By the usual standards that most other countries use when designating a city, Malta's cities would be too small to be considered such, and in fact Malta is sometimes regarded as a single city-state.
[1] Malta's cities are regarded as such because they received the designation of città at some point during their history.
In Maltese law, no distinction is made between cities, towns, and villages; city status is purely honorary and colloquial.
Malta is divided into 68 local councils.
The local councils which formerly had city status all feature a mural crown on the crest of their coat of arms.