Pope Francis said in a recent interview that he plans to visit the Mediterranean nation of 457,000 (map). 96% of residents are Christian, and 94% are Catholic.

During their October 8 meeting, the Pope and Prime Minister Robert Abela “focused on the contribution of Christianity to the history, culture and life of the Maltese people, and on the Church’s commitment to the human and social development of the country, especially in the fields of education and welfare,” according to the Vatican press office. The parties also discussed “migration, to which the Church and the Government are strongly committed, and some ethical issues.”