Filfla

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Filfla is a small, barren, uninhabited islet 5 km south of Malta, and is the most southerly point of Maltese Archipelago.

The name is believed to come from filfel, the Arabic for a peppercorn.

It has an area of just 60,000 m² and is a crumbling flat-topped limestone plateau surrounded by 60 metre high cliffs. The only known permanent structure on it was a chapel built inside a cave in 1343, and which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1856 that also sank part of the island. Until 1971 the island was used for target practice by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. It became a bird reserve in 1980. In The Filfla Natural Reserve Act was enacted in 1988 which provided for further controls were added prohibiting fishing within a nautical mile (1.9 km) around it as not all the British ordnance detonated upon impact. Three species of sea birds breed on the islet: European Storm Petrel (c.5,000 pairs), Cory's Shearwater (c.200 pairs) and Yellow-legged Gull (c.130pairs). A type of wall lizard and door snail (Lampedusa imitatrix gattoi) are endemic to Filfla. A very large form of Wild Leek, growing up to 2m high, also occurs.

Access to Filfla can only be done for educational or scientific purposes and prior permission has to be obtained from the Minister responsible of the environment.

Coordinates: 35°47′N, 14°24′E