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Culture Of MaltaThe culture of Malta reflects the various influences of different countries, namely Italy and the United Kingdom, which ruled Malta until 1964. The Maltese are overwhelmingly Roman Catholic and the influence of the Church is strong, with divorce and abortion still being banned by law. The use of Italian has declined as a result of English influence and official policy, with English becoming the language of education, along with Maltese. However, television from Italy is widely watched in Malta, having been available before the country introduced its own service in the early 1960s. Since independence, closer links with the Italians (known in Maltese as taljani) have developed. Local festivals, similar to those in Italy, are commonplace, celebrating weddings, christenings and saints' days. On saints' days, or festas, the ceremonies start with religious prayers and are followed by three days of band processions, fireworks, and stalls. On the final day a statue of the religious patron is taken around the local streets with the faithful following in respectful prayer. British influences remain strong. Many Maltese avidly follow English football matches. Traffic still drives on the left, as in the UK, and many visitors from the UK are surprised to see British cars from the 1960s and 1970s still on the road. See also: Music of Malta Malta
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