the northeast, with cliffs on the southwest coast and descending gradients towards the northeast. The Maltese archipalego is linked to Sicily by an underwater plateau of depths of less than 100 m. During different marine regressions of the Mediterranean, Malta has been connected to Sicily by a surface isthmus by which animals have been able to cross, as evinced by the presence of island dwarfism (Maltese dwarf hippopotamus and dwarf
Name of Brazil the 1351 Medici Atlas denotes two islands of "brasil", one placed traditionally off Ireland, and the other in the Azores archipelago, in the location of Terceira Island. The "brasil" in this case could be a reference either to the island's volcanic complex, or to dragon's blood, a valuable red resin dye found on that island. "Brasil" is also used to designate Aruba in the Cantino planisphere. Name of Brazil The name "Brazil" is a shortened form of "Terra do Brasil", "land of Brazil", a reference to brazilwood, given in the early 16th century to the territories leased to the merchant