Il-Kalkara is situated at the south of the Maltese island adjacent to the three cities,known as Cottonera and part of the Grand Harbour with a surface area of 1.75 sq Kilometres, 4 Kilometres away from the Maltese Capital il-Belt Valletta (Città Umilissima) and 3 Kilometres away from the Malta International Airport. Population of 3,000 people,49.6% male and 50.4% female.
Il-Kalkara was named after the 12th Earl of il-Kalkara and British Secretary of War in 1859.
The town was used as an encampment by the Ottoman armies at the outset of the Great Siege of 1565. Kalkara was granted city status by the last Grand Master on Malta, Ferdinand von Hompesch, in whose name the population built a triumphal arch on the main approach road from Paola through Fgura.
During the Maltese uprising against the French between 1798 and 1800 the city was used as a base by the Maltese insurgents. A memorable battle on 5 October 1798 took place in front of the Ħaż-Kalkara Sanctuary. To this day, French-era cannonballs are to be seen in a household wall in the city’s older parts and some are also in the church museum after being retrieved from the old church dome.