In or on?

[User]

 

[Fnaar]

Google fight gives you the answer

http://www.googlefight.com/index.php?lang=en_GB&word1=in+Malta&word2=on+Malta

 

[Moodyman]

I think small islands are 'On' as they're seen as stepping stones, whereas big uns like Oz will swallow you 'in'

 

[asterix]

Maybe it depends

a) if the country is the sole occupant of the land mass e.g. Madagascar, Malta, Crete
b) the land mass is a single entiity, i.e. NOT Japan, New Zealand, Australia

 

[Arch]

Here's a thing I hate.

"We will shortly be arriving into York".

No, it's arriving AT York, or possibly "coming into York station".

 

[Globalti]

My Grandfather told me that you are IN a ship; he was in HMS Southampton in the North Atlantic.

 

[Fnaar]

In: political entity
On: geographical (island sized) entity

Also depends on usage: e.g. I'm in Malta (on holiday).
On (the island of Malta) there are lots of White Storks, but not many Black-winged Stilts.
They're getting rid of the yellow buses in/on Malta

possibly????

 

[Fnaar]

What's wrong with yellow buses?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/9520210.stm