REPUBLIC OF MALTA

Country: ,  Republic of Malta, is a Southern European country consisting of a group of islands  situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, 93 km (58 mi) south of Sicily and 288 km (179 mi)

Continent
Continent 8’s Malta data centre allows for a operational base within the EU.  Malta is an archipelago in the central Mediterranean stretching over 121 square miles and is conveniently situated just 93km south of the Italian island of Sicily. 

Population of  368,250

Language Almost 100% of Maltese people can speak Maltese, 88% of the Maltese people can speak English, 66% can speak Italian , and nowadays more than 17% of the Maltese speak French . [ 3 ] This shows a recent increase in the fluency of languages, since in 1995, only 98% of the population spoke Maltese, 76% English, 36% Italian, and 10% French

History Malta has been inhabited since it was settled around 5200 BC from Sicily.  It was settled by the Phoenicians (who called the island Maleth meaning "safe haven") and later the Greeks who named the island Μελίτη (Melite) meaning "honey sweet" in reference to Malta's endemic variety of bee.

MALDIVES

Maldives

Country: Republic of Maldives

Capital: Malé

Population: 104,403 inhabitant

Independence: July 26, 1965 in England

Official Languages: Maldivian

Currency: Rufiyaa

Population source: Arab, African, and Indonesian.

Continent: Asia

Flora and Fauna: The flora and fauna of the islands of the Maldives is truly exceptional.It is a land rich and varied vegetation composed mainly of coconut palms, tropical shrubs, palm trees and colorful flowers and fragrances fascinating. On the seabed, undoubtedly his mostattractive, will find many types of algae, tropical gardens, 200 species of hard coral, 600 species of fish ranging from angelfish, Emperor, clownfish, parrotfish up tuna, barracuda, rainbow fish andoccasionally some sharks, manta rays, dolphins and squirrels TuesCrustaceans abound and one of the most respected animal on the islands has made the name is a protected species is the sea turtle

History

Main article: History of Maldives
Comparative studies of oral traditions and customs, language and culture confirm that the first inhabitants of the archipelago weredravídicos4 villages of Kerala, mainly fishermen from the southwest coast of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka.
Among the first communities with these characteristics is thedescendant of ancient Giraavaru people Tamils. He is mentioned in ancient legends and effect in the folklore of the founding of the city and kingdom Malé, there is also a strong Tamil population and culture of the Maldives. Also, Gujaratis are probably among the first settlers of the islands, from Gujarat in the early Indus Valley culture.The Jataka tales and puranas traces reveal important maritime trade held by these groups. You may also have been submittedAsiático.5 migration from South
Between VI and V century a. C. reached the islands the Sinhalese, descendants of the prince in exile in Kalinga, Vijaya Sri Lanka,from the kingdoms of Orissa and Sinhapura in northwest India.According to the Mahavansa historical poem, one of the ships on which sailed the monarch came to the archipelago, and othersources speak of their residents travel to the islands. Theirestablishments in Sri Lanka and the Maldives some marks an important shift in demographics and Dhivehi language development.

Tsunami
On December 26, 2004, the islands were devastated by a tsunami, which followed the Indian Ocean earthquake waves produced2004.6 1.2 to 1.5 meters high flooding the country almostcompletely. At least eighty-two people died, including six foreigners, and the infrastructure was completely destroyed in 13 inhabited islands and twenty-nine of the tourist islands.

Agriculture
Agriculture is limited due to the scarcity of arable land. Despite thisthere are small plantations of coconut palms, papaya and breadfruit.The coconut is the main agricultural resource, developed its fiber and fabrics being used for local food. Traditionally the coconut was so important that the value of an island is determined by the number of coconut palms that he possessed. This number was strictlycontrolled by the head of the island (Katibu) each year. In the larger islands are small plantations of fruits and vegetables, which are limited by the scarcity of water and soil salinity. There have also been some experiments with hydroponics, with little success.

Culture

The culture of the Maldives recognizes different sources and the development of the Maldives has been influenced by several factors. Highlights have been its proximity to Sri Lanka andsouthern India, East Africa, the Malay Archipelago and the Middle East following his conversion to Islam in the twelfth century, as well as its location in the Indian Ocean in the crossroads of variousshipping routes. There are also elements of Arab, African, and Indonesian. Maldivian culture shares many characteristics with Sri Lanka and Kerala, in particular a strong matriarchal tradition.
Minaret of the mosque in Male.
The music of the Maldives, such as the Bodu Beru, (literally "big drum") recognizes African roots, while other cultural features havesimilarities with Arab elements and regions of northern India.

BOTSWANA

Botswana

A well-chosen destination and situated on the African continent is this country that has developed thanks to its rich diamond fields.



Official Name: Republic of Botswana

Languages: Official: English and Tswana

Capital: Gaborone

Currency: Pula (BWP)

Extension: 581,730 sq km

Population: 1,501,000 inhabitants

History: The history of Botswana has not been easy. Its location in the heart of Africa made as a transit stay. English and Dutch settlers tried to unite the continent from South Africa to Egypt, while on the other hand tried to unite the Portuguese colonies of Angola and Mozambique.
Tswana tribes settled in Botswana in the seventeenth century.During that century had conflicts with the various invaders who penetrated into their land.
Conflicts with settlers of Dutch origin, the Boers, they kept the people of Botswana and asked for protection of the British Empire and the region eventually became a British protectorate.
However, the economic control of the Boer did not cease.
The inhabitants of the country fought for independence from British rule both economic and the Boers. Seretse Khama, heir bamangwalo ethnicity, one of the largest in the country, despite the obstacles to the succession by marrying a European office, succeeded at last in 1966 independence for Botswana, being elected as president of the state .

Economy: Economically Botswana is a country with agricultural and livestock feed production gets 80 percent of its population.However, the unstable weather that destroys crops with heavy rains and lack of fertile soil sometimes becomes very difficult to survive.
One of the most important sectors of its economy is the mineral industry, essentially the diamonds. Throughout Africa has only one rival, the powerful South Africa.

Weather:
Botswana's climate is not uniform. Thus, in the north find a tropical climate in central and southeast part is desert, and the rest of the country, temperatures are mild. There are two seasons in which rainfall occurs from October to May and December to January.

Geography: Botswana bordered to the west and northwest by Namibia, in northern Zambia and in the south and southeast with neighboring South Africa.
A plateau separates the country into two parts. The highlight of the terrain is the Kalahari Desert. Its main rivers are the Okavango and Chobe.

Society: The society of Botswana is mainly composed of ethnic groups, we can even find the people who maintain tribal prehistoric life forms, although of course there are other populations that are more pro-European dyes and even a minority who are.

Religion: Religion in Botswana is divided equally on two beliefs, indigenous and Christian who communicates with the other 50 percent.

MALAYSIA

Malaysia

Capital: Kuala Lumpur

Largest city: Kuala Lumpur

Official languages: English, Malay

Independence: From the UK, August 31, 1957

Total Population: 24,385,858 inhabitants

History:Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country whose history has been strongly influenced by its strategic geographical position that made him a focal point for trade and international influences. On the west Hindu India, the Islamic Middle East and Christian Europe, while China and Japan in the northeast were importantinfluences came from the hand of trade routes crossing the region. Malaysianhistory is also intertwined with that of its neighbors, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Brunei and Thailand. These influences result of trade and exogenouscultures provided a wealth and diversity of Malaysia, but also were vectors of domination and colonialism.
Malaysia's history is marked by successive waves of foreign influence, followed by independence from colonial rule that obtains in the mid-twentieth century.Hindu and Buddhist cultures imported from India dominated the early history ofMalaysia. This culture reached its peak in the Sumatran Srivijaya civilizationwhose influence spread throughout Sumatra, Java and the Malay Peninsula and much of Borneo from seventh to fourteenth centuries.
While the Muslims went through Malaysia, and in the tenth century, it was not untilthe fourteenth and fifteenth centuries that Islam is based on the Malay Peninsula.The adoption of Islam by the fifteenth century is reflected in the increased number of sultanates, the most important of which was the Sultanate of Malacca. Islamic culture not only had a profound influence on the Malay people, but also was influenced by him.

The arrival of Europeans:The Portuguese were the first colonial power was established in Malaysia in 1511,then were followed by the Dutch. However, it was the British, who began by establishing bases in Jesselton, Kuching, Penang and Singapore, eventually established hegemony of the present territory of Malaysia. The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 defined the boundary between British Malaya and the Dutch East Indies(later Indonesia).
A fourth phase of foreign influence was immigration of Chinese and Indian workers to feed the needs of the colonial economy established by the British in the Malayan Peninsula and Borneo.

Japanese invasion during World War II:The Japanese invasion in Malaysia surprised the British troops.  During the 1930s, the growing threat of Japanese naval power, the British had built a large naval base in Singapore, but there was no planned invasion of Malaysia from the north. Due also to the needs of the war in Europe, there was virtually no British air protection in the Far East.

Japan established in 1941, an agreement with the Vichy French government that allowed the establishment of military bases in French Indochina and also reached an agreement with Thai Prime Minister Plaek Pibulsonggram for the army could pass through Thailand. On December 8, 1941, a day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese launched their offensive to Malaysia from its bases in French Indochina with impunity despite the resistance of the British, Australian and Indian, invaded Malaysia two months. Kuala Lumpur fell on January 11, 1942, the British troops, Australian and Indian retreated to Singapore, undefended ground, without air cover and no water supply, was forced to surrender in February 1942, causing irreparable damage to British prestige.
During the occupation in World War II, popular support grew up for independence.The Japanese invasion during World War II ended British rule over Malaysia. The subsequent Japanese occupation, which lasted from 1942 to 1945, sparked nationalism in Malaysia and Borneo.