Valletta

Valletta, chief town, port, and capital of Malta, on the northeastern coast of the island of Malta, on the Mediterranean Sea. It occupies a rocky tongue of land, on either side of which are harbors. Valletta is the chief administrative, commercial, and cultural center of Malta. The city's historical sites and temperate climate attract many tourists to Valletta. Until 1979 British and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) naval bases were located in Valletta's harbors. Now these ports have been converted for commercial service. The principal architectural features are the residence of the governor, formerly the palace of the grand masters of the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem (also known as the Knights of Malta), and the cathedral containing tombs of the knights. Population (2004 estimate) 7,137.