The word "Gharb" comes from Arabic and means sunset - symbolizing the position of Gharb at the west of the island of Gozo. In Arabic the word "Gharb" Is written as "herb". The motto of the village is "In extremo vigilat" which means "Sentinel at the borderline".

Gharb means West and this typical old Gozitan village unsurprisingly lies in the West of the Island. It started life as a small hamlet centuries ago. You can see its ancient roots in the centre of the village where some houses have fine examples of decorated stone balconies. The population of Gharb is of about 1266 with a total of 400 families. The area of Gharb is about 14.3sq kms. Gharb is surrounded by two villages that of St Lawrence and Ghasri and on the other side of Gharb there is the sea. Gharb was created a parish in 1679, a move which gave impetus for the building of a new, baroque parish church. Built between 1699 and 1729, it has an elegant facade which has been compared with Borromini's S. Agnese in Piazza Navona, Rome. This version is naturally a simpler interpretation of the style.

The village square, so quintessentially Gozitan, has become the view on many postcards. In the square is a fascinating folklore museum housing all sorts of memorabilia retelling the Islands' rural history. Gharb lies in some of Gozo's most delightful countryside, particularly at Dbiegi, the highest hill on the Island. Also at Dbiegi is a centre for Gozitan crafts.

Within the limits of Gharb is the quaint Chapel of San Dimitri. According to legend, the first chapel was built on the cliff side by a woman whose son was freed from captivity by St. Demetrius. Also nearby is the Basilica ta' Pinu, Malta's pre-eminent shrine to the Virgin Mary. It was on this spot in 1883 that a local woman heard the voice of the Virgin.

One of the people of note to live in this village is the famous french artist : Raphael Labro