The Republic of Maldives is a chain of nearly 1,200 small coral islands in the Indian Ocean. People live on only about 200 of the islands. It is one of the smallest countries in the world. The capital is Male. With more than a quarter of the country's population, Male is also the largest city.
Maldives is located southwest of India. The islands extend more than 475 miles (764 kilometers) from north to south and 80 miles (130 kilometers) from east to west. Together they have a total land area of 115 square miles (298 square kilometers).
The islands are the peaks of an ancient submerged volcanic mountain range. Some of the islands are still being formed and are increasing in area. Others are being washed away. All the islands are low-lying. None is more than 6 feet (2 meters) above sea level. The islands are scattered over 26 atolls, or ribbons of coral reef that enclose lagoons. The barrier reefs protect the islands from heavy winds and rains. Sandy beaches surround the lagoons.
The country has a hot, humid climate. The average annual temperature ranges from about 79° F (26° C) to about 86° F (30° C). Seasonal winds called monsoons blow across the Indian Ocean. From May to August a monsoon from the southwest brings the rainy season. A drier, milder monsoon blows from the northeast from December to March.
The islands are covered with dense vegetation, including coconut palms, breadfruit trees, and tropical bushes. Much of the wildlife in Maldives lives in the water. Fish abound in the reefs, lagoons, and seas around the islands. Sea turtles were once caught for food and for their oil, a traditional medicine. There are now few of them left, so it is illegal to kill them. Whale sharks, whales, dolphins, and some coral also are protected by law. The islands are also home to a variety of seabirds.
The people of Maldives are of mixed origins. The main ethnic groups are Dravidian, Sinhalese, Arab, and African. The official language is Divehi, which is similar to an old language from the country of Sri Lanka. Arabic, Hindi, and English also are spoken. Islam is the official religion.
Only about 25 of the islands have more than 1,500 inhabitants. The southern islands have a greater concentration of people than the northern ones. Most of the people live in villages on small islands. Male is the only relatively large settlement.
Traditional handicrafts in Maldives include the making of lace, lacquer work, garments, and woven mats. Coir, a type of fiber, is prepared from the shells of coconuts. Male has a national historical museum and a national library.
The economy of Maldives is based mainly on fishing, boat building, and boat repairing. Tuna is the most important species of fish caught, and there is a tuna-canning factory on Lhaviyan Atoll. Tourism is growing quickly. Resort islands and modern hotels in Male attract increasing numbers of visitors during the winter months. The government sells Maldivian postage stamps to collectors outside the country. This brings in a considerable amount of income. The chief crops are various vegetables, melons, coconuts, tropical fruits, cassava, sweet potatoes, and yams.
Fish, fish products, and clothing are the main exports, or goods sold outside the country. The imports, or goods bought from other countries, include machinery and transportation equipment, manufactured products, food items, and live animals.
People lived in Maldives as early as the 5th century BC. These early inhabitants were Buddhists, probably from Sri Lanka and southern India. According to tradition, Islam was adopted in the 12th century AD. The Portuguese briefly established themselves in Male by force in the late 16th century.
In the 17th century the islands were controlled by the Dutch rulers of Ceylon. (Ceylon is now the country of Sri Lanka.) The British took possession of Ceylon in 1796. The islands then became a British protectorate, or dependent state. In 1965 Maldives gained full political independence. It became a republic in 1968. The last British troops left in 1976.
Hired soldiers from Sri Lanka tried to overthrow the government of Maldives in 1988. Troops from India helped stop the soldiers, who were unsuccessful. At the end of the 20th century, the government was concerned with rising ocean levels. Because the islands lie only a few feet above sea level, the water could submerge the islands in the future. Population (2001 estimate), 275,000.
