Malta is an incredible place! For a country that is only 122 square miles, with a population of about 440,000. it packs a lot of history, culture, & joie de vivre in one tiny place! A possible origin for the word "Malta" is a Greek word (melite) for honey. A special breed of bees lived on Malta, so it became known as the "land of honey". Another possibility is that it could mean "haven".