Time zone CET (UTC+1) Population 2,572 (Mar 2014) Area code 356 | Area 70 ha Local time Tuesday 2:00 AM Dialling code 356 | |
 | ||
Demonym(s) Mtarfi (m), Mtarfija (f), Mtarfin (pl) Weather 14°C, Wind SE at 13 km/h, 91% Humidity | ||
Mtarfa (Maltese: L-Imtarfa) is a small town in the Northern Region of Malta, with a population of 2,572 people as of March 2014. It was considered to be a suburb of Rabat until 2000, when it became a separate local council.
Contents
- Map of Imtarfa Malta
- History
- Politics and Administration
- Mtarfa Local Council
- Sport
- Zones in Mtarfa
- References
Map of Imtarfa, Malta
History
In the Roman period, Mtarfa was a suburb of Melite, and it contained a Temple of Proserpina. The ruins of the temple were destroyed in the 17th and 18th centuries and the stones were reused in other buildings. Substantial remains of the suburb itself, including the arrangement of the streets and many tombs, survived until the late 19th century.
In 1890, British military barracks began to be built in Mtarfa, destroying most of the Roman remains in the process. A clock tower, now a prominent landmark of Mtarfa, was built in 1895. A naval hospital, RNH Mtarfa, was built during World War I, and it has now been converted to a state secondary school, named after Sir Temi Zammit. A chapel dedicated to St. Oswald was built by the British after the end of World War I.
After the British left Malta, the barracks were converted into housing, and the town expanded into a modern residential area.
Politics and Administration
Mtarfa formed part of Rabat local council when these were first set up in Malta in 1993. In 2000 Mtarfa elected its first local council after an amendment was made to the Local Councils Act.
In April 2008, due to failure on the part of the council to meet at least once a month as required by the Local Council Act, the Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi recommended to the President of the Republic to dissolve the local council and to set up a temporary committee to administer the affairs of the locality. The Mtarfa local council had failed to meet since November of the previous year allegedly over disagreements on the appointment of the council's Executive Secretary.
Mtarfa Local Council
The current Mtarfa local council members are:
Sport
Mtarfa has its own football club Mtarfa F.C. Founded in 2006, the club took part in the Maltese Third Division for the first time in their history in the 07/08 season. They have entered the Malta Football Association in lieu of Ta' Xbiex F.C., who lost their status due to their consistent poor results in the lowest of Maltese divisions.